The pertinence and feasibility of implementing a plurilingual approach in Quebec, Canada: the beliefs of pre-service ESL teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The field of language pedagogy has increasingly advocated for the implementation of plurilingual approaches which promote learners’ ability to mobilize all linguistic resources at their disposal in order to communicate in different situations with various interlocutors [Cabré Rocafort 2019. “The Development of Plurilingual Education Through Multimodal Narrative Reflection in Teacher Education: A Case Study of a Pre-Service Teacher’s Beliefs About Language Education.” Canadian Modern Language Review 75 (1): 40–64; Coste, Moore, and Zarate 2009. Plurilingual and Pluricultural Competence.]. The implementation of such approaches, however, relies greatly on teachers’ openness and ability to help their learners explore their linguistic and cultural repertoires. To date, the beliefs of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in Quebec regarding the implementation of plurilingual approaches remain under-researched. This exploratory study aimed at examining the beliefs of future teachers regarding the pertinence and feasibility of implementing a plurilingual approach, as well as the impact of teacher education and previous language learning experiences on these beliefs. An online questionnaire was shared with undergraduate ESL teacher education programs across the province of Quebec and answers from 52 PSTs were collected and analyzed. Results suggest that future teachers were reluctant to implement a plurilingual approach, despite holding positive beliefs towards certain underlying principles of plurilingualism. Findings also indicate that PSTs are heavily encouraged, during teacher education, to maintain a monolingual class policy. Pedagogical implications are discussed in light of research on plurilingualism and PSTs’ beliefs.