Bilingual Pupils Research Articles

The development of metaphorical competence in the process of teaching Russian to natural bilinguals.

Metaphor, being one of the main means of verbal imagery, is based on the conceptual system of language and is a way of reality structuring for members of a certain ethnic culture. In this connection the process of decoding Russian metaphors by the bilinguals living outside of the Russian Federation, for whom Russian is not the dominant language, presents certain difficulties, connected with insufficient knowledge of the Russian conceptual system and inability to recognize associative components, expressed in the form of figurative metaphorical connotations. Our work is aimed at substantiating the necessity of forming metaphorical competence, understood as the ability to realize the potential of metaphor in the process of communication, comprehension of reality and extraction of background cultural knowledge. The aim of this study is to develop an algorithm for the consistent development of metaphorical competence in bilinguals in the process of teaching Russian. The realization of the research took place in two main stages. At the theoretical stage, the cases of linguistic and author’s metaphors of K. Bulychev’s fantasy story «Fairy Tale Preserve» were analyzed. At the second, experimental stage, the work with the materials was carried out with the participation of 34 Russian-Greek bilinguals aged 11–12 years old. The results of the study showed that most metaphors in Russian-language artistic discourse cannot be correctly interpreted by bilinguals without the background knowledge of the national culture. Besides, bilinguals’ ability to create metaphors in a written text directly depends on systematic work in Russian language classes aimed at forming metaphorical competence in bilingual pupils

Revisiting bilingual foreign language learning advantages: The role of extramural exposure

Aims and objectives: Prior research shows that bilingual pupils may have foreign language learning advantages over monolinguals, but evidence is controversial. Investigating English as a foreign language (EFL) in the context of the Netherlands, we hypothesized that the conflicting findings may be partly explained by differences in extramural EFL exposure. We further predicted that amount and length of EFL exposure might moderate the effects of bilingualism on EFL learning and cross-language relationships between English and the previously acquired languages. Approach: Twelve- to 14-year-old Turkish–Dutch bilinguals ( n = 30) and Dutch monolinguals ( n = 31) participated. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was used to measure receptive vocabulary in English, Dutch, and Turkish. Grammatical ability was measured with a sentence repetition task. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on children’s language exposure. Data and analysis: Data were analyzed by means of multilevel linear regression. Amount and length of extramural exposure were used as control variables in the analyses comparing EFL skills of bilinguals and monolinguals. The role of exposure as a moderator of bilingual effects and cross-language relationships was also tested. Findings/conclusions: If differences in exposure were not taken into account, the bilinguals were outperformed by the monolinguals on EFL vocabulary, but not on grammar. However, the between-group difference disappeared once exposure measures were controlled for. Bilinguals with little exposure to English performed worse than monolingual peers, but at higher exposure levels, bilinguals outperformed monolinguals. In the bilingual sample, Dutch vocabulary predicted English vocabulary, but Turkish proficiency did not predict English skills. Originality: This is the first study to include measures of extramural exposure in investigating the effects of bilingualism on EFL learning. Significance/implications: This research shows that differences between monolingual and bilingual EFL learners can be either concealed or inflated if exposure is not controlled for. Furthermore, exposure moderates bilingual effects in EFL learning.

Assessment of Levels of Bi-Literacy Among Bilingual Learners at The Middle-Basic Education: The Case of Abia and Nassarawa States of Nigeria

Going by the language provisions of the National Policy on Education (NPE), every Nigerian child in school is bilingual. Bilingual in the sense that the NPE provides for mother tongue (MT) or Language of the immediate environment/community (LIE/LIC) medium of instruction at the first three years of primary education otherwise called the Early Basic and transition into the English medium from primary 4 (The Middle Basic). The implication is that at the early basic, both the MT or the LIE/LIC as a subject and the other content subjects would be taught in the prescribed medium of MT/LIE while English studies would be taught in English medium and conversely at the Middle Basic where English is the medium except for MT/LE as a subject. Some of the basic skills targeted at the primary education level are functional literacy and numeracy skills. Literacy, simply is defined as the ability to read and write in a given language. The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether the bilingual pupils in Abia and Nasarawa states of Nigeria are also achieved bi-literacy, (that is acquire literacy skill in both the Ìgbò/English and Hausa/English) respectively. It also sought to compare the learners’ level of literacy between Ìgbò and English and Hausa and English respectively, between male and female bilinguals and between Abia and Nasarawa bilinguals. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was purposively the grade 5 Middle Basic while sample of 302 pupils (121 from Abia and 181 from Nasarawa states) were randomly selected from 5 primary schools proportionately selected in Aba North LGA of Abia State and Akwanga LGA of Nasarawa state respectively. Data was collected through researchers- constructed tests titled, Bi-literacy Reading and Writing Test (BRWT) comprising simple comprehension passages in English and its equivalents in Ìgbò and Hausa languages as well as translation exercises from English sentences into Ìgbò and Hausa respectively. The instrument had face and content validity. Data was analyzed using Mean and Standard Deviation for the research questions. Hypotheses1was tested with paired t-test while hypotheses 2 and 3 were tested using MANOVA. Findings include: both the bilingual Basic 5 pupils in Abia and Nasarawa states are bi-literate in their MT and English. There is a significant statistical difference in the biliteracy levels of bilingual Basic 5 pupils in Igbo/English and Hausa/English respectively. Hence, Abia bilinguals are more literate in English than in Igbo while the Nasarawa bilinguals are more literate in Hausa than in the English language. There is no significant statistical biliteracy difference between male and female Abia and Nasarawa bilingual Basic 5 pupils, the difference in their Mean scores is negligible. Finaly, there is a statistically significant biliteracy difference between the Abia Basic 5 bilinguals and their Nasarawa counterparts with the Abia bilinguals found more biliterate than the Nasarawa bilingual Basic 5 pupils. While Abia is recommended to get more intentional with MT/LIC medium at the basic levels of education, Nasarawa state is recommended to teach English in English and not in Hausa medium.

Bilingual advantages in foreign language learning: evidence from primary-school pupils with developmental language disorder

IntroductionOne of the bilingual advantages often reported in the literature on typically-developing children involves advantages in foreign language learning at school. However, it is unknown whether similar advantages hold for bilingual pupils with learning disabilities. In this study, we compare the performance of monolingual and bilingual primary-school children with developmental language disorder (DLD) learning English as a school subject in special education schools in the Netherlands.MethodsThe participants were monolingual (N = 49) and bilingual (N = 22) children with DLD attending Grade 4−6 of special education (age 9–12). The bilingual participants spoke a variety of home languages. The English tests included a vocabulary task, a grammar test and a grammaticality judgement task. The Litmus Sentence Repetition Task and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test were used as measures of, respectively, grammatical ability and vocabulary size in Dutch (majority/school language). In addition, samples of semi-spontaneous speech were elicited in both English and Dutch using the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives. The narratives were analysed for fluency, grammatical accuracy, lexical diversity, and syntactic complexity. A questionnaire was used to measure amount of exposure to English outside of the classroom.Results and discussionThe results for Dutch revealed no differences between monolinguals and bilinguals on the narrative measures, but monolinguals performed significantly better on both vocabulary and grammar. In contrast, bilinguals outperformed monolinguals on all English measures, except grammatical accuracy of narratives. However, some of the differences became non-significant once we controlled for amount of out-of-school exposure to English. This is the first study to demonstrate that foreign language learning advantages extend to bilingual children with DLD. The results also underline the need to control for differences in out-of-school exposure to English when comparing bilingual and monolingual pupils on foreign language outcomes.

Profiles of reading fluency and spelling skills: stability and change across the early school years

ABSTRACT In this longitudinal study, we examined what kind of profiles of reading fluency and spelling skills could be identified among pupils (N = 467) and how stable these profiles were during the first three years of school. We also investigated how monolingual (Swedish) and simultaneously bilingual (Finnish-Swedish) pupils and gender were distributed within the profiles. Three profiles of reading fluency and spelling skills were found among the pupils through latent profile analysis: low, average, and high performing. Latent transition analysis confirmed stable and identical profiles throughout the first school years. The distributions of monolingual and bilingual pupils and gender were equal in all profiles throughout the grades. These findings have implications on a pragmatic level in school, confirming the importance of early identification and support for low performing pupils.

Effect of Code Switching on Bilingual Students' Success in Mathematics and Language Education

The present research investigates the effects of code-switching techniques on the academic achievement of bilingual pupils in the fields of mathematics and language education. The study centres on the integration of English and Mathematics instruction. This research aims to determine effective methods for teaching bilingual students and identify the benefits and challenges of incorporating code-switching in mathematics and language education. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data from standardized tests and qualitative data from interviews and classroom observations. The results revealed a positive correlation between code-switching and bilingual students' mathematics and language performance, suggesting that integrated English and Mathematics instruction can enhance learning outcomes. Moreover, the study identified specific code-switching techniques that effectively support bilingual students in the mathematics classroom. These findings have crucial implications for educators working with bilingual students, highlighting the importance of tailoring teaching strategies to address the unique needs of this population while fostering their linguistic and mathematical abilities.

A Critical Analysis of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils’ Ability to Predict Outcome and Comprehend Sentences in a Reading Comprehension

This study was carried out to analyze the monolingual and bilingual pupils’ ability to predict outcome and comprehend sentences in a reading comprehension passage. The research design adopted for the study was Quasi-experimental design. The study was conducted in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The population of the study comprised all 5,074 primary schools. The sample size that was used for the study consisted of 127, drawn from primary 3 pupils from 4 private primary schools in Uyo Senatorial District. The main instrument used for data collection in the study was titled “Performance of Monolingual and Bilingual Pupils” (PMBP). To ensure face and content validity of the instrument, the PMBP was given to the researcher’s supervisor and four experts (two in the Department of Early Childhood Education and two in English Department, all in the University of Uyo). In order to ensure the reliability of the research instrument, the PMBP was trial-tested on 30 private primary school children who were not part of the study, but the respondents have similar characteristics with those in the study area. The research questions 1-2 were answered using mean and standard deviation statistics, while the null hypotheses 1-2 were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Decisions on the 2 null hypotheses were taken at .05 level of significance. The study concluded that monolingual and bilingual pupils do not differ significantly in their ability to predict outcome and comprehend sentences in reading comprehension passage. One of the recommendations made was that government, through effective monitoring, should ensure that all private schools teach the vernacular as a subject to their pupils as stipulated in the National Policy on Education for effective implementation.

Arab Students Learning Arabic as Their First Language and Jewish Students Learning Arabic as Their Second Language

The goal of the present study is to investigate how Arabic is acquired among Jewish pupils who learn it as a second language (SL) in Israel and how Arabs acquire the Arabic language as their first language (L1). Both groups study Arab together in bilingual schools. This topic has not been investigated in bilingual schools in Israel. Such a study of this topic may clarify the developmental process of Arabic among Arab and Jewish students compared with their peers in regular monolingual schools. The research population comprised of random samples of 30 Arabic pupils and 30 Jewish pupils from each grade level: An overall sample consisted of 180 participants from bilingual schools. Similar sample was sampled from regular monolingual Arab and Jewish schools. The statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between pupils’ groups in the 3rd grade, particularly about Arab pupils learning in bilingual schools and Arab pupils learning in monolingual schools. However, the result of the higher grades revealed that bilingual pupils, Arabs and Jews, received better abilities regarding Arabic than their Arab peers learning in monolingual schools, which supports the idea of the advantages in providing bilingual education from an early age for both Jews and Arabs in Israel.

Saving racialized children through good schooling: media discourses on racialized children’s schooling as a site for upholding danish whiteness

ABSTRACT This article uses Danish media discourses on racialized children’s schooling as a lens through which to analyse how issues of kinship and family play into nation-building processes through representations of ‘the child’. The article addresses the question of the distribution of racialized children, mostly termed ‘bilingual pupils’, at Danish schools, which is a recurrent theme in the public debate. The media representation of this issue is mostly framed around an ideal of spreading the ‘bilingual pupils’ among different schools to ensure proper mixing with white Danish pupils, which is framed as securing both the educational development of the children and the prosperity of the Danish nation. Through the ideal of mixing, the nation is constituted as able to include the racialized child as an act of saving it from its heritage of racialized and classed disadvantage. A comparison with other kinds of media reporting on racialized children in Danish schooling reveals the constellation of a racialized hierarchy that works to uphold Danish whiteness and non-racism through the ideal of proper mixing. Migrant subjects who have mixed through kinship with Danish whiteness and have actively abandoned their racialized familial background seem more easily constituted as belonging in Denmark.

The application of functional cognitive linguistic pedagogy under the conditions of linguistic minorities

Abstract The paper gives an overview of the general and special factors of L2 learning of Hungarian minorities across the borders of Hungary, that is, in Slovakia. Indigenous minorities like Hungarians in Slovakia are strongly interested in fluent state language knowledge. Still, the state school system failed to work out and implement a suitable language pedagogy for linguistic minorities, since the state curriculum comprised only one type of Slovak lessons, the one for pupils speaking Slovak as their mother tongue. This curriculum does not consider the special needs for bilingual pupils (on different levels of bilingualism) and those growing up in pure minority environment. The paper introduces functional cognitive linguistics as a usage-based theory and descriptive activity that gives new methods for L2 learning and teaching, building on the vernacular linguistic and conceptual knowledge of the pupils, focusing on the meaning – form pairs of linguistic expressions both in the vernacular and the second (state) language. In the second part, certain grammatical units are discussed as the topic of functional language pedagogy: lexical units and their grammatical adjustment to the syntactic and semantic structure of the sentence, or metaphor in use. In the third part, the topics of the previous section are treated in a comparative Hungarian – Slovak style, as examples of L2 teaching methodology.

Teaching English as an additional language: a case study approach

PurposeThis paper aims to deal with the processes and experiences of teaching English as an additional language (AL). More specifically, it deals with the research question of which teaching methods are used when teaching English as AL and why.Design/methodology/approachIt concerns a case study approach conducted in an English primary school situated in North Yorkshire, where bilingual pupils also participate. The research methods used include observations in the classroom and in the playground, interviews with the teachers and the bilingual pupils of the school, as well as analysis of policy school documentation related to the topic examined.FindingsThe picture revealed by this study suggests that a number of different approaches and teaching methods, which contribute to teaching English as an AL, are used. The results indicate that great importance is attributed to teacher-pupil and pupil-pupil interaction, as well as to the employment of specific teaching techniques such as key visuals, corrective feedback. In addition, certain types of questions are addressed to bilingual pupils depending on their current language proficiency level. Teachers seem to emphasise the significance of activating the prior knowledge of non-native speakers (NNS). Progression in the content of the activities set, motivation and differentiation are seen as important. The implementation of the aforementioned approaches and teaching methods are supported by the policy and organisation of the school, where the research study was conducted.Originality/valueAs stated in the National Curriculum and within the framework of inclusion, all pupils for whom English is not their first language have to be provided with opportunities to develop the English language, the acquisition of which will help them to have access and take part in all subject areas. The present study explores what certain teaching approaches and methods can provide NNS with equal opportunities to develop English as an AL and why.

The prevalence of bilingual interaction in peer-learning

ABSTRACT In an era of globalization and global migration multilingualism represents a central educational goal for international political institutions and educational systems. However, except for bilingual schooling programs, institutionalized learning usually takes place monolingually, especially in Europe. Peer-Learning seems to be a promising method for integrating bilingualism in submersion. Pupils sharing the same languages could interact bilingually while working together without the necessity of a bilingual teacher. This paper investigates the prevalence of bilingual interaction of peer-tandems in submersion. The analysis is based upon a quasi-experimental setting with n = 114 Turkish-German bilingual pupils from German elementary schools and makes use of dyadic data analysis and non-parametric methods. The results show that (1) the prevalence of bilingual interaction is nonindependent of the dyad, (2) the learning contents do not affect the prevalence of bilingual interaction, and (3) an explicit offer is needed for the activation of bilingual interaction. Practical implications for the implementation of bilingual peer-learning in submersion will be discussed.

Practitioners' perspectives and experiences of supporting bilingual pupils on the autism spectrum in two linguistically different educational settings

With greater linguistic diversity in educational settings around the world as a result of international migration, and a rise in autism diagnoses, educators are more frequently teaching children who are both neurodiverse and linguistically different to their peers. The aim of the present study was to uncover the perspectives and experiences of educational practitioners who provide support for bilingual learners on the autism spectrum in two linguistically different educational settings: England and Wales. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 13 practitioners (5 teachers, 4 teaching assistants, 3 special educational needs coordinators and 1 speech and language therapist) working in mainstream schools. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which seeks to illuminate participants' lived experience. Three superordinate themes were extracted from the data: (1) perspectives on bilingualism in autism; (2) comparisons across two linguistically different settings; (3) creating inclusive learning environments. The results demonstrate that practitioners had concerns about the feasibility of bilingualism for some autistic pupils, and argued that exposure to two languages may have a negative impact on their development. Future research should focus on finding effective ways to identify and support learning needs among bilingual pupils to ensure that children who are ‘doubly different’ from their peers not only have access to educational provision, but also have opportunities to harness and celebrate their differences.

The Native Scientist project in Ireland: Promoting Heritage Languages through informal Engagements with Scientists

This project report focuses on the results of a series of heritage language STEM workshops which were run in Ireland by the organization Native Scientist. The results indicate that the workshops represent a positive experience for children and scientists, and show high potential to enhance the linguistic skills of bilingual pupils.

Peculiarities of Good Representations of the Fourth forms Single-Lingual and Mixed-Lingual Pupils

Mixed Russian-Ukrainian dialect in modern junior schoolchildren language, especially bilinguals – is a common phenomenon conditioned by the circumstances of the modern world. The peculiarities of the general representations of mixed-lingual pupils who study at school and communicate outside the lessons in different languages have been revealed in the article; this leads to using a large number of borrowed vocabulary from both languages. In order to study the peculiarities of general representations of Ukrainian, Russian and mixed- lingual pupils, a questionnaire for single-lingual and bilingual pupils of the fourth forms have been conducted. The survey covered 161 students of the fourth forms: 43 pupils who speak at school Ukrainian, and outside of lessons –Russian; 55 pupils – mostly Ukrainian; 66 students - mostly Russian. As a result of the study, pupils’ differences in general representations and associations of representations with different colors have been detected depending on the language of studying and communication outside the classroom. In the process of mastering the native language, along with the capture of culture and the accumulation of their own experience, associations are formed; even if they are little conscious or generally unconscious they influence the formation of images of representations and their emotional color. Fourth form pupils, whose native language is different from the language of studying, representation of «good» may differ from the views of pupils studying in their native language. Mixed-lingual junior pupils, in comparison with the Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking pupils, in the explanation of the «good», the number of definitions through the opposition «evil» increases, which may threatened with radicalization in the future. Language, among other things, is a system that can fix, store and transmit associations as an inheritance. Different language promotes changing associative links of representations and their emotional color and charging in comparison with the associations of both languages. These changes can be considered as «hereditary-speech mutations», which open wide prospects for psycholinguistic studies of passionarity.

TYPOLOGY OF THE DYSGRAPHIA ERRORS OF BILINGUAL PUPILS (ROMA AND TURKISH ETHNICITY) OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE

This article addresses the problems of integrating bilingual pupils (of Roma and Turkish origin) in primary school from a logopedic perspective. The main aim of the research is to compare qualitative and quantitative parameters of dysgraphia disorders and specify their types in bilingual and monolingual pupils (Bulgarians) of primary school age. The methods include exploring: basic graphic habits, phonematic perception, writing in different language situations, and identification and typology of specific dysgraphia errors according to certain criteria. The analysis indicates a similar negative trend among achievements of bilingual pupils, both Roma and Turks, whereas the monolingual learners, Bulgarians, prove to be most efficient in performing linguistic tasks. To a great extent, the results are predetermined by both the learners’ ethnolinguistic affiliation and the type of settlement in which they reside. At the same time, language interference has a negative impact on bilingual pupils’ attitudes and motivation to participate actively in their education and hence, it becomes a barrier to their socialization.

THE BASIC CONDITIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SPEECH OF STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION

Introduction. Many teachers and methodologists note that children, especially at the first step of education and at the initial stage of the secondary school, often can not fully understand and precisely express in oral and written forms their thought and information which is presented in mathematical texts. In the process of mathematical education of the bilingual pupils of younger and middle school age studying at schools with teaching national (native for them) and Russian (state) languages, this task becomes complicated even more since children do not possess the so-called control mechanisms to switch from one language into another as well as speech and thought processes are generally operated in the native language. The aim of the present publication is to determine the main conditions for the development of the mathematical speech of the bilingual students. Methodology and research methods. The research was carried out with a support on activity and personality oriented approaches in education. The research methods involved: analysis of psycho-pedagogical and educational-methodical literature; observation of the process of education in Mathematics of the bilingual students; questioning of school students and teachers; conversations with the respondents. Results and scientific novelty. The close interconnection of the processes of the development of mathematical speech and mathematical thinking is demonstrated, wherein a connective component of speech and thinking is perception of the meaning of the educational material by pupils. The stages of formation of the mathematical speech of pupils and non-language abilities which have to be acquired in the course of bilingual education in mathematics are described. The set of basic communicative qualities for assessment of formation level of the mathematical speech of pupils is designated. On the example of the activities of national schools of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, the problems existing today in bilingual education are revealed. One of them is the fact that at primary school and when moving to secondary school the features of bilingual students’ speech and thought activities, which are usually formed and operated in the native language, are not considered. However, when choosing educational means, the teachers have to give preference to the Russianlanguage sources and to pay considerable attention to the Russian language itself, as the Russian becomes the main language at the secondary school. Besides, the texts of All-Russian Test Works (an obligatory monitoring activity for graduates of primary school) are not translated into the native language of pupils. Practice has shown, however, that early education in a non-native language has negative effect on school students’ development of thinking and mathematical speech that lead to formal knowledge. In contrast, a child whose mathematical speech is formed in the native language at primary school, then, at the secondary school, easily switches into the Russian-language education and successfully improves own mathematical speech based on the acquired experience and complete system of mathematical concepts. Therefore, the most part of the teachers interviewed during the conversations and questioning are convinced that younger school students need to be taught in the language which they speak and think. Smooth transition into the Russian-language education should be introduced in the 5–6th grades; at the same time, continuity between education stages has to be maintained. Practical significance. The materials of the research and the authors’ recommendations on designing the conditions for successful development of mathematical speech and thinking of school students studying in the bilingual national-Russian environment can be useful to experts who are engaged in the development of techniques and methods for national comprehensive schools of Russia.

Primary school pupils with speech disorders (Spoken and written language)

The present study aims to investigate speech disorders among bilingual pupils and to assess their performance in primary school according to the didactic and pedagogical methods of education. In particular, we investigate: a) speech disorders among culturally different pupils in primary school, b) whether and to what extent they affect pupils’ school performance according to the goals of modern education in primary school and c) factors that influence speech disorders in combination with bilingual pupils’ school performance.

Zijn de voordelen van tweetaligheid voor alle tweetalige kinderen even groot?

Abstract Benefits of being bilingual? The relationship between pupils’ perceptions of teachers’ appreciation of their home language and executive functioningWe aimed to investigate whether bilingual pupils’ perceptions of their teachers’ appreciation of their Home Language (HL) were of influence on bilingual cognitive advantages. We examined whether Dutch bilingual primary school pupils who speak either German or Turkish at home differed in perceptions of their teacher’s appreciation of their HL, and whether these differences could explain differences between the two groups in executive functioning. Executive functioning was measured through computer tasks, and perceived HL appreciation through orally administered questionnaires. The relationship between the two was assessed with regression analyses. German-Dutch pupils perceived more appreciation of their home language from their teacher than Turkish-Dutch pupils did. This difference partly explained differences in executive functioning. Besides, we replicated bilingual advantages in nonverbal working memory and switching, but not in verbal working memory or inhibition. This study demonstrates that bilingual advantages cannot be dissociated from the influence of the sociolinguistic context of the classroom. Thereby, it stresses the importance of culturally responsive teaching.

Multilingual islands in a monolingual sea: language choice patterns during group work

ABSTRACTThis study explores language choice patterns during group work of bilingual pupils (Turkish–Dutch) in two mainstream primary schools in Flanders (Belgium). In each school, a group of four children performed eight different tasks, related to different subjects of the curriculum. During task performance, they were exceptionally invited to use their mother tongue (Turkish), which ran against the rules of the monolingual school. Language choice data in these temporary ‘multilingual islands in a monolingual sea’ were gathered. Results indicate that Turkish was used for purposes related to task performance throughout all tasks. The results challenge the view, currently prevalent in Flemish education, that a submersion approach is the only viable option for bilingual pupils speaking a minority language.