Multilingual Contexts Research Articles

Recent Advancements in English Education in the Multilingual Context of Kazakhstan

Recent Advancements in English Education in the Multilingual Context of Kazakhstan

English medium instruction in multilingual contexts: Empirical evidence from Ethiopia

Language acquisition and learning literatures favour mother-tongue education policies, particularly in the early years of schooling. However, English Medium Instruction (EMI) remains a popular language policy position in multilingual contexts. This paper studies EMI transition policies using a longitudinal dataset from Ethiopia, by leveraging regional variation in education language policy reforms for causal identification. Employing a dynamic value-added model, this paper shows that students in schools using English as a medium of instruction have lower mathematics test scores (−0.25 standard deviations) compared to students in mother tongue education schools. Furthermore, English medium learners do not perform any better in their English test scores compared to mother tongue learners. These findings are in line with the international education literature on skill development, learning and second language acquisition. The main results support the prolonged utilisation of mother tongue instruction in primary education. These results are particularly relevant for policy makers in linguistically diverse contexts.

Common Language Development in Multilingual Contexts: A Study of Russian Language Policy in the Early Years of the Soviet Union.

In the field of Russian linguistics, history, and jurisprudence, the Russian language is widely regarded as a political instrument and, to some extent, reflects the development and influence of contemporary language policy of the Russian language in the Soviet Union. This study aims to examine the process, characteristics, influencing psychological and sociological factors, and consequences of Russian language policy in the early Soviet Union (1917-1930s). Thematic analysis and discourse strategy analysis methods were employed to achieve this goal. The results indicate that a well-thought-out language policy necessitates the establishment of language legislation and a precise legal definition of the status and use of different languages. The absence of language legislation can be a major drawback of language policy. While the Soviet Constitution and other relevant political documents broadly define the status and use of Russian and other languages, there is no specific language legislation regulating the use of each language. Analysis of word frequency statistics demonstrates that the key concepts of Stalinist policy differed compared to the time of Lenin's rule, resulting in a lack of effective legal force and strong mechanisms for controlling language policy practices. As the functional advantages of the Russian language become increasingly evident, some ethnic minorities tend to lean towards studying and using it, leading to the emergence of many bilingual and even trilingual individuals. Other minorities with small or underdeveloped populations turn to the Russian language, which is the most widely spoken language. These findings contribute to the theoretical and practical knowledge base for research in the fields of linguistics, linguistic culturology, history, psycholinguistics, and political science. Subsequent research can focus on current aspects of the country's language policy.

Book review: Crossing borders, writing texts, being evaluated: cultural and disciplinary norms in academic writing by Anne Golden, Lars Anders Kulbrandstad and Lawrence Zhang.

In the context of globalization, the demand for English academic writing instruction at the higher education level is experiencing exponential growth. Consequently, it is crucial to conduct research that transcends national, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries in order to address this pressing need. However, there is a scarcity of research examining the intricate and diverse nature of English academic writing instruction across a wide array of national, cultural, and disciplinary contexts, highlighting an area that calls for further investigation. In response to this gap, Anne Golden, Lars Anders Kulbrandstad, and Lawrence Jun Zhang have collaborated as editors on a comprehensive volume titled "Crossing Borders, Writing Texts, Being Evaluated: Cultural and Disciplinary Norms in Academic Writing." This collection aims to inform educators and researchers about the challenges encountered in multilingual contexts of academic writing and propose empirically substantiated solutions and coping strategies. This article provides a summary of each chapter of the volume, highlights notable features, and offers constructive criticism by identifying areas for improvement. Overall, the authors' adeptness in unraveling the complexity and diversity of English academic writing instruction permeates the entire book. Their utilization of empirical studies, insightful findings, practical recommendations, and consideration of diverse contexts all enable their contributions to the field of English academic writing instruction. Consequently, this book serves as an indispensable resource for researchers, educators, and graduate students who seek guidance in navigating the intricacies of teaching and learning academic writing in multilingual contexts.

State and NGO coproduction of health care in the Gran Chaco

The collaboration between state and civil society in the delivery of public services is paramount to sustainable and participatory development in rural areas with marginalized populations. Previous research identified complementarity and embeddedness as two essential features of successful coproduction. However, most of the literature on coproduction studies users and providers who share the same language and culture, even if power asymmetries are high. We combine the literatures on non-state social welfare provision and on coproduction to analyze a collaboration between states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in multicultural and multilingual contexts. In such contexts, we argue, embeddedness requires not only language interpreters but also intercultural policies and training, without which the benefits of coproduction are lost in translation.Our study is based on a recent collaboration between the states of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay and two health care NGOs that provide prenatal care to women in the Gran Chaco. In this region, a large portion of the population is Indigenous and maternal and infant mortality are high. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews, combined with observational data, we analyze the experiences of public health care providers and NGO doctors involved in the intervention. We evaluate if there is complementarity between the state and the NGOs regarding access to preventive health care, diagnosis and treatment, and human resources in the health sector. Finally, we analyze whether state or NGO actors are embedded in local civil society or Indigenous communities. We find that this medical intervention significantly improves access to and delivery of health care to pregnant women, and promotes attention to neglected diseases such as Chagas. It also improves local human resources in the health sector. Despite these benefits, it lacks an intercultural approach to health care, limiting its potential, but also opening new opportunities for future research and practice.

Factors influencing communication between parents and early childhood educators in multilingual Luxembourg

The collaboration between educators of early childhood education and care (ECEC) and parents has a significant positive impact on children's development, particularly for young immigrant children. However, research in multilingual and multicultural contexts is scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study conducted in multilingual ECEC context in Luxembourg was twofold: (1) to identify the significant predictors that influence goal-oriented communication between parents and educators, and (2) to showcase a dynamic interplay between these factors in practice through observations and interviews. To address the first aim, we conducted two regression analyses, one involving parents (N = 323) and the other educators (N = 289). The analysis with parents showed that the most significant factor that influenced goal-oriented communication was parent satisfaction, while for educators it was educators’ professional attitudes towards parents and parent involvement. Furthermore, the results from interviews and observations of parent involvement in literacy activities in two multilingual centres showed that these factors are closely linked. When educators have positive attitudes, they will communicate more frequently and purposefully, and offer opportunities for parents to be involved, which will then lead to parent satisfaction. This study has important implications for policymakers, practitioners, and parents especially in multilingual contexts.

Unpacking the Bilingual Mind: How Code Mixing and Switching Facilitate Language Processing among Bilingual Learners

Language is a dynamic system shaped by evolving concepts, social contexts, and user experiences. This research delves into the intricate relationship between code-switching and code-mixing, exploring their impact on bilingual language acquisition. The study differentiates between code-switching, the complete shift between languages, and code-mixing, the integration of elements from both languages within a single utterance. It acknowledges the role of these phenomena in bridging communication gaps and facilitating self-expression for bilingual learners. It highlights studies conducted in the Philippines, emphasizing the prevalence of code-switching in urban areas and its potential benefits in language learning environments. This case study aimed to meticulously examine the interplay between code-switching and code-mixing, particularly their influence on bilingual learners’ communication strategies, language development, as well as their cognitive benefits. By shedding light on these phenomena, the study can contribute to a deeper understanding of bilingual language acquisition processes and inform effective language teaching methods, particularly in multilingual contexts like the Philippines.

English-medium education in Kazakhstan: A multifaceted exploration of student and alumni perceptions on language proficiency, academic performance, and career prospects

English-medium education (EME) has become a global trend, especially in bilingual and multilingual university contexts, aiming to enhance students' English proficiency and their readiness for an internationalized workforce. While EMEʼs potential benefits and challenges to English language development have been explored, its impact on content knowledge acquisition and employment prospects remains debated. This study investigates the interplay of English linguistic proficiency, academic performance, and workplace opportunities in a single EME university in Kazakhstan, a bilingual context typically with Kazakh and Russian as dominant instructional languages. This mixed-methods study, adapted from a case study of a Chinese university (Huang & Curle, 2021), surveyed students (n = 61) and alumni (n = 48) who evaluated their development in EME and their experiences in hypothetical comparison with Kazakh or Russian as a language of instruction. Ten students and seven alumni were interviewed to contextualize survey responses. Results showed strong beliefs in EME's advantages for proficiency, content knowledge, and employment, with correlations observed between these beliefs and English or Kazakh proficiency levels. These insights underscore the need for pedagogical strategies tailored to the diverse needs of EME students.

SENTIMENT ANALYSIS OF CODE-MIXED LANGUAGES

In the multilingual context of today, code-mixed language is frequently utilized. It happens when a sentence contains both foreign language vocabulary and grammar. Finding the sentence's polarity value is the aim of sentiment analysis of code-mixed language. It is mostly concerned with sentiment analysis of tweets that contain extra Hindi and English words and symbols. The collection is composed of 20,000 tweets, which produces word-level representations of the tweets for use as input in several models, including CNN, LSTM, and Bi-LSTM. When compared to other models, the Bi-LSTM model performs better. The precision of CNN, LSTM and Bi-LSTM is 65.00%, 58.59% and 54.24% respectively.

The church and the manor: Assessing and comparing the effects of language contact on two Middle English lexical domains

This paper investigates the lexis associated with the church and the manor, two major institutions of medieval England, in order to assess the effects of language contact across lexical domains and levels of specificity. The data for this study, consisting of lexical items denoting locations and objects, was extracted from existing thesauri and analysed in terms of source languages, technicality, and survival, with the aim of finding out to what extent the influence of borrowing from French and Latin varied depending on the domain and level of specificity of meaning. The results reveal a consistent predominance of Romance-origin lexis in the domain relating to the church and of native English lexis in the manorial vocabulary across all levels of specificity, although some variation was found in the subsets relating to locations and objects. In addition, survival rates are relatively higher in the religious vocabulary; however, neither of the two domains displays a considerable difference in loss of lexical material between different languages during the Middle English period. The differences and commonalities identified between the two lexical domains reveal the ways in which language contact operated in two major multilingual contexts of post-Conquest England.

Translanguaging pedagogy: An integrative review study questioning its potential benefits and main concerns

In the era of globalization, when cultural diversity and multilingualism cross borders, specific changes have been observed in human relations and educational implementations. Such changes in multicultural and multilingual contexts have made it necessary to create novel pedagogies for language teaching by tailoring traditional teaching and learning approaches. Therefore, adapting language teaching methods and techniques to multilingual and multicultural classrooms through translanguaging is one of the hottest issues in the current literature. Remarkably, the primary purpose of this present study is to portray a theoretical understanding of translanguaging and further discuss the pedagogical aspect of it in the Turkish context through an integrative review methodology. To this end, five research studies conducted in the Turkish context were selected based on certain criteria and analyzed through document analysis to reach a comprehensive picture of translanguaging practices in EFL classroom settings. By doing so, it attempted to argue its potential benefits and possible challenges to guide stakeholders about how and/or when to benefit from translanguaging pedagogy so that it becomes more precise and beneficial for classroom use.

Critical Perspectives in Language Education Research: Exploring English-generated Inequalities from Marxist-influenced Theory

This paper critically examines the major threads of critical perspectives that are pervasively employed in Social Sciences in general and language education research in particular. First, it examines briefly about three critical theories (viz. Marxist-influenced, poststructuralist and postcolonial) with reference to language education related notions. Then, building on the theoretical underpinnings of Marxist-influenced theory, it delineates and discusses the English language-generated issues and inequalities prevalent in the multilingual context of Nepal. The authors argue that English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has created social and epistemic inequalities between the students from dominant languages and indigenous communalities in Nepalese society. EMI has been implemented in the schools at the cost of other indigenous languages and posed injustice to the students from diverse linguistic groups. It is claimed that critical pedagogy as being one of the threads of Marxist-influenced perspectives can be employed to mitigate such inequalities.

Embracing Cultural Threads: A Qualitative Exploration of English Language Teaching Materials Within an Intercultural Perspective in an Indonesian Multilingual Context

This study aimed to investigate the selection, adaptation and use of English language teaching and learning (ELTL) resources from an intercultural perspective (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013) in order to provide greater sensitivity to the local context. In recent decades, scholars in the field have attempted to move towards the inclusion of local content in ELTL, including in Indonesia, in order to challenge the 'native speaker' paradigm, which has been criticized for lacking sensitivity to the local context. However, little research has been conducted to examine the role of resources in providing opportunities for intercultural interaction between students' own languages and cultures and English (as the target language and culture). A case study within a qualitative paradigm, involving document analysis and an in-depth teacher interview, was conducted at an international university in Indonesia. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that the selection, adaptation and use of resources that invited attentiveness to language and beyond, and that took into account students' 'lifeworlds' ('home cultures and languages, and the trajectory of experiences, interests, motivations and values developed from them' [Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013]), provided engagement and meaningfulness in ELTL in the local context. The study also showed that 'both the range of texts and what teachers do with them' (Kohler, 2020) were fundamental to providing meaningful ELTL experiences in the local context. AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki pemilihan, adaptasi, dan penggunaan materi pengajaran dan pembelajaran bahasa Inggris (ELTL) dari perspektif lintas budaya (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013) untuk memberikan kepekaan yang lebih besar terhadap konteks lokal. Dalam beberapa dekade terakhir, para ahli di bidang ini telah mencoba untuk bergerak menuju inklusi konten lokal dalam ELTL, termasuk di Indonesia, untuk menantang paradigma 'penutur asli', yang telah dikritik karena kurangnya kepekaan terhadap konteks lokal. Namun, hanya sedikit penelitian yang telah dilakukan untuk meneliti peran materi belajar mengajar dalam memberikan kesempatan untuk interaksi antarbudaya antara bahasa dan budaya siswa dan bahasa Inggris (sebagai bahasa dan budaya target). Sebuah studi kasus dalam paradigma kualitatif, yang melibatkan analisis dokumen dan wawancara mendalam dengan guru, dilakukan di sebuah universitas internasional di Indonesia. Analisis tematik terhadap data menunjukkan bahwa pemilihan, adaptasi, dan penggunaan materi belajar mengajar yang mengundang perhatian terhadap bahasa dan sekitarnya, serta mempertimbangkan 'dunia kehidupan' siswa ('budaya dan bahasa asal, serta lintasan pengalaman, minat, motivasi, dan nilai-nilai yang dikembangkan dari mereka' [Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013]), memberikan keterlibatan dan kebermaknaan dalam ELTL dalam konteks lokal. Studi ini juga menunjukkan bahwa 'baik ragam teks dan apa yang dilakukan guru dengan teks tersebut' (Kohler, 2020) merupakan hal yang mendasar dalam memberikan pengalaman ELTL yang bermakna dalam konteks lokal.

Linguistic domination or discrimination?

Abstract This article analyses some of the linguistic tensions derived from international academic mobility in English-medium instruction multilingual university contexts, focusing on local and international academic staff’s interests from a linguistic justice viewpoint. Firstly, we develop a normative argument to explore whether international academic mobility and increased use of English can become a source of linguistic domination for local staff, or if suggested countermeasures, such as requiring international scholars to learn the local language, might lead to linguistic discrimination against the latter group. Secondly, via a qualitative analysis of survey data, we ask local and international scholars at the University of Tartu about their views on the language policy regime at the university. Protective language policies that encourage locals to use Estonian more and require internationals to learn some Estonian could help enhance linguistic justice, according to local staff. However, international scholars may perceive such requests as discriminatory. Linguistic domination and discrimination play a key role in the clashing interests of stakeholders, creating tension. The study highlights the complexity of the dilemmas faced by many university officials today in their attempt to balance institutional goals with on-the-ground realities.

Teaching Russian in a Multilingual Educational Context

In this article the author refers to her own extensive experience of teaching Russian as a foreign language in an academic multilingual environment. When teaching Russian in multilingual academic contexts, especially with beginners, the problem inevitably arises of finding correlations between the students’ established language structures and the new imparted knowledge. In conditions where the entire educational process at university takes place in three official languages, Russian is offered as an optional course. The teacher is then faced with a series of tasks involving the organization of work within a diverse group of students with different language and cultural backgrounds, as well as the need to choose a metalanguage. The methods of observation and analysis allow conclusions to be drawn about the significant influence exerted by various linguistic characteristics of the second language, including its phonetical, lexical, and grammatical aspects, on the process of learning Russian as a foreign language. The process of teaching Russian not as a “second” language but rather within a “third” language paradigm in a multilingual context inevitably implies taking into account the previous experience of students, which serves as both a catalyst and a delaying mechanism. In the article the author describes how teaching Russian as a foreign language in a bilingual German and Italian academic context stimulates the students’ mechanisms of reflection and awareness of the peculiarities of their own languages. This includes the opportunity offered to students to distance themselves from their native language and, through the prism of the second language with which they are already familiar, examine their own native language as well as the new language being studied. The experience of teaching in a multilingual environment allows conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness of the principles of intercultural communication, including when the students’ native languages are different. As a rule, research carried out on such principles has shown their effectiveness within groups of speakers of close languages.

School actors navigating between implementor & arbiter – a qualitative study on the dynamics in multilingual schools’ language policy

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, heightened migration has increased linguistic diversity in schools. For schools to cope with this multilingualism, many governments impose a monolingual policy where only the language of instruction is allowed. Although many schools adopt such a policy, the classroom practices may differ since multilingual students often revert to translanguaging-as-practice. Drawing on three key conceptual language policy (LP) models (Bonacina-Pugh, 2012. Researching ‘practiced language policies’: Insights from conversation analysis. Language Policy, 11(3), 213–234; Johnson & Johnson, 2015. Power and agency in language policy appropriation. Language Policy, 14(3), 221–243; Ricento & Hornberger, 1996. Unpeeling the onion: Language planning and policy and the ELT professional. TESOL Quarterly, 30(3), 401–427), this study explores LP formation across macro (government), meso (school), and micro (classroom) educational levels in Flanders, Belgium. Macro-level analysis involves scrutinizing policy documents from the Educational Department of Flanders. Meso-level investigation includes policy documents from three secondary schools, compared with insights from interviews with the schools' principals and language coaches. Semi-structured interviews with teachers (n = 18) and classroom observations (n = 138 hours) provide nuanced perspectives at the micro-level. Triangulating data reveals declared, perceived, and practiced language policies at various levels. The study underscores LP's intricate nature within a multilingual educational context. Results highlight the contrast between macro-level policy straightforwardness and the complexity faced at meso- and micro-levels, where context-specific challenges arise. As schools navigate linguistic diversity, the role of language coaches becomes pivotal in creating inclusive and effective educational settings.

On TCR’s Fostering Creative Collaborations and Future Directions

This commentary focuses on reflections involving the special issue on Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computing in Multilingual Contexts and the important role that Teachers College Record has played in fostering creative interdisciplinary collaborations among researchers, graduate students, teachers, K-12 students, and parents. A discussion is included on how participating as a Guest Lead Editor of this special issue afforded opportunities to learn more about projects that integrate mathematics and computing as well as transformations that have impacted the work we do in our respective fields. Multilingual contexts contribute much to our understanding of global perspectives on mathematics education. Taking up a memorable moment that involved such a context, I discuss future directions for the Teachers College Record as we consider reaching to multilingual audiences.

EMI Strategy: A Misconception in Early Grade

This article discusses on the debatable EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) issue as there is confusion either English must be taught right from the Nursery or at some later stage. Nepalese classrooms are the product of multilingual, multicultural and bilingual society. Without considering the fact of multilingual and multi-ethnic context, EMI (English as a medium of Instruction) is strictly adopted in schools in early grade. Our school system, including textbooks, instruction, curriculum, teaching practices, is influenced heavily by the dominant English hegemony in early grade. In this context, this paper aims to explore the difficulties and struggles of Nepali language speaking children’s experiences as they find in between the Nepali-speaking home environment and English-speaking school environment at their early grades. To fulfill this objective, the researcher adopted narrative research design under qualitative method incorporating interpretative philosophical guideline. It is based on the unstructured interviews aimed at eliciting personal stories and experiences related to EMI in early grade. Discussing on a narrative analysis, this paper revealed that how the learners are discouraged to what Bourdieu’s term symbolic violence with some examples of how such demotivation is seen in school’s teaching-learning practices. The results further concluded that to address the problematic nature of schooling for such learners in most of the schools in Nepal, this paper highlights the need for socially responsive school policies and pedagogy understanding local context entertaining the linguistic and cultural diversity of students.

IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSLANGUAGING IN THE CONTEXT OF TEACHING MANDARIN IN INDONESIA IN HIGHER EDUCATION

As one of the many pedagogical strategies found in multilingual contexts, translanguaging can be a solution for learning foreign languages, especially Mandarin. It facilitates using multiple languages (outside the L2) for receptive and productive purposes. Its use can solve communication problems caused by students' language competence during teaching and learning. This study aims to determine the perceptions of Mandarin students at the higher education level in Indonesia regarding the application of translanguaging in class. The study was sequential explanatory design research using mixed research methods. Data collection was carried out in two stages: collecting quantitative data using a questionnaire and then collecting qualitative data through Group Interviews (GI). The distribution of the questionnaire was targeted at 100 students. GI was carried out on five students who had previously participated in filling out the questionnaire. This study shows that learning Mandarin at the tertiary level focuses on the monolingual-traditional learning model, oriented only to L2. Translanguaging is ideologically considered as a form of language incompetence. The higher the language skill, the less likely it is to find translanguaging. This study is expected to have implications for the development of learning Mandarin in a multilingual pedagogical context in Indonesia.

Language Attitudes and Multilingualism: Perceptions of Native and Non-Native Accents in Multilingual Communities

This research explores into the complex interplay between demographics, language preferences, and how an audience interprets an accent in multilingual communities. Our study employed a quantitative methodology to examine how receptive individuals of three age groups were to linguistic variety. The purpose of the research was to learn more about the linguistic diversity present in these active groups. Our findings add significantly to the body of knowledge on this subject. The study's results highlight the importance of age in influencing linguistic attitudes in bilingual and multilingual contexts. It is important to note that younger generations have generally more positive attitudes regarding dominant or prominent languages associated to modern trends and global communication. On the other hand, older people tend to have a deep love for their native tongue and regional identity. The aforementioned generational differences underscore the dynamic nature of linguistic attitudes and emphasize the role of age-related sociolinguistic factors in shaping individuals' linguistic preferences and connections. Curiously, in multilingual societies, age does not have a major role in how an accent is perceived. This research provides new insight into how people of varying ages respond to and interact with speakers with a variety of accents. Exposure to a variety of languages, individual views about language, and the effects of being multilingual all contribute to the development of adaptability. Potential implications for promoting linguistic diversity, easing cross-cultural communication, and creating welcoming environments that encourage contact among people of different language backgrounds are shown by this study's findings.