Plurilingual Competence Research Articles

Translanguaging and Multilingual Texts as a Resource in Superdiverse Classrooms

This contribution draws on the preliminary results of a project that uses translanguaging and plurilingual texts during an intervention (of six months) in one primary and one lower secondary school class in Vienna. Although Viennese pupils’ linguistic repertoires are highly diverse, pupils usually barely get a chance to use their respective repertoires at school, because of a focus on highly prestigious languages, such as German or English. We assumed that pupils would positively experience the use of their plurilingual competences to gain self-efficacy. Moreover, we expected that group dynamics would improve due to the use of translanguaging. Results of the ethnographic observations and interviews we conducted with one teacher at each school at the end of the intervention are discussed in this article. They support the conclusion that school classes that are linguistically diverse benefit from intervention at the socioemotional level. However, it is crucial that teachers pay particular attention to the integration of less dominant languages.
 Keywords: translanguaging pedagogy, plurilingual texts, linguistic superdiversity, self-efficacy, dominant languages

Bridging Teaching, Learning and Assessment Processes through a Reflective Method: Implications for Plurilingual Learning Environments

The challenges of global education highlight the need for students to meaningfully engage with their life experiences, deepen their reflection on their practices and feelings, and learn from them. What challenges may the implementation of such reflective approaches in a plurilingual and pluricultural learning environment entail? This article has a three-fold aim: first, it explores benefits that reflective and participatory methods have brought to plurilingual learners in different learning settings; second it describes the implementation of a three-mode reflective framework in a university blended course aimed at developing plurilingual competences, strategies, and literacies; and third, it argues how such reflective methods may contribute to promoting an integrated and transformative learning experience for a diverse linguistic and cultural learning community.
 Keywords: reflective approach, plurilingualism, plurilingual/pluricultural learning

Модель многоязычного обучения в многопрофильном вузе

Current trends in higher education suggest a gradual transition from a monolingual education system to a multilingual one. Nowadays, there is a need for professionals who speak English as well as other foreign languages and are able to cooperate with representatives of other cultures to find better solutions to industrial tasks. The research aims at elaborating a didactic model for the development of plurilingual competence among students of a multidisciplinary university. Research methods: literature analysis in the field of psychological studies and didactics, modeling, observation, pedagogical experiment. The configuration of the plurilingual competence structure is determined by introducing two sub-competences (professionally-oriented linguistic competence in English and common linguistic competence in the second foreign language – Spanish). The model structure with detailed characteristics of the component composition is described in detail. Methodological component contains the following approaches (competence, cognitive, interdisciplinary and activity theory based approaches) and didactic principles (of integration, basic learning strategies, flexible skills content organization, situational afferentation and reverse afferentation principles, homogeneous skills reduced interference principle, iteration and language structure based organization principle). Content component represented with a further description of the procedural and content aspects. An iteration and language structure based system of exercises has been developed. A general diagnostic framework for competence assessment and measurement has been introduced. The relationships between the components of the model are indicated. Conclusions are made about the applicability of the model in the environment of a multidisciplinary university.

Summative/Certificative Listening Evaluation in Intercomprehension Teaching

In light of a general reflection on the criteria for an assessment process, we will focus on the evaluation of plurilingual competencies in Intercomprehension and, in particular, on oral listening skills, by observing best practices in unilingual official certifications, and by taking an approach that goes from the general to the particular. We will reflect on the concrete tools for measuring this hability, by discussing the choices of the CINCO and EVAL-IC projects – the first European project to tackle the question of evaluation under all its angles – with the goal of defining the contours of an assessment method taking into account the plurality of its possible forms.

Andalusian university students’ perception of their European identity: international orientation and experiences

ABSTRACT Multicultural European societies increasingly demand internationally oriented citizens, who are willing to actively participate in civic life and able to successfully access the labour market. The European dimension in education supposedly endows youngsters with civic values, multiculturalist attitudes and plurilingual competences which ultimately lead to raising awareness of their Europeanness. Formative years at university, pivotal to students’ individual life course and projects, are a decisive stage in the development of supranational, collective identity-formation. Similarly, pan-European study programmes are aimed at inspiring a sense of European citizenship and identity, the most renowned of which within the Higher Education context is Erasmus+. By conducting focus group interviews, this paper probes Andalusian university students’ understanding of their European identity and verifies the causal dynamics between European identity-taking and foreign country sojourns, comparing the perceptions expressed by returnees to those by students who have not had the opportunity to participate in international study programmes (ISP) at higher education yet. Results evidence students’ apparent supranational orientation, general awareness of commonalities across Europe and utilitarian outlooks on the EU, although not a clear discernment of its institutions or a marked European identity.

Understanding plurilingualism and developing pedagogy: teaching in linguistically diverse classes across the disciplines at a Canadian university

ABSTRACTI analyze data from a one-year study of plurilingualism across the disciplines in Canadian higher education. I focus on how instructors in different disciplines understand their students’ plurilingual practices and how they respond pedagogically to teaching in linguistically diverse classes. I employ the theoretical lenses of plurilingualism and plurilingual competence. Selected data are presented from a broader project, namely, interviews with five instructors teaching linguistically diverse classes in the fields of Linguistics, Literature, and Applied Sciences. Data were analysed around three themes: English as an additional language (EAL) – institutional backdrop, use of languages in class, and teaching strategies. Participants described classes that were characterised by high degrees of linguistic diversity, in which students frequently communicated in Chinese languages, Punjabi, and Korean. I suggest that instructors’ perceptions, as well as their pedagogical responses, were framed by two key factors: pervasive institutional discourses that view students’ plurilingualism more in terms of deficit than asset, and the tension between plurilingual process and monolingual product: that is, students using languages other than English during the learning process while they are assessed in monolingual academic English.

Going beyond the comfort zone: multilingualism, translation and mediation to foster plurilingual competence

ABSTRACTFrom watching a subtitled TV series to learning the lyrics of a popular song in a foreign language, media act as a mirror reflecting global multilingual realities. And yet, it is not always clear how teachers can exploit these multilingual experiences of learners in the foreign language classroom. Introducing a multilingual approach into the teaching of translation can show students how a given translation problem can be resolved in multiple ways in different languages. This contributes to promoting awareness of language diversity and fosters plurilingual competence, as students embark on the task of identifying similarities and differences among languages and recognising the link between languages and cultures. In this article, I present a unit of learning comprised of self-reflective and Multilingual Audiovisual Translation (MAVT) activities that can be used to integrate multilingualism into the foreign language curriculum as well as for teacher training purposes. Such a programme offers teachers several ways to develop both multilingual and plurilingual awareness while encouraging both teachers and students to go beyond their comfort zone as they tackle multilingual translations of texts.

L’autonarration en tant que méthode d’investigation sur la compétence plurilingue

This article proposes a reflection on the usefulness of the autonarration method for research in language didactics and plurilingualism. Starting from a definition of the autonarration relating to the field of teaching / learning of languages and cultures, we then explain the specificity of the plurilingual competence to justify the choice of the autonarration as a method well adapted to the study of learning to aim at the development of such a competence. We then present the types of autonarration practised and their functions as well as possible difficulties for research. Our words are supported by examples of research whose purpose was to examine the impact of plurilingual competence in the teaching / learning languages.

Creencias de los docentes sobre la competencia plurilingüe

<div data-canvas-width="627.48348">En este artículo describimos y caracterizamos la competencia plurilingüe. Presentamos el modo en el que concebimos el sistema de creencias sobre las lenguas y el aprendizaje de estas, así como el marco teórico en el que sustentamos el estudio del sistema. Mostramos la relevancia de la realización de estudios que exploren este campo y que contribuyan a una mejor comprensión de las diversas tramas de pensamiento que mueven las acciones de los docentes, un conocimiento que consideramos imprescindible para impulsar cualquier movimiento de cambio y transformación de las prácticas educativas. Para ello, damos a conocer los resultados de diversos estudios realizados en proyectos de I+D y tesis doctorales que muestran los avances en el campo del pensamiento del profesor – en activo y en formación– sobre el bagaje lingüístico, sobre la relación entre las lenguas, así como sobre la manera de abordar su enseñanza y aprendizaje. Todos los estudios han sido llevados a cabo en una investigación de índole cualitativa y con un análisis riguroso de datos creados a través de historias de vida lingüística, narrativas visuales, entrevistas, grupos de debate, etc.</div>

Citizenship and plurilingual social actors in Spain and Japan: methodological aspects and introduction to exploratory analysis regarding the plurilingual competition category

Plurilingual and pluricultural competence refers to the ability to use languages for communicative purposes and to participate in an intercultural relationship in which a person, as a social agent, dominates -with different degrees- several languages and has experience of various cultures. From the theoretical framework and the review around the problem, a categories system is elaborated in three blocks: types of citizenship, plurilingual competence and pluricultural competence. This system is useful for the configuration of the questionnaire CYASPS® “citizenship and plurilingual social actor in Higher Education” and for the systematization of data analysis with the support of the statistical analysis program SPSS.

Dynamic conceptions of plurilingual and intercultural competence in the multilingual environment of Luxembourg

ABSTRACTContemporary education systems, particularly in European societies, are characterized by different forms of plurality: plurality of cultural references, in terms of values and principles, languages and visions of multilingualism. In this article, we argue that these different forms of plurality are important in many respects for teachers and students in the multilingual environment of the University of Luxembourg, as both social actors have a complex experience of language forms and uses. Even if this experience naturally differs from one social actor to another, we try to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the perceptions of plurilingual and intercultural competence, professional identity and teaching practices of a group of students and teachers. The plurilingual speaker is comprehended as a social actor, whose resources constitute linguistic, symbolic and cultural capital, and take different values in different contexts. Influential concepts are discussed in terms of their significance for a reorientation of multilingual education.

Plurilingual speech as legitimate and efficient communication strategy

ABSTRACTThis paper is grounded in the evolution of our reflection on the relationship between plurilingualism, plurilingual speech and language learning. That is, it refers to research on the construction of plurilingual repertoires, over a period of more than thirty years, as documented in Lüdi and Py (1986 [2009]. “To Be or Not to Be … a Plurilingual Speaker.” International Journal of Multilingualism 6 (2): 154–167; [2013]. Etre bilingue. 4e édition ajoutée d’une postface. New York: Lang) and Lüdi et al. ([2016]. Managing Plurilingual and Intercultural Practices in the Workplace. The Case of Multilingual Switzerland. Amsterdam: John Benjamins), among others. The emphasis is placed on language use (languaging) instead of on language systems (language), based on the premise that plurilingual competences emerge from interaction where the status of translinguistic markers is mutually negotiated. In this context, the question of the adequacy of ‘additive’ or ‘integrated’ conceptions of plurilingualism constitutes an important theoretical challenge.

KOMPETENCJA RÓŻNOJĘZYCZNA W POCZĄTKOWYM KSZTAŁCENIU NAUCZYCIELI

Modern language policy in Europe has put forward the concept of multilingualism,and with this plurilingual competence. The definitions of both phenomenacan be found in numerous documents of the Council of Europe, especiallyin the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.The authors of this document describe multilingual communication in somedetail, where the native speaker user is beyond the scale. A lot of attention iscurrently being given to issues of multilingualism in education, with numerousarticles, suggestions for teaching activities and tools to develop related skills.This article raises the question of the preparation of future teachers of languageswhich will be taught as the second foreign language (L3) and how plurilingualcompetence can be developed in the classroom. The study, conductedamong students of Romance languages answers the following questions.Are students, who are future L3 language teachers, adequately preparedto develop plurilingual competence in their students? Do they have theappropriate knowledge and practical skills to do this? What are their beliefsregarding the role of different languages when teaching the L3 target language?

Świadomość własnego procesu uczenia się języków obcych przyczynkiem do innowacyjnych działań dydaktycznych. W stronę dydaktyki wielojęzyczności w początkowym kształceniu nauczycieli

The aim of this article is to reflect on the initial training of teachers in line with the assumptions of multilingual didactics. A definition of plurilingual competence is given at the beginning of this article. We then discuss briefly about the main assumptions of plurilingual teaching. The next part of the article deals with the philosophy of educating future foreign language teachers in philological studies, which should be largely based on reflection. The article concludes with the analysis of data obtained from students participating in teacher education classes. The aim of the study was to diagnose whether the self-awareness of potential subjects, as given to them by the multilingual competence, could contribute to innovative teaching.

Developing plurilingual competences in primary education

Now more than ever the English language has become a necessity in several aspects of our life. As a consequence of globalisation and the need of an international and intercultural communication tool (Jenkins, Cogo, and Dewey 2011, Cogo 2012), English has emerged as a lingua franca and English acquisition is in the spotlight. This research aims to understand how English teaching could be improved at school. While different language approaches and methodologies are used, the mother tongue of the learner is not taken into account in English teaching and the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is still used as guideline, not only in Europe but also worldwide (Nakatani 2012). We live in a multilingual world where all languages are in constant contact and identities are blurred, mostly when English has raised as the universal language. Taking this into account, our research focuses on a plurilingual approach to English language teaching in order to improve English learning in primary school based on an understanding of languages from an ecological point of view. The study is conducted in five primary school centres, in 3 different countries.

LA INVESTIGACIÓN SOBRE LA ENSEÑANZA DE LENGUAS EN UN CONTEXTO TRANSFRONTERIZO: ANÁLISIS DEL PERFIL PROFESIONAL DOCENTE

RESUMEN En el proceso de construcción de la identidad del profesional del docente, intervienen unas prácticas sociales y profesionales en las que participa. Éstas, a su vez, se ven afectadas por el contexto en el que se encuentran inmersas. En este artículo, nos situamos en un contexto transfronterizo de la región Brasil-Perú-Bolivia para abordar el perfil profesional del docente desde el análisis de sus percepciones. La finalidad de nuestro análisis es identificar aquellos elementos de la competencia plurilingüe que subyacen a su perfil profesional docente, lo que nos permitirá reflexionar sobre las potencialidades que ofrece el contexto transfronterizo para la construcción de una identidad profesional en la perspectiva de la educación plurilingüe. Nos situamos en el ámbito de la Didáctica de las Lenguas y la Literatura para abordar unos conceptos claves relacionados con la educación plurilingüe. Hemos identificado que los docentes son conscientes de las potencialidades del contexto y desarrollan unas prácticas pedagógicas que favorecen el desarrollo de la competencia plurilingüe.

The ‘Awakening to Languages’ approach at preschool: developing children’s communicative competence

This article reports a study which examined the effects of an Awakening to Languages (AtL) programme on preschool children’s language abilities. This programme aimed at exposing children to language and cultural diversity as well as promoting positive attitudes towards different languages and cultures amongst children. However, considering that the AtL approach also intends to encourage language learning, it has been said to contribute to the development of a plurilingual competence that is characterised as being richer than a communicative competence, more complex and, at the same time, more flexible. The study was carried out with 16 Portuguese preschool1 children, divided into two groups (control and experimental). An AtL intervention programme was then applied in the experimental group with which the researcher worked on a variety of multilingual activities and games for three months. A language test and a language report were used before and after the implementation of the programme to determine how the children progressed in their communicative skills, with a focus on syntax. The results indicate that the approach used had a positive impact on the children’s syntactic abilities, namely in oral comprehension, and also facilitated the development of positive attitudes towards language and cultural diversity.

Does education for intercultural citizenship lead to language learning?

ABSTRACTThis paper reports a bilateral university project designed to promote intercultural citizenship and foreign language development simultaneously. It is concerned with developing active and responsible citizenship through content-language integrated learning within an ordinary foreign language classroom. The need and rationale for broadening the scope of language courses and combining them with intercultural citizenship or human rights education has been explained elsewhere and empirical studies reporting on classroom practice are recently available. These studies have connected both types of education (language and citizenship/human rights) and have demonstrated growth in self and intercultural awareness, in criticality and social justice responsibility, as well as the emergence of a sense of community of international peers during the projects. However, the concern remains as to whether this combination leads to language learning and this article addresses this issue. The article describes one transnational intercultural citizenship project in the foreign language classroom in Argentina and the UK and focuses on the research question: Does an intercultural citizenship project lead to language learning? Findings – taken from the Argentinean data – show that students developed procedural knowledge by using the foreign language with a genuine need, engaged in multiliteracies practices and developed their plurilingual competence within a translingual orientation.

United in Multilingualism. A Few Words About the Didactics of Multilingualism

Multilingualism is intrinsically linked with the European Union. Therefore, many European documents contain recommendations concerning its promotion, especially in the context of education. This paper describes the main axes of the European language policy. It also presents a suggested strategic model of developing plurilingual competence, which is one of the principal objectives of contemporary language teaching. The central point of the proposed model is the acquisition by pupils of the ability to make a conscious inter-language transfer, which requires them to create a set of strategies based on the resources of the language repertoire. This implies directing the didactic activities to the development of the ability to learn and emotional management that accompanies it, which requires the student to adopt a reflective attitude.

Protecting Endangered Languages: The Case of Irish

This article reviews the Irish experience of plurilingual aspiration from three perspectives. It first relates the case for preserving and learning the Irish language to Ireland’s cultural development as an independent nation, as distinct from its struggles for political freedom and economic self-determination. It next considers the broader context of the value of learning or knowing a second language. It then considers Irish secondary schoolgoers’ critical attitudes to the learning of Irish and to government policy on the learning of the Irish language. It concludes that it is wrong to consider global vehicular languages such as English and cultural languages such as Irish as competing for single-language dominance. Instead, there should be an early initiation into multiple language systems, deepening people’s linguistic diversity and plurilingual competence. This should be combined with a content-based integrated approach concentrating on cultural value, history, and literature. Languages should be seen as vectors of continuity and of connection with a specific identity, a specific past and a specific place. Ultimately, as English becomes increasingly and even exclusively vehicular, 'non-global’ languages like Irish will be valued as embodying community and relational values, and as channels serving people's inter-communication, connectedness and development – at deeper levels than the physical, political and economic.