Multilingual education

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Multilingual education typically refers to "first-language-first" education, that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue, or first language, and transitions to additional languages. Typically MLE programs are situated in developing countries where speakers of minority languages, i.e. non-dominant languages, tend to be disadvantaged in the mainstream education system. There are increasing calls to provide first-language-first education to immigrant children from immigrant parents who have moved to the developed world. Offering first-language-first education to immigrant children in developed countries has gained attention due to the unique challenges these students face. When students move to a new country, language and cultural barriers can affect their academic progress and well-being. Some suggest that providing instruction in their first language initially, as part of multilingual education (MLE) programs, could help ease their transition. By recognizing and respecting their linguistic and cultural backgrounds, these programs aim to create a supportive learning environment where students feel more comfortable and confident. This approach may also contribute to the preservation of their heritage languages. It's important to consider different perspectives and carefully evaluate the potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing MLE programs.

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In addition to the first-language-first approach, another model that supports language development in multilingual contexts is plurilingual education. Plurilingual education works by having students develop multiple languages at once Instead of using on just one language, it uses the language skills of two (or more) languages to bridge the gap in learning. [1] see Plurilingualism

Components of Multilingual Education (MLE)

Related to the emphasis on a child's first language, is the implicit validation of their cultural or ethnic identity by taking languages which were previously considered "non-standard" and making active use of them in the classroom. Multilingual Education in that sense underscores the importance of the child's worldview in shaping his/her learning.

Stages of Multilingual Education programs

A widespread understanding of MLE programs (UNESCO, 2003, 2005) suggests that instruction take place in the following stages:

  1. Stage I - learning takes place entirely in the child's home language
  2. Stage II - building fluency in the first language. Introduction of oral language two.
  3. Stage III - building oral fluency in language two. Introduction of literacy in language two.
  4. Stage IV - using both language one and language two for lifelong learning.

MLE proponents stress that the second language acquisition component is seen as a "two-way" bridge, such that learners gain the ability to move back and forth between their first language and the other language(s), rather than simply a transitional literacy program where reading through the first language is abandoned at some stage in the education.

Examples of Multilingual Education Around The World

Multilingual Education in Andhra Pradesh/Orissa (India)

In Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, Multilingual Education (MLE) programs have been implemented using a thematic approach. These programs focus on helping tribal children rediscover their culture and language by using a seasonal calendar that reflects their cultural context. The MLE programs prioritize teaching children in their first language first, before introducing a second language. This approach recognizes the importance of cultural identity and language in learning. It allows students to build a strong foundation in their first language, which then helps them transition to learning a second language. The programs draw on various educational theories, including critical pedagogy, the idea that education should empower individuals, and theories that focus on how children learn and develop. What makes these programs unique is that they actively involve the community in creating the curriculum. By doing so, they aim to make education more relevant to the community's needs and values. By combining cultural relevance, language development, and community involvement, these MLE programs in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa aim to create an inclusive education system that respects and values local cultures and languages

Multilingual Education in Odisha (India)

In Odisha, a multilingual state in India, the government recognized the linguistic diversity of the region, with over 40 ethnic languages spoken among the 62 tribes, as well as widely spoken Modern Indian Languages like Hindi, Bengali, and Telugu. To address the educational needs of ethnic minority children in schools, the Odisha government implemented a Multilingual Education (MLE) program. Under the leadership of Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra as the Director of Multilingual Education, and with guidance from renowned multilingual experts Prof. D.P. Pattanayak and Prof. Khageswar Mahapatra, the MLE program was launched in 547 schools. The focus was on ten tribal languages: Santali, Saora, Kui, Kuvi, Koya, Kishan, Oroam, Juang, Bonda, and Ho. To provide culturally responsive education, the program developed curriculum and textbooks for classes I to V, emphasizing a first language-based multilingual education approach for tribal children. Teachers from the respective language communities were appointed to teach in the schools, ensuring a stronger connection between the students and their teachers. The MLE program also received support from the Summer Institute of Linguistics, led by Mr. Steve Simpson, Vicky Simpson, and Pamela Mackenzie. Tribal teachers, guided by MLE resource groups, actively contributed to the development of the curriculum and textbooks. Since its initiation in 2005, the program has expanded to 2250 schools, primarily serving tribal children. The MLE program in Odisha has gained recognition as a sustained initiative in Asian countries, with representatives from seven Asian countries visiting the MLE schools to learn from their experiences and best practices. It stands as an example of successful multilingual education implementation in a region with significant linguistic diversity.

Dr Mahendra  Kumar Mishra started the MLE program in Chhattisgarh adopting Durua language in  MLE program. Dr Mishra conducted 2 NAtional Seminars and one international Seminar on MLE  during  2006-2019. Dr Tove Skutnabb Kangas, Prof Ofelia Gracia, Dr David Haugh, Dr Sitakanta Mahapatra, Dr KHageswar Mohapatra were some of the linguists and multilingual educators who attended these conferences.

Multilingual Education in Developed Countries

Scholars and educators have argued that embracing the diverse linguistic knowledge that immigrant students bring to the developed countries, such as the United States, and using students’ first-languages to help them learn English may be an inexpensive and effective way to integrate and socialize immigrant youth. Allowing code-switching in schools with high English learner (EL) populations can increase the potential for enhanced English-learning and academic performance. Code-switching between multi-lingual children can create an informal peer-mentorship structure that embraces immigrant children's linguistic capabilities to drive learning, create a strong peer-network, and enhance the development of English as a Second Language skills for immigrant students in multi-ethnic schools. [3]

Countries like the United States are encouraging private and public schools to learn Chinese (and other global) languages. They are offering funds to support programs to help students become more proficient in these languages. These programs are in place to provide a strong language education from elementary school all the way to university. The purpose is to help students become highly skilled in these languages to boost business and other interests that could benefit the country. This will also have an impact on promoting different kinds of multilingualism and building relationships between foreign countries in the future. [4]

Challenges of Implementing a Multilingual Education Program

As with any educational program or initiative, there are potential downfalls and challenges with providing a multilingual education.

Limited Resources: This can be a challenge when implementing multilingual education (MLE) programs. These programs require a lot of resources, such as trained teachers, instructional materials, and support staff/services. Some schools or educational systems may have difficulties in getting enough resources to effectively implement and maintain these programs.

Competing Demands: Teaching multiple languages in MLE programs can create competing demands in the curriculum. Balancing the instruction of different languages along other subjects may be challenging, potentially affecting the quality of teaching in other areas due to time constraints.

Language Gaps: Language proficiency gaps can arise in MLE programs. When students' first language proficiency is much lower than the language of instruction in the larger group, it can be challenging for them to catch up and achieve academic proficiency in both languages.

Segregation: MLE programs may result in segregation based on language, creating divisions within the school community. This separation can hurt opportunities for cross-cultural interaction and integration, which is the at the heart of creating a diverse learning environment. In some cases, MLE programs may focus on a limited number of languages, typically the dominant language of instruction. This may exclude other languages spoken within the community, leading to a loss of diversity.

See also

Multilingual Education in India, The CAse For English Edited by Dr MAhendra Kumar Mishra and Prof Anand Mahanand published by Viva Books, New Delhi 2016.

Related Research Articles

In bilingual education, students are taught in two languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The time spent in each language depends on the model. For example, some models focus on providing education in both languages throughout a student's entire education while others gradually transition to education in only one language. The ultimate goal of bilingual education is fluency and literacy in both languages through a variety of strategies such as translanguaging and recasting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural identity</span> Identity or feeling of belonging to a group

Cultural identity is a part of a person's identity, or their self-conception and self-perception, and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality, gender, or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture. In this way, cultural identity is both characteristic of the individual but also of the culturally identical group of members sharing the same cultural identity or upbringing. Cultural identity is an unfixed process that is continually evolving within the discourses of social, cultural, and historical experiences. Some people undergo more cultural identity changes as opposed to others, those who change less often have a clear cultural identity. This means that they have a dynamic yet stable integration of their culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Language immersion</span> Use of two languages across a variety of educational subjects

Language immersion, or simply immersion, is a technique used in bilingual language education in which two languages are used for instruction in a variety of topics, including math, science, or social studies. The languages used for instruction are referred to as the L1 and the L2 for each student, with L1 being the student's native language and L2 being the second language to be acquired through immersion programs and techniques. There are different types of language immersion that depend on the age of the students, the classtime spent in L2, the subjects that are taught, and the level of participation by the speakers of L1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multilingualism</span> Use of multiple languages

Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all Europeans claim to speak at least one language other than their mother tongue; but many read and write in one language. Being multilingual is advantageous for people wanting to participate in trade, globalization and cultural openness. Owing to the ease of access to information facilitated by the Internet, individuals' exposure to multiple languages has become increasingly possible. People who speak several languages are also called polyglots.

Plurilingualism is the ability of a person who has competence in more than one language to switch between multiple languages depending on the situation for ease of communication. Plurilingualism is different from code-switching in that plurilingualism refers to the ability of an individual to use multiple languages, while code-switching is the act of using multiple languages together. Plurilinguals practice multiple languages and are able to switch between them when necessary without much difficulty. Although plurilingualism is derived from multilingualism, there is a difference between the two. Multilingualism is connected to situations wherein multiple languages exist side-by-side in a society but are utilized separately. In essence, multilingualism is the coexisting knowledge of separate languages while plurilingualism is the interconnected knowledge of multiple languages. In general, plurilinguals have had contact with languages not native to them through educational institutions, however the education system plays only a small role in the linguistic competence of these individuals. Learning a second language is thought to stimulate someone's plurilingualism.

Transitional bilingual education is an approach to bilingual education in which students first acquire fluency in their native language before acquiring fluency in the second language, where fluency is defined as linguistic fluency as well as literacy. This is in contrast to total immersion bilingual education in which students are directly immersed in the second language. Transitional bilingual education is among those most commonly implemented in public schools across the United States. The application of transitional bilingual education in the United States ultimately resulted from an effort to officially recognize Chicano and Latino identities with the passage of the Bilingual Education Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French immersion in Canada</span> A form of bilingual education in Canada

French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which students who do not speak French as a first language will receive instruction in French. In most French-immersion schools, students will learn to speak French and learn most subjects such as history, music, geography, art, physical education and science in French.

An international school is an institution that promotes education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterized by a multinational student body and staff, multilingual instruction, curricula oriented towards global perspectives and subjects, and the promotion of concepts such as world citizenship, pluralism, and intercultural understanding. Many international schools adopt a curriculum from programs and organizations such as International Baccalaureate, Edexcel, Cambridge Assessment International Education, International Primary Curriculum, or Advanced Placement.

Bilingual–Bicultural or Bi-Bi deaf education programs use sign language as the native, or first, language of Deaf children. In the United States, for example, Bi-Bi proponents state that American Sign Language (ASL) should be the natural first language for deaf children in the United States, although the majority of deaf and hard of hearing being born to hearing parents. In this same vein, the spoken or written language used by the majority of the population is viewed as a secondary language to be acquired either after or at the same time as the native language.

English-language learner is a term used in some English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada to describe a person who is learning the English language and has a native language that is not English. Some educational advocates, especially in the United States, classify these students as non-native English speakers or emergent bilinguals. Various other terms are also used to refer to students who are not proficient in English, such as English as a second language (ESL), English as an additional language (EAL), limited English proficient (LEP), culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), non-native English speaker, bilingual students, heritage language, emergent bilingual, and language-minority students. The legal term that is used in federal legislation is 'limited English proficient'. The instruction and assessment of students, their cultural background, and the attitudes of classroom teachers towards ELLs have all been found to be factors in the achievement of these students. Several methods have been suggested to effectively teach ELLs, including integrating their home cultures into the classroom, involving them in language-appropriate content-area instruction early on, and integrating literature into their learning programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Day of Languages</span> International observance, September 26

The European Day of Languages is observed 26 September, as proclaimed by the Council of Europe on 6 December 2001, at the end of the European Year of Languages (2001), which had been jointly organised by the Council of Europe and the European Union. Its aim is to encourage language learning across Europe.

Dual language is a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. Most dual language programs in the United States teach in English and Spanish, but programs increasingly use a partner language other than Spanish, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Hawaiian, Japanese, or Korean. Dual language programs use the partner language for at least half of the instructional day in the elementary years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Niger</span> Overview of education in Niger

Education in Niger, as in other nations in the Sahelian region of Africa, faces challenges due to poverty and poor access to schools. Although education is compulsory between the ages of seven and fifteen, with primary and secondary school leading into optional higher education, Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. With assistance from external organizations, Niger has been pursuing educational improvement, reforming how schools utilize languages of instruction, and exploring how the system can close gender gaps in retention and learning.

Intercultural bilingual education(Educación bilingüe intercultural) is a language-planning model employed throughout Latin America in public education, and it arose as a political movement asserting space for indigenous languages and culture in the education system. IBE is designed to address the educational needs of indigenous communities, and consists of various bilingual curriculum designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indigenous education</span> Education that focuses on teaching within formal or non-formal educational systems

Indigenous education specifically focuses on teaching Indigenous knowledge, models, methods, and content within formal or non-formal educational systems. The growing recognition and use of Indigenous education methods can be a response to the erosion and loss of Indigenous knowledge through the processes of colonialism, globalization, and modernity.

Translanguaging is a term that can refer to different aspects of multilingualism. It can describe the way bilinguals and multilinguals use their linguistic resources to make sense of and interact with the world around them. It can also refer to a pedagogical approach that utilizes more than one language within a classroom lesson. The term "translanguaging" was coined in the 1980s by Cen Williams in his unpublished thesis titled “An Evaluation of Teaching and Learning Methods in the Context of Bilingual Secondary Education.” Williams used the term to describe the practice of using two languages in the same lesson, which differed from many previous methods of bilingual education that tried to separate languages by class, time, or day. In addition, Vogel and Garcia argued that translanguaging theory posits that rather than possessing two or more autonomous language systems, as previously thought when scholars described bilingual or multilingual speakers, bilinguals and multilingual speakers select and deploy their languages from a unitary linguistic repertoire. However, the dissemination of the term, and of the related concept, gained traction decades later due in part to published research by Ofelia García, among others. In this context, translanguaging is an extension of the concept of languaging, the discursive practices of language speakers, but with the additional feature of using multiple languages, often simultaneously. It is a dynamic process in which multilingual speakers navigate complex social and cognitive demands through strategic employment of multiple languages.

Programs of education in Catalan language exist today principally in Andorra and the Catalan-speaking autonomous communities of Spain.

In bilingual education, students are taught content areas like math, science, and history in two languages. Numerous countries or regions have implemented different forms of bilingual education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multilingual education in Africa</span>

Multilingual education in Africa is an outlook on how to approach teaching students in the different states in Africa considering the different possible languages to use for instruction. The continent experiences an immense diversification of languages spoken in its different states; therefore, like in other diversely populated regions in the world such as North America or Europe, there are many choices for which languages to use as the medium of instruction, in which specific areas, and to what extent. This is a dilemma that researchers and policy makers have been looking into for years and has left African countries with diverse solutions for teaching language in their schools.

Newcomer education is the specialized teaching of refugees, migrants, asylees and immigrants who have resettled in a host country, with the goal of providing the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into their country of refuge. Education is the primary way by which newcomers can adjust to the linguistic, social, and cultural environments of their new communities. Newcomer education aims to empower newcomers with a sense of self-efficacy and social integration, as well as giving them the skills to pursue employment or higher education. Newcomer education also aims to help address trauma, culture shock, and other negative effects of forced displacement. Education for newcomers can provide long-term prospects for stability of individuals, communities, countries and global society.

References

  1. ↑ Masats, Dolors; Nussbaum, Luci (2022). Plurilingual Classroom Practices and Participation. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-003-16912-3.
  2. ↑ Jacoby, Sandra Elen (May 2023). "English Teachers' Views on Multilingualism in the Classroom" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Tarım, Şeyda Deniz (2017-11-29). "Breaking Barriers with Collaborative Language Practices in a Multiethnic Classroom: A Potential Model for Immigrant1 Children". European Education. 50 (1): 27–41. doi:10.1080/10564934.2017.1394163. ISSN   1056-4934. S2CID   148942093.
  4. ↑ Ayres-Bennett, Wendy; Fisher, Linda. Multilingualism and Identity : Interdisciplinary Perspectives (1 ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 262–263. ISBN   9781108803793.

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Multilingual Education in India, The Csse For English Edited by Dr MAhendra Kumar Mishra and Prof Anand Mahanand published by Viva Books, New Delhi 2016.

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