A Model on how Multilingual Acquisition improves classroom results beneficial for Inclusion and Equity for a more Equitable World

• In Event: International linguistic experiences

Proposal

In this presentation, I will address the benefits of multilingualism engagement in schools to improve education for a more equitable world since languages are part of identities and cultures. Focusing on the leadership role in teaching and learning, a comparative study in multilingualism in the United States, South Africa, Algeria and France, would provide an understanding of the tools required for inclusion and equity. I argue that multilingualism in education ought to be defined as one of the most important tools to achieve learning through collaboration for innovation in all subjects. Furthermore, multilingualism can better enhance multiple subjects learning in multicultural environment using Natural Language Processing (NLP) at the chore of research methodology. Adopting NLP as a holistic approach in motivation and action research could determine how to cater to different population emphasizing for example accent, translation and the understanding of culture.
The development of sustainable multilingual education programs have been largely neglected and the possibility that being or becoming a person who speaks one or more additional languages – are described as complex. However, plans for action research by school leaders would facilitate systemic understandings of learner–environment adaptation which would contribute to dynamic classroom engagement. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) will be address to communicate emotions, as well as a tool to facilitate collaboration. School results from countries cited above show that the development of multilingual identities occurred in a context where the school leaders worked hard to accommodate the learning of additional Foreign Languages (FLs) valuing students’ dominant and non-dominant languages. In accordance with curricula requirements, students learn the languages of the country and FLs consistently. For students from families with foreign backgrounds, mother tongue languages are valued and used in the classroom. Classroom observations, show that developing participative safe spaces of classroom interactions, invested in the promotion of multilingual practices, and evolving in educational contexts where institutional policies favor multilingualism. Thus multilingual identities will increase learning acquisition of multiple subjects. Furthermore, students in classroom reproduce the language practices of the context in which they evolve, interact, influence and are influenced by their peers. They mobilize all the resources of their verbal and cultural repertoire, in school/out of school knowledge and multilingual, multicultural and critical thinking skills to respond to tasks, in one or more languages. These observations, lead to take into consideration, pedagogical strategies and the metalinguistic dimension of learners in the choice of teachers in daily didactic practices.
This longitudinal study is taking place in school settings, where semi-directive interviews around linguistic activities which focuses on how to improve the learning of other subjects with a collection of data consisting of audio and video recordings as well as observational notes. Multilingual identities in certain environment emphasized how FL learning is a necessary part of social belonging and adaptability to support learning of all subjects. As environments where multilingualism is prevalent, students develop motivation to learning particularly when digital devises are offered in playful manners. Opportunities to use and experiment with language playful activities can facilitate the development of multilingual identities. In an environment where social discourse is not restricted to dominant languages only, there is encouragement to practice and participate in non-dominant languages in the classroom. Participation in multilingual discourse described by students encouraged social interaction and are inspired by the social environment. Furthermore, it helps to be social, hence SEL will be addressed and generate the desire to participate in multilingual practices. Opportunities to learn a second FL can mean that students, who may not have had intentions of learning several languages when arriving at the school, can subsequently become interested in developing multilingual skills which help lead to Cross-Cultural Critical Thinking. Studies show that talking about the policy of providing opportunities to learn additional FLs, school leaders from those schools describe how initiatives have also come from students and parents who have become interested in heritage languages, and how students’ interests can influence the language offering. In further iterations, the inclusion of non-dominant languages will contribute to the continuing evolution of the multilingual environment. The context shapes, and is shaped by students’ identities as emerging multilingual thus possible to understand how the social environment is part of the process in which multilingual emerge. This will occur with the focus on students’ observations as well as asking school leaders and teachers questions such as: How do students approach early language learning? What representations do they make of the languages they meet and learn? What skills do they put in place to respond to tasks in one or more languages? Would multilingualism valued in classroom and language learning prioritized as part of subjects help learning other subjects later on?
The results of the data analysis will be treated in view of the inclusion and development of NLP tools to show that learning languages at an early age has many benefits especially in improving the level of playful learning motivation. In conclusion, we have all of these different languages to build the whole world within our walls for a more equitable world.

Author

• Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite, ZEHLIA BABACI-WILHITE