Teaching in Multilingual Classrooms: International Perspectives And Frameworks
Abstract
This proposal is the outcome of on-going dialogue between academics in five countries - the U.S., Finland, England, France and Germany – each with its own political/historical context of migration, educational ideology, and patterns of linguistic, cultural and ethno-racial diversity – who are attempting to grapple with the question of how educators respond to the new, and existing diversity found in classrooms today. The focus of these discussions is to create a comparative research space around multilingualism and schooling, focusing on the challenges and opportunities faced in European and American classrooms, simultaneously highlighting areas of commonality and difference.
In light of policy concerns with ‘what works’, we assert the need to develop research perspectives and knowledge about multilingual learners that are informed by national and local contexts, but not limited to them. Arguably, as this roundtable suggests, the challenges faced here are global ones. This is therefore, an invitation to rethink our perspectives and frameworks on multilingualism and schooling.