Bilingualism is not a handicap. Studies simply show that, on average, children who acquire two languages may experience a slight delay in language development compared to monolingual children when their skills are assessed in their weaker language. Conversely, when assessed in their dominant language, the majority are just as competent as monolinguals—and even more so if their entire bi-/plurilingual repertoire is taken into account.
If language skills are negatively affected by disadvantaged socio-economic conditions, acquiring multiple languages can help compensate for the negative impact of theses conditions and foster the development of non-linguistic cognitive mechanisms.
To promote high-quality interactions, it is important to encourage parents to speak the language(s) in which they feel most comfortable.
Recommendations from European bodies emphasize findings from international research showing the value of plurilingual and intercultural education for the success of all students.
Similarly, official French policy documents support raising awareness of linguistic diversity (nursery rhymes, stories in different languages, etc.) in order to develop the phonological filter and help students transfer skills from one language to another, particularly toward French.
Numerous pedagogical practices validated by scientific research make it possible to activate such transfers for the benefit of French and for the understanding of different subject areas.
The “language diamond” model, which represents students’ plurilingual repertoires in the classroom, makes it possible to develop a wide range of activities depending on the facets addressed: exploring the languages and cultures present in the classroom; comparing them; using multilingual materials; training students to become peer tutors; mobilizing environments beyond the classroom; proposing co-educational activities with parents; and fostering collaborative work among all educational staff. The film “The Language Diamond” provides examples for each facet of the diamond and shows how to align them with curriculum objectives across grade levels.
Multilingual classrooms are a lever not only for learning but also for living together. They foster inclusion when the “already-there” of languages and cultures serves as a springboard for new learning in the classroom.
The recycling of languages and norms is an interesting metaphor for understanding the processing that occurs when learning a new language or norm. Like conventional recycling, it allows certain materials—here linguistic ones (transfers)—to be reintroduced into the production of new forms of expression. These units (recyclable materials) include sounds, vocabulary, syntax, discourse genres (narrating, explaining, describing, arguing), gestures and body language, and so on.
Events such as Language Week make it possible to develop a concrete project that creates a bridge between the home environment and the school environment, drawing on families’ languages.
