Lessons learned from immersion in western Canada’s multilingual and multicultural post-secondary context across the disciplines

Abstract

The current educational context in post-secondary institutions world-wide is characterized by a widening participation agenda, and is greatly impacted by trends in globalization and internationalization (Burbules & Torres, 2000, Ilieva, Beck, & Waterstone, 2014). This multilingual and multicultural educational context brings about many opportunities and challenges for students, faculty, and other internal and external stakeholders (Arkoudis et al, 2012; Hafernick & Wiant, 2012; Murray, 2016). Given Canada’s increasing involvement in offering programs predominantly in English to international, transnational, and bi/plurlilingal domestic students, it is important to examine the lessons learned from Canada’s history with immersion (Cummins, 1998). and consider the implications for the post-secondary context (Knoerr, et al. 2016). To that end, it is perhaps time to reconsider language education policies, re-examine how language is used as a medium of instruction, redesign curriculum and instruction, as well as understand how students’ bi/plurlingualism can serve as an additional resource for learning across the disciplines (Camarata, 2016; Coste, Moore & Zarate, 2009; Cummins, 2007; Marshall and Moore, 2013).
 
 This article describes the educational development and scholarly activities of a Centre for English Language Learning Teaching, and Research at a comprehensive university in British Columbia, and shares emergent findings of a case study and pilot projects in which faculty in applied linguistics/language education collaborate with faculty across the disciplines to support students’ English language development alongside their disciplinary knowledge and literacy skills at the curricular, instructional, and assessment levels. Key practices and approaches in university French immersion education will be compared and contrasted with Content-based/‘CLIL’ and plurilingual approaches used by language education faculty working alongside disciplinary faculty in order to support students at the curricular core within programs where English is the language of instruction.

Bilingualism and beyond: Critical thinking and innovative practices to address the complexity of multilingualism

“…Research and efforts continue to support the paradigm shift from monolingualism to multilingualism in Canada. Much of the research that addresses linguistic diversity in educational contexts, from the primary to the post-secondary level, calls on educators to revisit practices and policies to foster academic inclusion and success for all students (Armand et al, 2008;Ballinger et al, 2020;Cummins et al, 2015;Dagenais et al, 2017;Genesee & Lindholm-Leary, 2021;Hamel et al, 2021;Jean-Pierre, 2017;Levasseur, 2020;Lotherington, 2011;Marshall, 2019;Prasad, 2015;Spiliotopoulos, 2018;Taylor, 2008).…”

“…There are a number of reasons for this resistance, including: the prevalence of a monolingual ideology; the widely held belief that languages of instruction must remain separate; the minority status of languages other than English; the representations of, and values attached to bilingualism and multilingualism; teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and pedagogical approaches; logistical limitations; the lack of pre and in-service teacher training; and the lack of pedagogical resources (e.g. Ballinger et al, 2017;Ballinger et al, 2020;Cummins, 2019;Dagenais, 2017;Haque, 2012;Lotheringtonm, 2011;Spiliotopoulos, 2018). Therefore, more research is needed in this area and many articles of this volume are addressing these questions.…”

Le bilinguisme et au-delà : Réflexions critiques et pratiques innovantes pour appréhender le plurilinguisme dans sa complexité

“…Les recherches et les efforts se poursuivent au Canada pour soutenir le changement de paradigme du monolinguisme vers le multilinguisme. Nombre de travaux de recherche qui portent sur la diversité linguistique en contexte éducatif appellent le monde de l'éducation à revoir ses pratiques et ses politiques du niveau primaire au niveau postsecondaire afin de favoriser l'inclusion scolaire et la réussite de tous les élèves (Armand et al, 2008 ;Ballinger et al, 2020 ;Cummins et al, 2015 ;Dagenais et al, 2017 ;Genesee & Lindholm-Leary, 2021 ;Hamel et al, 2021 ;Jean-Pierre, 2017 ;Levasseur, 2020 ;Lotherington, 2011 ;Marshall, 2019 ;Prasad, 2015 ;Spiliotopoulos, 2018 ;Taylor, 2008).…”

“…Différentes raisons peuvent expliquer cette résistance, dont les suivantes : la prégnance de l'idéologie monolingue ; la croyance largement partagée dans le monde de l'éducation que les langues d'enseignement doivent rester séparées ; le statut minoritaire des langues autres que l'anglais ; les représentations du bilinguisme et du multilinguisme et les valeurs qui leur sont accordées ; les attitudes, croyances et approches pédagogiques du corps enseignant ; les contraintes logistiques, le manque de formation initiale et continue des enseignantes et enseignants et le manque de ressources pédagogiques (ex. Ballinger et al, 2017 ;Ballinger et al, 2020 ;Cummins, 2019 ;Dagenais, 2017 ;Haque, 2012 ;Lotherington, 2011 ;Spiliotopoulos, 2018). C'est pourquoi les recherches doivent se poursuivre à ce sujet et plusieurs des articles de ce volume se penchent sur ces questions.…”