Opening minds to translanguaging pedagogies

European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

2021

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Multilingual education is mandatory in early childhood education in several European countries. Scholars working in first, second and foreign language learning have shown the effectiveness of interaction-promoting and language-modelling strategies for language development. In addition, teachers in bilingual contexts have been translanguaging to foster language learning. To this day, few research studies have examined these strategies in combination and their deployment in multilingual contexts. The present study takes place in multilingual Luxembourg where 64% of the four-year-olds do not speak Luxembourgish. It focuses on three practitioners who took part in a professional development course on multilingual pedagogies and presents their languagesupporting strategies as well as their translanguaging practices. The findings show that the practitioners use a range of strategies in Luxembourgish, French and home languages, in daily conversations, routines and language and literacy activities to address children's linguistic needs.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Translanguaging Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Translanguaging Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Practitioners’ language-supporting strategies in multilingual ECE institutions in Luxembourg

European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

2021

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“…These three components are applicable to formal and non-formal early childhood institutions albeit the learning being less formal in the latter. For instance, the preschool teachers studied by Garrity et al (2015) and Kirsch (2017Kirsch ( , 2020 had a positive stance in that they embraced multilingualism and encouraged the use of languages other than the majority languages. They designed a multilingual classroom environment and offered a range of activities that enabled children to capitalize on their diverse linguistic resources.…”

Section: Translanguaging As Part Of a More Inclusive And Socially Jusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Translanguaging enabled the Approx. 700 caregivers in the nonformal education sector (day care centers) 30 h divided into six modules; optional exchange meetings after the completion of the PD University of Luxembourg 46 teachers and caregivers from both sectors; 7 of these were followed long-term as part of the research 15 h of basic training; six network meetings with the focus educators; coaching during one academic year professionals to value home languages, develop a good rapport with the children, accommodate for their needs, and contribute to their learning and development (García et al 2017;Kirsch 2020). The systematic use of language-supportive strategies and the flexible use of languages across guided and spontaneous activities were indications that the professionalsat least those in preschoolshad internalized the strategies which had become part of their practice.…”

Section: Major Accomplishments Of the Professional Development Initiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Early Language Education in Luxembourg

Handbook of Early Language Education

Seele

2020

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This chapter examines recent language education laws in Luxembourg as well as the ways in which early years practitioners appropriated the new policies and put them into practice. The chapter begins with a brief introduction of the linguistic landscape in Luxembourg and a summary of the dynamic development of the country's early childhood education system. Special emphasis is put on recent changes in language education policies, which call for a more inclusive and multilingual early language education. Monolingual practices now need to open up to flexible language use and offer children opportunities to capitalize on their entire semiotic repertoire for communicating, meaning-making, and learning. The central concerns of this chapter are the ways in which policy changes influence educational practices in formal and non-formal settings and how professional development shapes this process. In order to address these questions, the authors review literature on language education policy, translanguaging, and professional development and examine studies on early language education in Luxembourg. Next, they discuss recent initiatives of professional development in formal and non-formal early years settings as well as their outcomes. Finally, they present critical issues such as the practitioners' reflexivity and responsibility and the sustainability of professional development. Future research directions include family language policies, partnerships between families and early childhood institutions and children's languaging practices inside and across these institutions.

Early Language Education in Luxembourg

Handbook of Early Language Education

Seele

2022

Self Cite

This chapter examines recent language education laws in Luxembourg as well as the ways in which early years practitioners appropriated the new policies and put them into practice. The chapter begins with a brief introduction of the linguistic landscape in Luxembourg and a summary of the dynamic development of the country's early childhood education system. Special emphasis is put on recent changes in language education policies, which call for a more inclusive and multilingual early language education. Monolingual practices now need to open up to flexible language use and offer children opportunities to capitalize on their entire semiotic repertoire for communicating, meaning-making, and learning. The central concerns of this chapter are the ways in which policy changes influence educational practices in formal and non-formal settings and how professional development shapes this process. In order to address these questions, the authors review literature on language education policy, translanguaging and professional development and examine studies on early language education in Luxembourg. Next, they discuss recent initiatives of professional development in formal and non-formal early years settings as well as their outcomes. Finally, they present critical issues such as the practitioners' reflexivity and responsibility and the sustainability of professional development. Future research directions include family language policies, partnerships between families and early childhood institutions and children's languaging practices inside and across these institutions.