Multilingual Education

MT or L1:   Mother Tongue, also referred to as the first language learned (L1) or home language.

L2:   The second language learned, often the language of wider communication or national language.

L3:  The third language learned, which in many cases is the international language - English, French, Portuguese or Spanish.

LoI or MoI:  Language of Instruction or Medium of Instruction, the language primarily used in teaching.

MTB:  Mother Tongue-Based, when the L1 is the language of instruction in the classroom. 

MLE:  Multilingual Education, the use of more than one language of instruction in the classroom. 

MTB-MLE:  Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education, education that begins in leaner's L1 and then other languages are gradually introduced.

L1-based MLE:  First Language-based Multilingual Education or Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education, used in place of MTB-MLE.

This book explores mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB MLE) as a strategy to improve educational outcomes while supporting non-dominant languages alongside dominant ones. It examines key issues such as language policy, the struggles of non-dominant language speakers in mainstream education, and the social and economic benefits of multilingualism. Focusing on experiences from the Asia-Pacific region, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of MTB MLE across various educational levels, offering insights into the complexities of policy and practice in different sociopolitical contexts.

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This second volume of Good Answers to Tough Questions addresses new issues and questions related to the implementation of local language-medium multilingual education programming. In this volume, we explore some of the more current multilingual education questions related to policy, school language mapping, orthographic challenges, digital tools for learning, early childhood education, education in emergencies, and more.  Good Answers to Tough Questions in L1-based Multilingual Education Volume 2

You can download individual chapters here.

This document on “Tough Questions” was written for education practitioners who are experienced in their field, but who have come up against some tough obstacles to implementing mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) programs in their contexts.  

Good Answers to Tough Questions in Mother Tongue–Based Multilingual Education (English) 

De bonnes réponses à des questions difficiles qui se posent en éducation multilingue fondée sur la langue maternelle (EML-LM) (français)

You can download individual chapters here in English or français.

This paper examines the mythical and the authentic value of the English language for formal learning in anglophone Africa. It concludes that the appropriate use of the L1 and English, as medium of instruction and subject in primary classrooms, can make these languages into two strong pillars of successful learning, among children for whom the likelihood of successful learning is otherwise not high at all.  The Mythic and the Authentic Value of English in the African Classroom: A Policy Perspective

Trudell, B. 2021. The mythic and the authentic value of English in the African classroom: A policy perspective. In Kashif Raza, Christine Coombe & Dudley Reynolds (eds), Policy Development in TESOL and Multilingualism: Past, Present and the Way Forward. Springer.

A study of the research on mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) programing in Africa. In this chapter, we examine the existing research evidence regarding multilingual learning in low-resource contexts of Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in the context of MTB-MLE models being implemented in African countries.   Research in multilingual learning in Africa Assessing the effectiveness of multilingual education programming

Schroeder, L., M. Mercado, M., & Trudell, B. 2021. Chapter 2 - Research in multilingual learning in Africa: Assessing the effectiveness of multilingual education programming. In E. Erling, J. Clegg, C. Rubagumya & J. Reilly (Eds.), Multilingual Learning and Language Supportive Pedagogies in Sub-Saharan Africa. London, UK: Routledge.

This paper focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) thematic indicator 4.5.2: “the percentage of students in primary education whose first or home language is the language of instruction” (UIS, 2019).  Measuring Thematic Indicator 4.5.2: Challenges and Alternatives 

The Patani Malay-Thai Multilingual Education Programme (PMT-MLE) documented in this publication is an action research initiative begun in 2007 which, over the past decade, has demonstrated the effectiveness of multilingual education on learning outcomes for children.  

Bridge to a Brighter Tomorrow: The Patani Malay-Thai Multilingual Education Programme 9MB

English (Summary) 1MB

สะพานเชื่อมโยงไปสู่อนาคตอันสดใส โครงการจัดการศึกษาแบบทวิ-พหุภาษา (ภาษาไทย-มลายูถิ่น) ในโรงเรียนเขตพื้นที่จังหวัดชายแดนภาคใต้  9MB

 ไทย (ฉบับย่อ) 2MB

This Resource Kit is for people who are committed to the idea that all children have the right to quality education in a language they speak and understand. The publication includes five booklets that focus on key questions about mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) that are frequently asked by policy makers, implementers and community members. (Available in English, Chinese and Russian)  MTB-MLE Resource Kit 

This PowerPoint presentation identifies ten specific components of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) programs that are essential to their long-­term success. Each of these components must be incorporated into a MTB-MLE program, regardless of its size or stage of implementation. Examples from Asia, Africa and the Pacific help to demonstrate the creative ways in which community members and their supporting partners have brought the essential components together to build successful and sustained MTB-MLE programs.  MTB-MLE for sustainable development for all:  What have we Learned?

The information in this document is based on presentations and discussions at the 4th International Conference on Language and Education, Multilingual Education for All in Asia and the Pacific: Policies, Practices and Processes, held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2013.  Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education - Lessons Learned from a Decade of Research and Practice

A brief summary of research findings relating to the bridging process in strong mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) programs, and suggestions for implementing what has been learned.  Bridging between languages in MTB-MLE: Overview of the process 

This publication draws and expands upon ideas and presentations from the International Conference on Language, Education and the Millennium Development Goals, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2010. The Millennium Development Goals are a set of shared aspirations and efforts to make the world a more equitable and sustainable place. At the heart of the goals is the recognition that for this global initiative to be effective, all people need to be included.  Why Language Matters for the Millennium Development Goals 

This paper defines mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE), gives the rational for MTB-MLE and shares the general principles for developing policies that support education for children from non-dominant language communities.  Mother tongue-based multilingual education: Implications for education policy