Vilma Bijeikienė & Nemira Mačianskienė

ABSTRACT

Living in increasingly multilingual communities and the subsequent learning in multilingual classrooms have become a complex reality and a significant challenge opting for peaceful, harmonious, and inclusive societies of the 21^st century (c.f. Cummins, 2019; Cummins & Persad, 2014; García & Otheguy, 2019). In response to the complexity of teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms, scholars from 7 European countries have joined in an action research project (LISTiac; listiac.org) aimed at political reforms for successful introduction of linguistically sensitive teaching (LST) in European general education. The current paper presents part of a broader study into the attitudes and beliefs of student teachers, i.e., students (N=63) in pedagogical or philological first-cycle programs at Vytautas Magnus University, with regard to the application of LST in teaching practices. Following the methodological framework developed by LISTiac research team and the focus group model offered by Breen (2006), the study has revealed that student teachers demonstrate high awareness of how the lack of LST in the classroom can hinder the learning process and how its integration can be didactically achieved and ultimately facilitate the creation of an inclusive classroom. Given the novelty of LST and plurilingual approaches in Lithuanian general education and its increasing diversity, more research not only into the relevant aspects of teacher education but also into the actual practices in the multilingual classrooms is highly recommendable.

Keywords

linguistically sensitive teaching; plurilingual approach; student teachers; inclusive classroom; attitudes

References

1. Breen, R. L. (2006). A practical guide to focus-group research. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 30(3), 463–475. Routledge. 10.1080/03098260600927575. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260600927575

2. Cummins, J. (2019). Should Schools Undermine or Sustain Multilingualism? An Analysis of Theory, Research, and Pedagogical Practice, Sustainable Multilingualism, 15, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.2478/sm-2019-0011

3. Cummins, J., & Persad, R. (2014). Teaching through a Multilingual Lens: The Evolution of EAL Policy and Practice in Canada, Education Matters, 2(1), 3–40.

4. García, O., & Otheguy, R. (2019). Plurilingualism and translanguaging: Commonalities and divergences. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 10.1080/13670050.2019.1598932