Special Issue
Special Issue Call for Papers: Multilingualism in School
Special Issue Editors:
Prof. Dr. habil. Sarah Désirée Lange, Primary School Education, Centre for Teacher Training, Technical University of Chemnitz, Germany
Prof. Dr. Lisa Rosen, Department of Education, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany
Dr. Hanne Brandt, Institute for Intercultural and International Comparative Education, University of Hamburg, Germany
Special Issue Call for Papers: Multilingualism in School
Multilingualism in schools is a perennial topic in educational research. It is highly relevant today for several reasons: increasing globalization and population mobility, high levels of international migration and refugee movements, quick and easy access for individuals to digital language support tools. All of these factors contribute to increasing linguistic diversity among students around the world, making multilingualism a key prerequisite for educational processes.
Although multilingualism is generally regarded as a potential personal asset, with positive effects, for example, on certain executive functions, metalinguistic awareness and the learning of other languages, especially in the context of migration-related multilingualism, speaking more than one language has repeatedly been interpreted as a major risk factor for academic achievement in international large-scale studies. For this reason, and because of the persistence of monolingual language ideologies in schools, the promotion of majority language skills is often the sole focus of language policies.
Education systems and teachers face the challenge of how to deal proficiently with students’ diverse linguistic experiences to transform them into a viable resource for learning processes and to promote equal access to educational opportunities. To achieve the latter, educational institutions and teachers need to take the responsibility for adapting, changing, and creating learning environments that recognize and embrace (linguistic) diversity and provide inclusive learning settings for every student. Multilingual and linguistically responsive teaching practices have the potential to bridge the gap between different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and can contribute to promoting educational equity in schools.
The aim of this special issue is to foster a deeper understanding of multilingualism in schools and to contribute to the advancement of inclusive and equitable educational practices, by bringing together current empirical research on multilingualism in education from interdisciplinary perspectives. We invite scholars from various fields, including but not limited to education, linguistics, psychology, sociology and policy studies, to join us in this endeavor by submitting their original research contributions. We welcome submissions of empirical research articles that employ quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods approaches, thereby enriching the discourse on multilingualism in education with varied perspectives and methodologies.
Key topics include, but are not restricted to:
A) Schools as mono-/multilingual institutions
* Implementing multilingual education: Exploring challenges and opportunities associated with implementing multilingual education policies and language support programs
* Supporting multilingual students: Strategies for supporting and encouraging multilingual students in schools and higher education institutions
* Multilingual education curricula: Analyzing and comparing multilingual education curricula and proposing different curricula that support multilingualism
* Language policies and school administration: Developing and applying language policies in schools and higher education institutions, including strategies and approaches by school administrators to promote multilingualism.
B) Teachers and teaching in the context of multilingualism
* Teachers’ perspectives on multilingualism and related practices: Exploring the role of teachers in multilingual classrooms including their beliefs, professional knowledge, and pedagogical practices
* Multilingual education practices and strategies: Assessing the effectiveness of multilingual teaching approaches in schools and higher education institutions
* Teacher education programs and multilingualism: Evaluating the role and effectiveness of teacher education programs in preparing educators to deal with multilingualism professionally, including pre-service teachers' beliefs and professional knowledge
* Factors influencing teachers’ perspectives on multilingualism: Investigating internal and external factors that shape teachers' and pre-service teachers' beliefs about multilingualism and their professional knowledge.
C) Students and learning in multilingual contexts
* Students' perceptions and attitudes: Exploring students’ views on multilingualism in general and in different school settings (public, private, complementary schools, etc.)
* Identity, well-being, and belonging: Addressing the challenges students face in navigating multiple identities and their sense of belonging, especially when feeling pressured to assimilate into the dominant language, their experiences of safe spaces for multilingualism in schools
* Academic performance: Investigating the impact of multilingualism on cognitive development and academic performance
* Peer interactions: Examining how multilingualism influences the formation of peer interactions and social dynamics among students.
D) Digital learning environments and multilingualism
* The role of technology in multilingualism: Utilizing artificial intelligence and other digital technologies to support the inclusion and use of multilingualism
* Innovative multilingual education approaches: Developing teaching methods that promote communication-oriented and experiential learning, as opposed to traditional language teaching methods
* Language learning technologies: Integrating new technologies such as mobile applications, virtual reality, and augmented reality into multilingual language learning processes.
E) Social (in)equity and multilingualism in schools
* Language hierarchies: Examining implicit and explicit status assigned to various languages in the school environment and how these perceptions influence teaching practices, student engagement, and overall learning experiences
* Parental and community involvement in multilingual education: Exploring how schools engage with parents and communities from different linguistic backgrounds
* Support structures: Evaluating the availability and quality of language support programs, extra-curricular activities, and academic interventions for multilingual students
* Innovative pedagogical approaches: Investigating the implementation and impact of innovative pedagogical approaches in multilingual classrooms, such as translanguaging.
Timeline
- February 28, 2025: Manuscript Submission Deadline
- July 30, 2025: Revision Request Decision by Special Issue Editors
- December 30, 2025: Publication of the Special Issue
=> Accepted articles will be published online first.
