Activating Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Language Classroom

This book challenges the reader to rethink and reimagine what diversity in language education means in transnational societies. Bringing together researchers and practitioners who contributed to the international LINguistic and Cultural DIversity REinvented (LINCDIRE) project, the book examines four pillars of innovation in language education: the Action-oriented approach, Plurilingualism, Indigenous epistemologies and Technology enhanced learning. The book critically discusses plurilingual pedagogical approaches that draw on learners' linguistic and cultural repertoires to encourage and support the dynamic use of languages in curricular innovation.  It is a fundamental resource for language teachers, curriculum designers and educational researchers interested in understanding current thinking on the relevance and benefit of a plurilingual paradigm shift for language education in today's societies. 

More specifically, this book:

• Examines the development of plurilingualism and the potential of real-life oriented teaching and learning.
• Explores the concept of plurilingual and pluricultural competence.
• Focuses on collaboration and reflection from a humanistic tradition.
• Explores educational technology and explains the limitations and challenges of adopting ready-made tools.
• Highlights the iterative, design-based research process that informed the development of LINCDIRE’s pedagogical framework and action-oriented scenarios.
• Introduces practical examples of action-oriented tasks and scenarios, and illustrates the online tool (LITE) in terms of its current functionalities and design.
Describes the implementation challenges and opportunities of plurilingual action-oriented tasks and discusses the results of implementation. 

Finally, the book examines future pedagogical innovation and research directions in order to help readers reflect on the implications of achieving sustainable change in language education.

This exciting collection addresses an important question in language education: How can plurilingualism and cultural diversity be harnessed to promote sustainable innovation in language learning and teaching? Readers will find contributions from the diverse authors timely, compelling, and engaging.

— Dr. Bonny Norton, FRSC, University Killam Professor, UBC Dept. of Language & Literacy Education, Canada

Embracing a design-based research framework, this book offers learners and teachers powerful validation and a rich, relatable and inspiring action-oriented approach to holistic, dynamic, mediated, embodied, true-to-life, plurilingual language teaching and learning.

— Dr. Elka Todeva, Professor of Applied Linguistics, MATESOL Program / Advanced Seminar in Plurilingual Pedagogy, SIT Graduate Institute, Washington, D.C.

Anyone seeking innovation in Language Education will find in this volume a treasure trove of theoretical, empirical and methodological insights to answer the questions that arose among the 25 co-authors’ discussions to rethink language use, language learning, and language teaching.

— Dr. Mercedes Bernaus, Emeritus Professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

This thought-provoking and timely book argues convincingly for the need to reconceptualize innovation in language education in an increasingly diverse world.

—Dr. Regine Hampel, Associate Dean (Research Excellence), Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, The Open University, UK

Enrica Piccardo, PhD  is a Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto and director of the Centre for Educational research in Languages and Literacies (CERLL). A collaborator with the Council of Europe (CoE) since 2008 and Co-author of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Companion Volume (Council of Europe, 2020), she has coordinated international research projects on language teaching innovation and teacher education in Canada and Europe. Her research spans language teaching approaches/curricula, multi/plurilingualism, creativity and complexity in language education.

Geoff Lawrence, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and English language teaching/learning at York University, Toronto, Canada. His research and publications have examined teacher beliefs towards educational innovation, technology-mediated methodology and curriculum design in community-based, language learning contexts and the integration of plurilingual and intercultural teaching and learning in language and teacher education. Geoff has led recent projects investigating the use and integration of technology in community-based English and French language programs across Canada and in post-secondary English for Academic Purposes programs across North America.  

Aline Germain-Rutherford, PhD, is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa. Her research interests include faculty development, second language pedagogy, speech technology and the integration of active pedagogy into online learning practices. Dr. Germain-Rutherford has headed several national and international research projects, specifically on faculty development and multicultural issues in post-secondary education and online environments, and she has been a visiting professor and keynote speaker in Europe, North America, Asia,Africa and the Middle East. She is the recipient of the 3M National Teaching Fellow Award, a Canadian award for excellence and leadership in higher education.

Angelica Galante, PhD is an Assistant Professor in Second Language Education at McGill University and Director of the Plurilingual Lab. Her research interests include language curriculum and pedagogy in multilingual settings, plurilingual and pluricultural competence, and social factors in second language development. Dr. Galante has coordinated several research projects in universities, colleges, NGOs, and language programs in different languages ―English, French, Spanish, and Arabic― in Canada and Brazil. She is the recipient of the Pat Clifford award, a prestigious Canadian award that recognizes research on innovation in education.