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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum Challenges in

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 1

Chapter 1
Challenges in the
Multilingual Classroom
Across the Curriculum
Amina Parveen
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5092-0011
University of Kashmir, India

Mohammad Amin Dar

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6165-859X
University of Kashmir, India

Insha Rasool
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2046-8378
University of Kashmir, India

Shazia Jan
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2849-4463
University of Kashmir, India

ABSTRACT
Multilingual education, according to UNICEF, UNESCO, and the European Commission, may play
a vital role in engaging a diverse range of learners. Multilingual classrooms are a growing phenom-
enon around the world as a result of the rapid increase in global mobility and migration. Within these
classrooms, students may have different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, may speak one language
at home and another language at school, or be learning the language of instruction as an additional
language. Classrooms that promote multilingualism help create positive identities connected with their
home cultures in addition to boosting academic performance. This chapter explored ramifications, chal-
lenges, and steps in implementing multilingualism practices in the multilingual classroom across the
curriculum based on secondary data.

DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5034-5.ch001

Copyright © 2022, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.
 
Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

INTRODUCTION

Following Independence in 1947, Southern India objected to the idea to replace English with Hindi, which
is largely spoken in the north, as the national language. This resulted during a compromise, with Hindi
representing India’s official language and English an ‘associate’ language. Most states have as their of-
ficial language one among the 22 listed within the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. However,
where none of those corresponds to the linguistic majority, one or more of 100 recognised ‘non-scheduled’
languages - including English - has this status instead. Estimates vary on the proportion of Indians who
can understand or communicate in English to any degree, but it remains the house language of a really
small percentage of the population. The tutorial context India has long recognised a divide between the
elite private education sector on the one hand and therefore the lower prestige government sector on
the opposite, the previous often being English medium and also the latter state language medium. Most
states follow the nationally recommended 10+2 educational structure. This comprises 10 years basic
education, composed of primary and upper primary levels, stated as Classes 1-5 and 6-8, cherish ages
6-10 and 12-14 respectively, plus two years of education, equivalent to Classes 9-10, reminiscent of ages
15-16. Following an exam, students may still upper secondary schooling; cherish Classes 11-12 and
ages 17-18. Educational activity has been almost a uniquely English medium, the proposal to switch this
with Indian languages over a 15-year post-independence transitional period having been unsuccessful.
The national language-in-education policy Formalised in 1968, the country’s three-language formula
is meant to guide state school Limited English Proficiency or LEPs. This recommends the maternal
language (generally presumed to correspond to the state language) because the medium of instruction,
with both an extra modern Indian language (specifically Hindi where this is often not the state language,
or that of another state if it is) and English to be taught subsequently as curricular subjects. This model
of education is thus primarily monolingual. However, the intention is that each child enters education
aptly in a minimum of three languages, including English. The applying of India’s LEP nevertheless
varies enormously across states, with only a few implementing it as prescribed. One obstacle is that the
lack of intrinsic motivation to be told an extra Indian language, particularly within the Hindi speaking
areas. An additional complicating factor is that the official language of individual states doesn’t neces-
sarily correspond to the tongue of all its school children. The very fact that English tends to be viewed
because the language of opportunity has led to growing pressure to introduce the language at earlier
levels, with many government schools responding to the current demand by introducing it as a topic
at Class 3 and, increasingly, at Class 1, instead of the recommended Classes 5 or 6. Yet in most cases,
there are insufficient teachers with proficiency in English or appropriate pedagogic skills. Concern on
such developments is reflected within the observation that ‘English has to find its place together with
other Indian languages in several states, where children’s other languages strengthen English teaching
and learning. Low learning outcomes in India in achieving the goal of near-universal school enrolment
across the country, the 2009 RTE represents a big recent national development, with enrolment increas-
ing to over 96% since its introduction. However, while the Act has created the chance for big numbers
of first-generation students to attend school, attendance and retention rates are often low, with only a
tiny low proportion of kids continuing to secondary and better pedagogy, and still fewer entering uni-
versity. While levels vary from state to state, student progress and attainment is usually poor. UNESCO
Institute for Statistics or USI data from 2010-2015 reveal that only 51.4% of the population complete
primary education, with the proportion dropping to 37.5% for the completion of lower secondary and
26.8% for upper secondary. Low student achievement is additionally a chronic issue in India, although

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

the foremost recent results of the country-wide assessment show that there are incremental improve-
ments since 2014. Annual Status of Education Report- ASER has been tracking children’s ability to
read and do basic arithmetic round the country since 2005. The foremost recent findings report that the
proportion of youngsters within the third year of grade school who can read a minimum of first-year
level text is 42.5%, with 73.1% of scholars having the ability to read at this level by Class 8. Similarly,
the amount of arithmetic as measured by children’s ability to try and do a 2-digit subtraction in school
3 of school is 27.7%, and for his or her ability to try and do simple division problems at school 5, it is
26%. Many factors contribute to the challenges in respect of the availability of mass-scale scale quality
state education, among these, a legacy of lack of accountability, poorly resourced schools, large class
sizes, inadequate provision of pre-and in-service training, and outmoded and infrequently discriminatory
pedagogic practices. The necessity for a few children to contribute to the family income and also the
inability of some parents to support their children with their studies pose additional challenges. There
are nevertheless notable differences between states in terms of quality of educational provision and lev-
els of student achievement, with a specific variation within the north and also the south of the country.

Language-related Initiatives to Enhance Education

A programme of reform led by the National Council for Education, Research and Training (NCERT)
and other government bodies is getting down to address these issues, with the assembly of a National
Curriculum Framework and a National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education providing stan-
dardised teaching and learning objectives for all subjects. Within each state, a State Council for Educa-
tion, Research and Training (SCERT) is chargeable for the implementation and adaption of the national
educational policy and therefore the approval of specific teaching syllabi and exam boards across its
divisions and sub-divisions (districts, blocks and clusters).. A recent wide scale development has been
the migration of youngsters from poor families removed from state education to newly established low-
cost private schools, many of which are English medium. Registrations at such schools are reported
to possess doubled in India over the last five years, with sons tending to be prioritised over daughters
where family finances are limited. The prestige attached to non-public education for the Indian elite,
which is sometimes in English, means English medium schooling is assumed to be of higher quality
than the state equivalent. Much variation exists, however, in respect of the extent of education provided
by many low-cost private schools, which are frequently established by individuals with no educational
background, and often employ untrained teachers. In some cases, most teaching occurs within the state
language, meaning that these schools are English medium only by name. While the bulk of those es-
tablishments are unregulated, there’s a measure of accountability between people who run them and
therefore the parents who pay their fees. Such schools nevertheless require government recognition so
as for his or her students to be eligible to sit down state or national exams. This has resulted within the
not uncommon practice of scholars being enrolled in state schools similarly as unrecognised low-cost
private ones, although they never attend the previous. A parallel phenomenon has been the supply of,
and increasing demand for, low-cost supplementary individual or group lessons in camera homes or
‘coaching centres’ after school or at the weekend. These tend to specialise in specific subjects, like Eng-
lish or mathematics, often in relevance exam preparation. Such coaching is availed of by both privately
and state educated children, the stress of mixing these classes and also the associated homework with
regular schooling being considerable. Private coaching commonly represents a supplementary sort of
income to teachers of low-cost private schools. The involvement of state schoolteachers in such practices

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

is becoming increasingly regulated, however. Multilingualism evolved from the coexistence of all those
languages. Knowing two or more languages became necessary for communication among speech com-
munities in addition as among individuals. The requirement to speak across speech communities ends
up in multilingualism. Because of globalisation and increased cultural communication, multilingualism
may be a necessity everywhere in the globe. Providing effective education for bushed today’s world
necessitates taking into consideration the many different cultural and linguistic settings that exist in
modern societies. Teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms are critical concerns at the centre
of the standard debate. Educational policymakers face the difficult task of ensuring language education
standards for a country’s whole population while also safeguarding the rights of these who belong to
certain linguistic and ethnic groupings. For humanity, multilingualism could be a source of power and
opportunity. It represents our cultural diversity and promotes the exchange of ideas, the renewal of ideas,
and the expansion of our imagination. We will not deny that we sleep in society where several languages
are continuously referenced and used. Languages aren’t any longer allocated separate regions or maybe
separate functions in Translanguaging, in line with Garcia (2009), but rather coexist within the same
space and don’t seem to be graded in step with their value within the community. Translanguaging is a
vital pedagogical idea in educational practices of today. Translanguaging has four educational benefits,
in step with Baker (2001). These are the following: I. it’s the potential to push a more in-depth and
comprehensive comprehension of the topic matter. II. it’s the potential to help within the development
of the weaker language. III. it’s the potential to boost communication and collaboration between home
and college. IV. it’s going to aid the combination of native speakers with young children. However, the
literature has been attentive to the difficulties that teachers confront while applying bilingual education
pedagogy. Teachers and students haven’t been exempted to the problems of teaching and learning that
have arisen as a result of the utilization of Translanguaging in classrooms across the curriculum.

BACKGROUND

Multilingual classrooms are widely regarded as the most difficult challenge for teachers and students
worldwide. Due to the various local languages used by pupils in the classrooms, teachers and students
confront a variety of issues. Multilingual classrooms are challenging to manage, and teachers can find it
difficult to cope with the problems at times. According to a study by Garcia and Lin (2016), the lack of a
defined multilingual policy means that schools and teachers are unsure how to use or support numerous
community languages in their classes. Teachers do code-switch, but they aren’t educated to do so in an
educational setting. It’s also challenging for teacher educators to train teachers in suitable multilingual
teaching approaches due to a lack of defined guidelines. Where the opportunity for Translanguaging
exists, the obstacles lie in putting the policy into action, as there is no clear advice for instructors on how
to employ Translanguaging methods in the classroom. According to Cummins (2008), a trained teacher
would recognise that students are not ready to utilise a language other than their own in a classroom
setting. According to Helot (2014), some communities were not ready to learn a language other than
their native one. Despite the fact that several researches have reported difficulties with Translanguaging
pedagogy, there is a scarcity of contextual studies that highlight the difficulties that teachers and students
encounter in various learning environments. According to Khan and Khan (2016), untrained teachers,
education policy, assessment system, and a lengthy syllabus make it difficult for college students to learn
English language. In his research, Hauks (2016) looked at the issues that arise in a multilingual classroom

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

in Norway. Learning a third language is not the same as learning a second language, according to the
study’s findings. Teachers said that when teaching the third language, they used their students’ linguistic
skills of English and Norwegian. The tactics employed by instructors in a bilingual classroom in Baguio
City, Philippines were studied by Lartec et al (2014). The study’s findings revealed that teachers face
numerous challenges as a result of language diversity in the classroom. The study advised that English
teachers receive training in order to teach in multilingual classrooms in an effective and engaging manner.

Significance

We must be alert to both our own and our students’ ideas about speakers of other languages so as to
recognise and value the multilingual aspect of our classrooms. Multilingual scepticism will be traced
back to the primary a part of the 20th century. During this point, research into the results of multilin-
gualism in children spread unfavourable notions that such a “condition” caused emotional instability
and confusion, cognitive delays, and even insanity in some cases (for an summary of such claims, see
Cummins 1983). Multilingualism in class has numerous advantages, including the event and apprecia-
tion of cultural awareness, increased academic and academic value, increased creativity, societal adap-
tion, and understanding of local languages. In each given social setting, humans require a structured
means of communication. Understanding how multilingualism works reveals why insisting on using just
one language within the classroom will be counterproductive. More subsequent research has supplied
substantial data that debunks similar assertions; therefore, these studies are now deemed to be poorly
conceived and ill-founded. New research has shed light on how multilingualism works and highlighted
its numerous advantages (Kroll and Dussias, 2017). Successfully identifying and implementing multilin-
gualism in teaching and learning can foster an expert dialogue and make sure that pedagogical practises
are both intentional and successful. To summarise, teaching and pedagogical techniques that value stu-
dents’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds and encourage the employment of their languages within the
classroom are beneficial. By promoting diversity and inclusion, it can help kids gain confidence, attain
learning goals, improve academic achievement, and contribute to a greater awareness of other languages
and cultures within the community.

Methodology

The author(s) will utilize secondary data published on the subject title in order to develop the proposed
book chapter.

Objectives

The following aims guided the book chapter:

1. To recognize the fact that classrooms are multilingual.

2. To provide a quick overview of multilingualism practises.
3. To address the ramifications of multilingualism practises in general.
4. Most significant challenges teachers and students face in multilingual classrooms.
5. To address the next steps in implementing multilingualism practises in education.

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

To Recognize the Fact that Classrooms are Multilingual

Multilingual education usually refers to the employment of the first mother tongue a regional or na-
tional language and a global language, which is commonly English. Per its 2003 Resolution: UNESCO
supports bilingual and/or multilingual education in the slightest degree levels of education as a way of
promoting both social and gender equality and as a key element of linguistically diverse societies. Mul-
tilingual classrooms are a growing phenomenon round the world, as results of rapid increases in global
mobility and migration. Within these classrooms, students may have different linguistic and cultural
backgrounds, may speak one language reception and another language at college, or be learning the lan-
guage of instruction as a further language. International agencies like UNICEF, UNESCO and therefore
the European Commission contend that multilingual education can play a big role in engaging diverse
learners. Further as supporting academic success, classrooms that promote multilingualism can foster
positive identities related to their home cultures. This position is supported by Richard Ruiz’s notion
of “language as a resource” (1984) which advocates for the employment of students’ home languages
as resources for learning and teaching. The planet has always been multilingual, and also the ways in
which we develop learning and teaching success must take the multilingual realities of the planet under
consideration. We believe that English alone isn’t enough. Multilingualism has always been the default
context for kinsfolk. Children in most parts of the globe become older with two or more languages avail-
able to them, and increasingly kids in their studies and work move to locations where other languages
than their tongue are the norm, and that they must learn to be bilingual or multilingual. The role of
language and communication within the educational process is rightly seen as a critical issue. It’s long
been a preoccupation within the English-speaking world. In 1975 the influential Bullock Report (A
Language for Life) argued that language was quite just a topic in schools but of course the key to learn-
ing across the full curriculum. Language is employed in every branch of knowledge both to impart and
acquire knowledge and understanding. In this sense it had been said by Bullock that ‘every teacher may
be a teacher of language’.

To Provide a Fast Overview of Multilingualism Practises

Multilingual education models are often remarked as being either additive or subtractive. Subtractive
bilingual education moves students out of the local language and into English as quickly as possible, often
with little scaffolding and short transition periods. This model is termed subtractive because it doesn’t
validate and support the event of the local language in education, potentially resulting in the loss of or
limited capacity of this language. More common than subtractive models are transition models during
which students begin learning through local languages within the early years of school then again gradu-
ally move to English-medium instruction (or EMI) like subtractive education models, there’s an eventual
shift to EMI because the single medium of instruction (or MOI). If the transition to EMI takes place at
the lower primary level, usually within one to 3 years of schooling, it’s often called an early exit transition
model. If the transition takes place at the upper primary level, Grade 5-6, or beyond, it’s usually called
a late exit transition model. In transition models, local languages may still be taught as subjects, but this
is often not necessarily the case. Additive (bilingual) education models aim to foster multilingualism in
students. The target could be a high level of proficiency in a very local or heritage language plus a high
level of proficiency within the dominant language, commonly English. In these programmes, the non-
dominant languages are consistently used throughout schooling, and ideally still be utilized in a minimum

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of 50% of the curriculum. An additive Bilingual Education Model that has been attracting increasing
interest is Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). MTB-MLE is an academic
model which usually refers to ‘first-language-first’ education, that is, schooling which begins within
the maternal language/local language and entails guided scaffolding from learning through the mother
tongue to learning through another language, or languages. Students gain the flexibility to maneuver
back and forth between their first language and other languages, instead of a transitional program where
the natural language is abandoned at some stage. Inexplicit the MTB-MLE approach is that, additionally
to valuing students’ languages in schools, their cultural and/ or ethnic identities are valued and seen as
resources. Moreover, this approach recognises the chances to boost the sustainability of local languages
by using them in education. Flexible multilingual education refers to additive multilingual models of
education that rest on students’ actual linguistic resources, including nonstandard varieties, during a
positive and additive way so as to supply high-quality access to local, national and global languages.
Underlying this model could be recognition that the maternal language could also be mobilised within
the teaching of additional languages, like English. However, this term has been implied in response to
critique that several additive bilingual education models are underpinned by a ‘monolingual mind-set’
and create mentally languages as fixed and separate. Flexible multilingual education, in contrast, is
underpinned by a ‘multilingual mind-set’ during which linguistic diversity is viewed because the norm
and as a valuable resource. It developed out of a requirement to transcend arguments framed in terms
of either-or a specific language and to maneuver towards a discourse of both-and. Flexible multilingual
education may be wont to describe some samples of MTB-MLE therein it refers to a situation within
which the maternal language is employed throughout the academic system. It would, however, differ-
entiate itself from first language programmes which promote idealised notions of languages rather than
making use of students’ actual linguistic resources. Finally, flexible multilingual education recognises
that Translanguaging is commonplace in many multilingual contexts, and thus may be used strategically
and systematically as a legitimate pedagogical resource. Altogether the multilingual education models
reviewed above, classroom code switching is probably going to be practised by teachers. As Ferguson
(2003) has noted, classroom code switching seems to arise naturally, perhaps inevitably, not only because
it’s ubiquitous in multilingual societies, but also as a response to the difficulties of teaching in a very
language during which students don’t have full proficiency.

To Address the Ramifications of Multilingualism Practises

Multilingualism practice generally develops cross communication strategies like code switching and
code mixing. When people switch from one language used at homes to the opposite outside the house
environment then code switching occurs (Lyons, 1981). This is often witnessed in countries like India
where switching is witnessed between English, Hindu/Urdu, Bengali and Tamil. Generally, where bilin-
gualism or multilingualism exists, speakers normally tend to use these languages alternately as commonly
witnessed in Belgium, Switzerland and China (Bussmann 1996). Defining an appropriate language policy
for education in such a linguistically diverse country is extremely challenging. The underlying principle
of educational policy in India is that the three-language formula, originally formulated in 1957, which
postulates that each one child should be taught through the medium of a regional language or tongue,
to which a further modern Indian language (e.g. Hindi) and English is added as curricular subjects. The
importance of the house language(s) or mother tongue(s) for children’s education is additionally empha-
sized within the National Curriculum Framework, which defines these as broadly as ‘the languages of the

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house, larger social group, street and neighbourhood, i.e. languages(s) that a baby acquires naturally from
her/his home and societal environment’ (National Council of Educational Research and Training, 2005:
36). There are, however, concerns about the implementation of the three-language formula in schools
(see Mohanty, 2006, 2008; Mohanty et al., 2010; Panda and Mohanty, 2015). Among the broader public,
English is seen as a language of power and a gateway to improving one’s socio-economic position. For
this reason, there’s considerable parental pressure to introduce English as early as Grade 3 (or even at
Grade 1), and to use EMI particularly in camera schools (Annamalai, 2013). Matters resembles that in
many other countries within the world where EMI is promoted: in many cases levels of English remain
low because the teachers’ own levels of English are limited, and appropriate resources aren’t available
(Dearden, 2014; Erling et al., 2017). This suggests that some schools are English medium in name only
and actual teaching takes place within the regional or local languages (Annamalai, 2004; Mohanty et al.,
2010). In these classes a substantial amount of code switching or Translanguaging (García and Wei, 2014)
is probably going to require place. It’s possible that these facilitate learning but there’s little systematic
research into the impact on educational outcomes of pedagogical practices that allow the employment
of various languages belonging to the children’s repertoires (Anderson, 2017). Large class sizes, poor
resources and teacher-centred pedagogies even have a negative impact on learning outcomes (Rao et al.,
2013). The role of pedagogical traditions in India is further analysed, that teaching continues to be very
teacher-centred despite efforts on the part of teacher training to develop more child-centred pedagogies.
The event of critical thinking isn’t prioritized either and there’s little room for creativity or expression
of independent thought. On the more positive side, impressive initiatives to enhance basic literacy and
arithmetic skills among grammar school children in India are undertaken as a part of Pratham’s large-scale
‘Read India’ initiative (Banerji and Chavan, 2016). In India, children attend elementary school between
the ages of 6 and 10 (Parruck and Ghosh, 2014). At the time of the primary data collection round, children
in Grade 4 would therefore be expected to be 8–9 years old and one year later, after they are in Grade 5,
they might be 9–10 years old. However, the age ranges can be much wider because some children are
enrolled in class at later ages. in keeping with Bhattacharjea et al. (2013), only half all children enrolled
in Grade 4 in government schools were eight or nine years old in 2012 and in some Grade 4 grade school
classes one can find children as old as 13. While over-age children underperform in many contexts, as
shown by Alcott and Rose (2017), the presence of over-age children isn’t necessarily a negative think
about India as in rural contexts these children appear to be more likely to be learning than children who
are within the expected age range. Multilingualism in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMICs) poses
on-going challenges for language-in-education (LEP) policy makers and educators. These countries have
to make sure that their citizens have equal access to schooling and receive a high-quality education. First
language education has been regularly promoted for early schooling by UNESCO (1953, 2008, 2016),
and endorsed by the foremost recent Global Education Monitoring Report (2016), a practice supported
by research on its pedagogic value. At the identical time, there’s a requirement for English, because it is
employed because the global linguistic communication and related to economic and social opportunities
both nationally and individually. For this reason, models of multilingual education are getting increas-
ingly common, particularly those which eventually transition to using EMI.

Most Significant Challenges Teachers and Students Face in Multilingual Classrooms

As a result of teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms, teachers and students encounter a range
of challenges. Some of the major challenges are discussed as follows.

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

Weak Linguistic Background

Many students in schools struggle to know even simple statements in English, and even after multiple
repetition, they’re hesitant to utilise English in their conversations. These students don’t speak English
fluently. In multilingual classrooms, the influence of various regional languages will be evident within
the interactions between teachers and students. The learners are unable to understand instructions de-
livered just in English. The multilingual class observation revealed that both teachers and students were
continuously switching codes within the classrooms.

Anxiety Among Learners

Another problem is that the anxiety level of scholars during a multilingual classroom. Students who
don’t have an English language background are more likely to be passive listeners in school and don’t
participate actively in classroom discussions or activities. Another issue with kids within the classroom
is language anxiety, which is defined as a sensation of tension and trepidation primarily connected with
second language circumstances, like speaking, listening, and learning. The scholars are concerned that
if they are saying something inappropriate, their classmates or the teacher will kid them. These signs
of hysteria indicate that students are tense during a bilingual classroom where they’re unable to convey
their emotions.

Lengthy Syllabus

Another issue in teaching and learning in a very multilingual classroom could be a long syllabus. Students
have a limited amount of your time to hide the curriculum, which is created tougher when the category is
multilingual. The youngsters don’t heed the teacher’s instructions. As a result, teachers are obligated to
complete the syllabus on time, and that they are unable to repeat the lesson. In situations where teachers
are caught in need of time, the learners and perceptions are frequently overlooked. The children in these
classrooms are usually silent or uninterested, and they rarely answer the lecturers.

Lack of Teacher Trainings

Government schoolteachers don’t seem to be provided with adequate opportunities to participate in multi-
lingual instruction in an inclusive setting. Teachers in multilingual classrooms face unique challenges, so
people who teach in such settings should be well-prepared to pander to the challenges. Teachers who are
professionally trained and groomed can handle multilingual classrooms much better than teachers who
haven’t been professionally prepared and must put in extra work thanks to language variety. Similarly,
kids must be more engaged and attentive so as to be told more effectively during a bilingual setting.

Monolingual Based Assessment

Another issue with teaching during a multilingual classroom is that evaluation is frequently done in an
international language (English), in which the students are not well versed.

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Mismatch Between Language of Instruction and

Dominant Learner’s Familiar Language

The language of instruction could be a barrier to the learners’ literacy acquisition within the multilingual
classroom. There’s a mismatch between the instruction language and therefore the learners’ prevailing
familiar language.

The Monolingual Ideology within the School and Curriculum

Some of the colleges promote teaching using one language to all. Teachers find it very difficult to show
in such schools.

To Address the Subsequent Steps in Implementing Multilingualism

Practises in Education Incorporate Children’s Home Languages

All multilingual children are experts in their home language practices and are available with a wealth
of data that ought to be respected. Provide space and time for multilingual children to use all of their
languages to think and express themselves. Additionally, encouraging multilingual learners to form con-
nections between new English terms and words or concepts they already know will support language
acquisition. You’ll invite children to share their linguistic expertise by sharing the way to say a replace-
ment word in their home language. If your class is studying nourishing foods, you would possibly show
a pineapple and invite children to share the words they know for it in their home languages, if they feel
comfortable doing so.

Teach Anchor Words

Keep in mind that anxiety and self-doubt greatly interfere with the method of acquiring a second lan-
guage. These negative feelings become a barrier between the speakers and therefore the listener that
reduces the quantity of language the listener is ready to know. It’s important to stay the affective filter
low so language learners may be successful. A technique to cut back anxiety for multilingual learners is
to preview some foundational concepts so, at a minimum, they need a concept of what’s being discussed
and, at best, they’re confident about what’s being taught. Anchor words are vocabulary words like “farm”
or “eat” that activate children’s background from their home language and provide them a context for
learning a brand-new language. Most youngsters who speak English reception won’t need direct instruc-
tion to find out these terms, except for children who are new English language learners, these words are
essential. Make a listing of relevant thematic words and pre-teach them to your multilingual learners.

Incorporate Visuals

New English learners find themselves in an exceedingly sea of language which will be tough to navigate.
Visuals are a terrific tool for supporting comprehension. Use realia (concrete objects) if you’re teaching
face to face or pictures if teaching virtually so children can “see” the terms you’re using. Try acting out
new vocabulary words. If you’re teaching children the difference between “washing” and “scrubbing,”
dramatize it by modelling the actions and so invite children to affix you. Otherwise to include visuals is

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Challenges in the Multilingual Classroom Across the Curriculum

to point or gesture at what you’re bearing on: If you’re reading a book and referring to an illustration of
a horse, point to the horse; when you’re describing your thinking, point to your temple.

CONCLUSION

In an inequitable social and economic stratification, education is undoubtedly the most essential
dominant element. The mutually reinforcing relationship between language use, elite formation and
vertical educational progress, uneven resources, and growing social and economic inequality can only
be understood through language. Because linguistic diversity is a reality in schools around the world,
all students must be able to learn effectively. This involves a careful balance of teacher experience and
expertise, multilingual student requirements, and educational methods supported by empirical research.
In inclusive education, a pragmatic approach to linguistic usage is required, as well as consideration of
the mechanics of language standardisation in heterogeneous communities. Apart from good attitudes
toward speech diversity, multilingual and multicultural education necessitates a degree of planning, flu-
ency in the classroom and learners’ languages, and a high level of teaching ability. Without a grasp of
the dialectical relationship between language, education, and society, understanding the socio-cultural
process is deemed incomplete.
To summarize, the list of challenges in teaching in a multilingual classroom, particularly one as com-
plex as today’s super diverse schools, is long and difficult. As a result, there is still considerable work to
be done in the field to help our diverse students build a more aware, culturally responsive, global world.
Language teachers must acquire a wide variety of known skills that may be applied in multilingual/
multicultural classrooms during their daily practises in order to develop multilingual and multicultural
aspects in their classes. Teachers should use their knowledge-based competence while also working
to create a bias-free atmosphere. It is critical that all language learners, regardless of their cultural,
educational, or social-emotional backgrounds, are accepted. Educators must continue to take chances
by acknowledging their own sentiments and beliefs about cultural differences, as well as worldviews
and other cultures. Educators will be able to handle today’s intercultural issues only if they embody the
values, beliefs, and behaviours that they represent.

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