Creating multilingual identity: a dialogic approach to inspire all language learners
Our mission is to support the development of everyone’s multilingual identity. This means helping people to recognise the varieties of language we all have and be proud of them. The languages classroom is a perfect place to help learners think explicitly about what it means to be multilingual, to think about language in its widest sense and how we use languages now and might use them in the future.
WAM is a series of materials, designed based on our research in schools, with the aim to inspire language learners and help change attitudes towards language learning.
Through helping learners identify as multilingual no matter the linguistic repertoire (i.e. all the languages they have contact with or know in some way)
WE AIM TO:
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Improve knowledge and understanding about what a language is
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Enhance motivation and attitudes and improve uptake
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Raise awareness of languages spoken around us
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Develop general skills such problem-solving, reflection on learning, empathy.
Our research in schools in the East of England and London suggests that students who develop a stronger multilingual identity:
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Have more positive views about the value of languages
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Report higher enjoyment of language learning
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Have greater belief in their own ability to do well in learning a language
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Are more likely to decide to carry on studying languages
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Do you want to raise motivation by helping learners to see themselves as multilingual?
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Do you want to help learners understand what a language is and what learning it is for?
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Do you want learners to draw on their range of languages to help them learn others?
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Do you want to develop a growth mindset towards language learning
