EUniWell Study Week on ‘Multilingualism in the classroom’

Different Approaches to Multilingual Education

The 14 participants from the EUniWell member universities were warmly welcomed by Dr. Donna Dawkins and Dr. Beth Marley from the University of Birmingham’s School of Education alongside their students and colleagues. Through poster presentations, the school systems of the participating countries were introduced, particularly regarding their approaches to multilingualism. It was notable that the programmes were as diverse as the definitions on multilingualism and multilingual education itself. Often, these programmes primarily targeted the learning of the respective official language or selected foreign languages, while some integrated the home languages spoken by students within their families. In addition, the British system, with its governmental guidelines, various policies, and additional techniques of the English as an Additional Language didactics (EAL), was presented.

Practical Examples: School Visits and Teacher Exchange

Apart from the theoretical overview of the national education structure, participants visited two schools with extensive EAL programs, including Somerville Primary School, where 97% of students do not speak English at home, and the University of Birmingham School. Both schools introduced the participants to their EAL programs, which are tailored to meet the specific needs of their students, and addressed all questions related to the admission process new students undergo and the monitoring of their language learning progress. Additional classroom observations provided insights into how these programmes are integrated into daily school routines and demonstrated the strong commitment of the teaching staff. 

In a concluding panel discussion, representatives from the University of Birmingham and the schools compared the systems for teacher education and continuing professional development regarding multilingual programmes in schools. One key conclusion was that the successful promotion of multilingualism among students largely depends on dedicated and compassionate teachers. 

Following this, a workshop led by Dagmar M. Benincasa & Dr. Jan Springob from the University of Cologne focused on the topic of teacher well-being. This session provided an opportunity to address the significant responsibility placed on individual teachers and the potential pressure that may arise from striving to educate a linguistically diverse student body as effectively as possible.

Exploring ‘The Second City’

Participants also had several opportunities to get to know life on campus as well as the city of Birmingham. In addition to a tour organised by students from the host university, they visited the geology and art museums on the Edgbaston campus, admiring their impressive collections. Birmingham’s rich history, particularly from the time of the Industrial Revolution, was brought to life through a visit to the iconic Back-to-Back houses. The famous Balti curry, a dish born in Birmingham, was also on the agenda.

Contact

For more information, reach out to Dr. Jan Springob: jan.springob[at]uni-koeln.de

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