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Abstract
Language is both a means and an end in educational systems. As a means to learning, it manifests itself in countless, shifting modalities; while as an end or objective of learning, it is often perceived as an autonomous, formal entity. Through a case study of an interdisciplinary secondary school project in Luxembourg, this paper explores the tension between formal, standardizing ideologies of language and the diversifying realities found in many classrooms and beyond. Beginning with discussion of different ideological stances towards multilingualism, language education and classroom participation, this paper analyses ways in which these ideologies impact educational systems in general, and language education in Luxembourg in particular, and advocates for heteroglossic, inclusive approaches to language education. The case study presented illustrates successful heteroglossic pedagogy, marked by inclusion of numerous languages, numerous content areas, numerous modalities of expression, and shifts in school participation hierarchies. At the same time, analysis of this case also illustrates continued influences of standard, monoglossic language ideology and areas of difficulty that need to be addressed in order to further develop and normalize effective multilingual pedagogy.
Acknowledgements
The author is indebted to the teachers, administrators, and students of the Lycée de Garçons de Luxembourg, especially Pascal Daman, Janine Goedert, and Andre Wengler, and Anne Simon of the Thétre National du Luxembourg. The author is also grateful for the input of Betsy Rymes, Joanna Siegel, Jean-Jacques Weber, and anonymous reviewers on an earlier draft of the paper. This study was completed through the support of the University of Luxembourg and the Fulbright Foundation for Educational Exchange between the USA, Belgium, and Luxembourg. All faults remain entirely those of the author.
Notes
1. ‘Plurilingual’ is sometimes used in contrast to ‘multilingual’, where multilingual is defined as discrete languages or multiple monolingualisms. In this paper, I do not intend multilingual to have this connotation, and I use multi- and plurilingual interchangeably.
2. Plurilingual repertoires and the mode of ‘bilingual speech’ in which the entirety of the repertoire is activated (this and all future translations mine).
3. Content and Language Integrated Learning, also known as Enseignement d’une matière intégrée à une langue etrangère, is increasingly popular across Europe (European Commission 2006). It consists of teaching content and language together and thus requiring students to use a target language in applied ways, rather than teaching target languages only as subjects.
4. We can correct children until we obtain a grammatically faultless silence.
5. The most recent developments, as well as further details on the system described above, are made public by the Ministère de l’éducation nationale et de la formation professionnelle, Grand Duché du Luxembourg (MEN; www.men.public.lu).
6. Government program/plan concerning education.
7. Multilingualism is an asset for the inhabitants of the country. It must be preserved, while guarding against [the possibility of] multilingual education constituting an insurmountable obstacle for a large number of students … This is why language education is managed in such a way as to give all students in Luxembourgish schools competencies in the three languages of the country, to permit the learning of English for the greatest number and to valorize mother tongues [home languages] that are different from those of the school.
8. Copenhagen dramatizes a historical encounter between Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, two key figures in the development of atomic physics, during WWII; history, ethics, theoretical principles of physics and philosophical consideration of memory and truth are all vibrant themes in this play.
9. Upon entering the lycée classique system, students follow separate concentration tracks and are identified by their specialization, such as Science, Arts or Language and Literature.
10. … to take on their responsibilities and to engage themselves [in the project] to attain these results.
11. … certain students who are usually timid ‘opened up’ thanks to their performance as an actor. In fact, I didn't expect certain students, who had never done theatre and who had difficulties expressing themselves in public, to ultimately do so with such ease.
12. Another kind of physics class, a more active role for the students …; Working together with the students from other classes and the theatre professionals; Participating in the completion of a project from the beginning to the end; Being able to be active; Being able to be creative; A certain flexibility; everything hadn't been planned.
13. To me, the play seemed difficult for the youth, especially for those not initiated (the other schools). It must be considered whether such invitations should be made if the teachers do not prepare the classes in an explicit way.