Unlocking joyful learning - honoring linguistic diversity in education
In a world where education systems often treat learners as monolingual, the rich tapestry of languages that children bring to the classroom is frequently overlooked. Yet, the language of instruction is not just a medium for delivering curriculum—it is a bridge to understanding, a tool for empowerment, and a key to unlocking a child’s full potential. As we mark International Mother Language Day, it is imperative to reflect on how multilingualism can be embraced to create more inclusive, effective, and joyful learning experiences for children worldwide.
Global Schools Forum (GSF) is a collaborative community, innovation accelerator, and partnership builder for non-state organisations working to improve education at scale for underserved children in low- and middle-income countries. At GSF we have been exploring the critical role of language in foundational learning. Since launching our Community of Practice (COP) on Foundational Learning in April 2023, we have delved into themes such as how children learn, teacher training, remediation in literacy and numeracy, and parental engagement. One recurring theme has been the importance of the medium of instruction and its profound impact on a child’s educational journey.
In many education systems, the multilingual realities of learners are often ignored, despite the fact that children come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This disconnect between the classroom and the home language of learners is a challenge that persists even as we approach the quarter-century mark of the new millennium. The question remains: How can we ensure that education systems honor and leverage the linguistic diversity of learners to foster not only literacy and numeracy but also a deeper, more joyful engagement with learning?
To explore this vital issue, we engaged with two distinguished scholars whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of language, education, and equity. Dr. Barbara Trudell, a leading expert in multilingual education and language policy, has dedicated her career to advocating for the use of mother tongues in education systems across Africa and beyond. Her research and practical insights have illuminated how children learn best when their home languages are integrated into the classroom. Prof. Angeline M. Barrett, a researcher in education quality and equity, has focused on how teacher training and curriculum development can be reimagined to support multilingual learners, particularly in low-resource settings. Her extensive work on the role of familiar language in secondary education highlights the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a new language of instruction. She emphasizes that language transitions should not come at a cost to subject learning. Instead, she advocates for a continuous and gradual language learning journey, where the familiar language is used alongside the new language.
As we celebrate International Mother Language Day, let us recommit to ensuring that every child’s linguistic heritage is valued and that their education is a pathway to both knowledge and joy.
The power of home-language in education - (Dr. Barbara Trudell).
While bilingual and multilingual education are common across the world, it is less common to find that one of the languages of instruction is a non-dominant language. However, first language-based multilingual education (MLE) as a pedagogical strategy is extremely effective in bringing formal education within the reach of children in low-resourced communities of the world. Just like MLE programming that is built on two or more major languages of instruction, MLE programming that includes minoritised languages can lead to fluency and effective learning in both languages of instruction. The latter scenario, however, targets children who would otherwise have no access to formal learning in a language they speak. This opens the world of formal schooling to those marginalised children, giving them opportunities that they would otherwise never have had.
For a child who is beginning school in a language that he or she speaks, that fluency in the language of instruction is a game-changer - it is as foundational for learning as any other skill. This seems so obvious to those of us who have been privileged to use our home languages throughout our schooling - but in millions of homes around the world, it is definitely not taken for granted.
So, if home language-based MLE is such a great idea, why isn’t it more prevalent around the world? Why do millions of children in Africa, Asia and Latin America still face the bewilderment of trying to learn in a language they don’t speak? It’s not that the pedagogical obstacles are insurmountable - they aren’t. Especially in the last 15 years or so, much has been learned about the impact of language fluencies on children’s learning; the cognitive and pedagogical challenges to success in a multilingual classroom are being met at an unprecedented rate The real challenges to successful MLE programming that includes minoritised languages are societal and political. Parents of children whose only real chance at successful learning in school lies in the use of a language they speak, often still refuse to support such education; they argue that the prestige majority language is the only one that is appropriate for schooling, even though their children’s chances at succeeding in such a classroom are very small. At the national level, the desire to be perceived as an advanced nation, and to gain financial benefits or a prestigious international image, may lead decision-makers to ignore the language realities and needs of those at the bottom of the economic scale.
Nevertheless, home language-based MLE in low-resourced countries are making a significant difference. Experiences in countries like Ethiopia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia are demonstrating the options available implementing a range of multilingual education strategies. Even limited use of the first language in formal learning can significantly improve engagement and learning outcomes. Early reading programs in the first language can serve as a practical starting point for building effective multilingual learning opportunities.
Bridging the gap: multilingual approaches to secondary education - (Prof. Angeline M. Barrett)
The home language continues to be an asset for learning in secondary education. However, in many countries, only a dominant international or national language is used for learning and teaching in secondary and higher levels of education. So, millions of learners experience a language transition that comes at a high cost to learning in non-language curriculum subjects.
In recent research, we analysed curriculum materials for Mainland Tanzania, where nearly all government primary schools use Kiswahili for learning and teaching (Kiswahili medium) but all secondary schools use English. We found a large gap between the language skills targeted in the last year of Kiswahili medium primary education (then Grade 7) and those needed to engage with science in the first year of secondary education (Grade 8). This means that a child, who is successfully achieving the learning benchmarks at the end of primary school, cannot read the science textbooks when they start secondary school or complete the tasks in the textbook. We also observed secondary school science lessons. Secondary school science teachers had to use some Kiswahili in the classroom in order to be understood. If they only or mainly spoke in English, the lesson content was simplified and reduced to a primary school level. Around half the schools we visited enforced an ‘English only’ rule on students, believing ‘immersion’ to be the best way to learn a language. These findings resonate with those from other African countries.
Over half of the science teachers in our study did allow learners to express their knowledge in Kiswahili, even though their colleagues, who taught the subject English language, disagreed with this practice. Some science teachers also provided explicit instruction on how to write a simple sentence in English. Most teachers said they had some training in a multilingual approach, called language supportive pedagogy. The only teachers, who were able to explain what they were doing, had completed initial teacher education with a strong focus on teacher education.
Literacy practices acquired in higher grades are progressively more specialised. In secondary education, literacy practices differ between different subjects. If you open a secondary school science textbook you will see that the language is formal, with a large amount of technical vocabulary (e.g. photosynthesis, force, combustion). If you open a language subject textbook, you will find it focuses on language for social contexts (for example, for shopping or giving directions) or reading literature. Learners’ more readily develop advanced literacy practices in an unfamiliar language if they also develop those skills in a familiar language. Using a familiar language also helps conceptual learning, as it allows them to articulate and build on their previous conceptions, formed outside of school or in lower grades.
Secondary school teachers around the world have developed multilingual pedagogies that draw on the language learners speak outside of school. For Tanzania, we developed a few chapters of a Biology and Mathematics textbook for the first year of secondary education that had some bilingual features and explicitly supported acquisition of language practices relevant to those subjects. We also have developed a few chapters of an English Language textbook that targets academic literacy practices.
The language ‘barrier’ in secondary education is often blamed on teachers or poor quality primary education. It is also important to ensure that the curriculum and teaching and learning are designed for multilingual learners. Curriculum frameworks, curriculum materials and teaching and learning materials should set out a continuous and gradual language learning journey across curriculum subjects, across the transition from primary to secondary education and across the point where a new language starts to be used for learning and teaching.
A transition in the language of instruction always comes at a cost to subject learning. Where it is necessary to introduce a new language of learning and teaching in primary or secondary education, use of the familiar language should be continued alongside the new language.
Honoring every voice: the journey ahead
The insights shared by Dr. Barbara Trudell and Prof. Angeline M. Barrett underscore a critical truth: language is not merely a tool for communication but a cornerstone of equitable and effective education. From the transformative power of home language-based multilingual education in foundational learning to the necessity of bridging language gaps in secondary education, their work highlights the profound impact of honoring linguistic diversity in classrooms. Whether through integrating minoritised languages into formal education or designing multilingual curricula that support smooth transitions, the path to inclusive and joyful learning is clear. Yet, as both scholars remind us, the journey requires collective effort—challenging societal norms, rethinking policies, and empowering educators to embrace multilingual pedagogies.
As we celebrate International Mother Language Day, let us reflect on the strides made and the work still ahead. We invite you to share your insights and experiences.
- How have you seen language barriers impact education in your community?
- What innovative approaches have you encountered to support multilingual learners?
Join us in reimagining education systems that celebrate every child’s familiar language while equipping them to thrive in a multilingual world. Together, we can ensure that language becomes a bridge, not a barrier, to learning and opportunity.
Watch the sessions
If you would like to view the recordings from the sessions led by Dr. Trudell and Prof. Barrett, visit:
Community of Practice on Foundational Learning with Dr Barbara Trudell
Alfabetismo, Lenguaje y Habilidades Fundamentales Español
Planning for Language Transition in the Secondary Years - Dr. Angeline M. Barrett
To learn more about the Global Schools Forum, visit our website.
This blog is co-authored by:
Angeline M. Barrett: As an educator and researcher, I am dedicated to designing pedagogy and curriculum that give learners the freedom to reason and expand their knowledge of the world. Embracing the languages that learners bring from home, speak in their community and through which humanity has created and shared knowledge about our planet is integral to inclusive education.
Dr. Barbara Trudell: I have lived and worked in the global South from 1982 to 2023, first in Peru and then in sub-Saharan Africa. My research, advocacy work, and consulting have focused on empowering indigenous and minoritized language communities to use their languages for learning and communication. My areas of research include the links between language, literacy, and sustainable development, the use of local languages for learning, language policy formulation and implementation, and community engagement in the use and development of their languages.
Ajay Pinjani: Language is like a familiar friend that helps us connect with the unfamiliar world. As an educator I am excited to see every child cherish their first friendship while embracing the world unknown to them.
Further reading
Barrett, A.M., Sane, E., Atnafu, B., Ndabakurane, J.J., Bowden, R., Bainton, D., Baraki, A., Biseko, J.M., Clegg, J., Giampapa, F., Grieve, T., Jonas, E.B., Kinyaga, A., Magashi, S., Mbwafu, F.A., Mosha, G., Mulugeta, T., Nkaizirwa, J.P., Sitotaw, R., Wayimba, S.J., Yu, G. (2024). Evaluating Language Supportive Approaches to Transition at Scale. Bristol Working Papers in Education #05/2024, School of Education, University of Bristol.
Bowden, R., & Barrett, A. M. (2022). Theory, Practices and Policies for ‘Late Exit’ Transition in the Language of Learning and Teaching: A Literature Review, Bristol Working Papers in Education #02/2022, School of Education, University of Bristol.