Multilingualism has become the norm in contexts around the world. Exploration, colonisation, migration, and globalisation have all contributed to this reality. But what is multilingualism and how is it shaping the way we use English?
This article explores multilingualism with a particular focus on education and language policy in low-resource contexts where English is often used as the medium of instruction across all subjects. While this is only one type of multilingual setting, it highlights key challenges and opportunities for language-in-education policy and practice. Other contexts, such as international business where English is the working language, may present different dynamics that also merit exploration.
Multilingualism refers to the presence of multiple languages within a community or society. It differs to plurilingualism, which describes an individual's ability to speak more than one language. It is useful to consider multilingualism in its broadest definition, which includes the use of two or more languages, or the different types of languages we use within one language. For example, the language you use to write an email or talk to your manager is not the same as the language used to text a friend. In addition, we might use one language to text our friend, while speaking to a parent on the phone in another language. We use different languages and different types of language depending on the context and who we are talking to.
Translanguaging is another concept that can happen in a multilingual context. This occurs when we use all of the linguistic resources available to us, shifting seamlessly between languages. Native-like proficiency is not the aim. Rather the objective is effective communication. It is important to note, however, that there are exceptions to the application of both plurilingualism and translanguaging. The use of language for specific purposes such as law, commerce, and education tend to remain more rule based and differ from application in everyday communication.
Multilingual classrooms often mirror the multilingual societies in which they exist, with effective learning coming from teachers and learners using all the languages available to them. Learners may shift between languages depending on the subject, setting, or interaction. For example, speaking informally to friends in one language, speaking formally to a teacher in another language. Similarly, English language teachers may use a learners’ first language to aid their understanding of what it is they’re learning. By embracing the linguistic repertoire of learners, teachers can help their students learn different languages and learn about different cultures.
This linguistic flexibility can be a powerful tool – but only when learners have a strong foundation in their mother tongue. In settings where English is the primary medium of instruction, students without early education in their home language often struggle to acquire the literacy skills needed for academic success. Research shows that mother-tongue-based education can increase enrolment, retention, and achievement – particularly for girls and children from rural or indigenous communities.
Language-in-education policies shape how languages are used in schools, often influenced by political and economic goals. Dominant languages like English are frequently prioritised for their perceived impact on achieving success in education and work. Yet this can come at the cost of excluding learners’ first languages – and the educational benefits those languages can provide.
Implementation of these policies is rarely straightforward. Policy aims often shift by the time they reach the classroom, and classroom practice can differ significantly within the same country. This is why classrooms, rather than policies, often replicate the multilingual reality of learners’ lives.
To be effective, policies must recognise this diversity. They should define what multilingual learning looks like in practice and offer teacher training, classroom resources, and equitable assessment. Policies must also balance the value of local and indigenous languages with wider political and economic objectives.
Change in language-in-education policies will require significant investment and a possible review of pedagogy. Those impacted by the decisions such as students and parents need to be informed. In-service teachers will need to be trained, and pre-service teachers educated. Implementation therefore requires additional resourcing, planning and preparation, expertise and financial investment, all of which takes time.
As the global lingua franca, English will continue to play an important role in national education policies. However, as our world becomes increasingly multilingual, language policies need to support – not suppress – local linguistic diversity. Where appropriate, English should be used alongside local languages, not instead of them.
Other languages are becoming more popular in certain regions, driven by shifting economic and cultural ties. Policymakers should be flexible, recognising the value of multiple languages in both present and future contexts.
The advantages of multilingual education are considerable, but implementation must be done well for learners to truly benefit. Non-dominant languages should not be marginalised to make way for more dominant languages deemed better for political or economic objectives. Multilingual education can bolster overall educational progress, and English is already playing a role in this reality.