Multilingualism

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See also bilingualism, dual-language texts, equal opportunities, language variety, mother tongue, multiculturalism

If a person is described as being ‘multilingual’ it usually means they control three or more languages. The degree of competence required in each language to qualify for the description is more controversial; it ranges from high competence to enough knowledge to meet particular purposes. In countries like India it would be unusual to be unilingual (or monolingual) but individuals may have different degrees of knowledge and understanding in each language. They might, for example, use one language in the home and another at work, another spoken but not written and another just read.

In the school context we have many children in British schools who control, to some degree, three or more languages and therefore are likely to have considerable linguistic ability which the teacher can build on. While their parents will want them to become confident in English as speakers and as readers and writers, they may also want them to develop in their own first languages as well.

Wyse and Grant (2007) remind us that multilingual children are not a homogenous group. Some children will be newcomers while others will have been born in this country and be second or third generation. Communities differ in how far they want their children to embrace British language and customs and how far they wish them to maintain their cultural identity within their new ‘host’ community.

There are suggestions for good practice in supporting young bilingual children in taking on their new language and culture under the ‘bilin-gualism’ entry.

Wyse, Dominic and Jones, Russell (2007, second edition) ‘Supporting black and multilingual chil-dren’ Chapter 29 in Teaching English, Language and Literacy London: Routledge.

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