Multilingualism as a conditional resource

– a study of how middle school teachers talk about multilingual languaging in schoolwork

Abstract

Today researchers and school authorities urge teachers to make use of students’ entire linguistic repertoires (Cummins, 2017; Garcia & Li Wei, 2014; Juvonen & Källkvist, 2021; Swedish National Agency for Education, 2022; Svensson et al., 2018), that is, students should be able to use and develop their different linguistic resources in school to strengthen their language, knowledge and identity development. This can be challenging, especially for teachers who are neither trained nor have experience of working with multilingual students. Numerous action research studies, such as Cummins and Early (2011), Lindgren et al. (2015), Lupsa (2022) and Wedin and Wessman (2017), have shown that a change to a more flexible use of students’ different linguistic resources in school takes time and makes demands on teachers, school leaders and school organisations. Earlier research also calls for further studies on middle school teachers’ reflections on multilingual teaching practices (Cunningham, 2019). This is particularly urgent in linguistically diverse classrooms, where several students speak languages other than the majority language. These students are more or less familiar with the language of instruction and, thus, risk lacking behind in their educational careers. The current paper answers the call by analyzing data collected during a municipality-initiated project with the double aim of researching and developing pedagogies for teaching.

The aim of this study is to investigate how two middle school teachers, who work in linguistically diverse classrooms, each talk about multilingual languaging in schoolwork before and after an intervention. The intervention aimed at supporting the teachers in utilizing the students’ multilingual resources in schoolwork to a greater extent. It included collaborative assignments, which students would complete at home in the language of their choice together with guardians. The intervention was carried out in two classrooms and lasted for 14 weeks. In this paper we analyze what the two teachers express in relation to multilingual languaging in the school context in individual semi-structured interviews with the teachers both before and after the intervention. The interview data is analyzed using qualitative content analysis and interpreted and discussed with Ruíz’ (1984) three different approaches to language and language use as problem, right and resource. The results of the study are further discussed on the basis of the concepts of epistemic justice (Fricker, 2007) and inclusive education (Ainscow & Messiou, 2018; Kugelmass, 2006). Our results show that both teachers moved to a more resource-oriented view (Ruiz, 1984) on multilingualism. The teachers’ changed approaches to multilingual languaging in schoolwork can be interpreted as an example of inclusive education (Ainscow & Messiou, 2018; Kugelmass, 2006). This has the potential of leading to an increased acknowledgement of the students and their guardians as knowledgeable and able individuals, thus approaching epistemic justice (Fricker, 2007). However, after the intervention, both teachers continue to regard multilingualism mainly as a conditional resource, something that can be used temporarily by those students who have not yet learned enough Swedish. Thus, the participating teachers in our study talk of multilingual languaging as a useful instrument towards the goal of a better command of the school language Swedish, rather than an ends in its’ own right (c.f. Cunningham, 2019). It is likely that a longer intervention could have yielded different results, since research finds that teachers’ change management takes time (Cummins & Early, 2011; Lindgren et al., 2015; Lupsa, 2022; Wedin &Wessman, 2017). However, we have shown how a short intervention can gradually be built up and to some extent influence teachers’ talk about multilingual languaging in school work. The intervention has also generated knowledge about what support teachers may need to utilize students’ multilingual repertoires in school work, such as working based on students’ different needs and conditions in linguistically diverse classrooms. Also, a deeper understanding of the relationship between Swedish and other languages in regular teaching could be enhanced. Further research is therefore needed on how teachers can be given support to make use of students’ linguistic resources in school work in linguistically diverse classrooms.