Linguistic Diversity PDF

LINGUISTICS DIVERSITY 3. because language is culture and traditions, According to Toke (2023), it means that and therefore; it is a way to preserve them since There are many ways that people can speak they are also part of our human...

LINGUISTICS DIVERSITY 3. because language is culture and traditions, According to Toke (2023), it means that and therefore; it is a way to preserve them since There are many ways that people can speak they are also part of our human heritage. and communicate with each other. Just like there are many different colors, shapes, and LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN SCHOOLS sizes of toys, there are also many different Schools have always been at the forefront of languages and ways of speaking. Some people educating people and, as such, very much speak Spanish, some people speak Chinese, implicated in preserving or disappearing some people speak English, and many other cherished beliefs and values. If there is any languages too! When we learn about linguistic institution that by far is the most important in diversity, we can learn to appreciate and respect promoting and encouraging linguistic diversity, it all the different ways that people can speak and must be the educational institution. communicate. Language use is very much a part of In addition to that, UNESCO (n.d.), states educational discourse. Outside of families, that linguistic diversity is one of the key pillars of schools are the most critical institutions in inclusive, diverse and resilient knowledge shaping children’s minds and, by implication, the societies. Language enables the delivery of public. Schools can lend legitimacy to specific information and knowledge coded in different cultural practices and delegitimize those sociocultural, political, and economic contexts. promoting social injustice and discrimination. Information and knowledge are key determinants of wealth creation, social Therefore, encouraging linguistic diversity in transformation, and human development. schools is essential if we want to promote wholesale linguistic diversity in society. Schools IMPORTANCE OF LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY are ideal for propagating linguistic diversity According to UNESCO (n.d.), 8,324 because of their reach and influence in languages are documented with approximately educating the general public, particularly 7,000 still in use, and yet more than half of all children. languages are in danger of falling out of use. ~ So, what will happen if we lose languages? 1. Employ diversity and inclusivity in the hiring of The loss of a language may be experienced as a teachers loss of traditional knowledge and culture. Each 2. Employ diverse teaching strategies language is a unique expression of the human 3. Create an inclusive environment experience in the world. 4. Educate the public about linguistic diversity 5. Work with other members of the society Their loss would have a direct impact in the life of thousands of peoples and communities THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF MULTILINGUALISM around the world. AND ITS OWN SIGNIFICANCE IN OUR ~ Each Indigenous language is priceless for WORLD humanity. They are treasures overflowing with UNESCO emphasized the need for history, values, technical skills, literature, multiculturalism and diversity, for which linguistic spirituality, and knowledge that have been diversity serves as an essential developed over millennia. outcome. Why does linguistic diversity matter? Because we need to preserve other cultures, Why is linguistic diversity important? and the disappearance of language will 1. because it is unethical to limit or restrict ultimately lead to the disappearance of cultures, someone to use his/her language. UNESCO and others have emphasized that. 2. because using their language makes them learn things quickly. Experts worried about disappearing cultures, and many blamed the non-use of English language learners, has been that their specific languages. Since language is the bearer home languages are left at the classroom door of cultural knowledge and important in cultural or regarded as an obstacle to the development exchange, non-use will gradually lead to the of the language of schooling and learning in disappearance of cultural heritage, which is the general. For many years, teachers of English product of human civilization. have been told that using student’s home languages in English lessons should be avoided Therefore, multilingualism and promoting at all costs. linguistic diversity are imperative and go beyond language benefits. We tend to lose our Multilingualism as resource cultural heritage as humanity if we never Multilingual classrooms are a growing promote linguistic diversity. Use and utility are phenomenon around the world, as a result of the means to preserve the language; thus, we rapid increases in global mobility and migration. must do everything necessary to preserve all the Within these classrooms, students may have existing languages. different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, may speak one language at home and another language at school, or be learning the language MULTILINGUAL APPROACH IN TEACHING of instruction as an additional language. TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Multilingual education plays a significant role in engaging diverse learners and supporting What is multilingualism again? academic success. According to Cenoz and Gorter (2023), Multilingualism fosters positive identities multilingualism can be defined as the ability of associated with their home cultures. societies, institutions, groups and individuals to A language-as-resource perspective engage, on a regular basis, with more than one implies that teachers should use students’ language in their day-to-day lives. Nowadays home languages as a tool for thinking and multilingualism has spread in the educational communication while simultaneously context because of historical, social, political and learning and developing proficiency in the economic reasons. language of instruction Multilingualism is good for us. Not Only Research evidences show that preventing speaking more than one language keeps our learners from using their home languages in the brains healthy as we age, but it has multiple English language classroom not only impedes benefits for children too, such as giving them an learning and denies their linguistic academic advantage and improving their human rights, but also loses valuable employment prospects once they leave school. opportunities for teachers to draw on their Moreover, multilingualism gives us access to students’ knowledge and experience as more than one culture and improves our resources for teaching. understanding of our own cultures. Funds of knowledge in the language What does multilingualism mean for classroom classroom teaching? It has long been recognized that one of the key Many researches show that drawing on characteristics of high-quality teaching is the students’ home language and cultural ability of teachers to engage students’ prior backgrounds in classroom teaching validates understandings and experiences and their identities and provides a strong foundation background knowledge. This prior knowledge is for additional language learning. Yet the reality encoded in their home languages, and therefore for many multilingual students, especially it is vital that teachers facilitate the transfer of both concepts and skills from students’ home 1. Get them first to recite the English poem. languages to English. 2. Then, focus on the theme that it deals with. 3. Next, let them identify subtle elements and This is supported by the notion of ‘funds features of the poem that they may identify. of knowledge’ (1992) by Luis Moll. 4. Now, split your class into groups to translate This refers to the rich bodies of cultural the poem into any other language of their knowledge that exist within students’ choice. households and communities. 5. Finally, get each group to present their This allows for meaningful learning translated versions of the poem. opportunities to happen since teachers, by enabling this method, can build When discussing grammar (forming plurals) relationships with their students. 1. List some nouns in English with their plural forms on the board. Teaching practices that tap into multilingual 2. Next, ask a random set of students to come to ways of reading, writing, and speaking allow the board and write the Tagalog students to access the cultural resources that translation of those words (the singular and enhance the personal significance of their plural words). classroom work, as well as expanding access to 3. Lastly, ask them to analyze the differences of knowledge through texts in more than one English and Tagalog plural forms of the words. language. When teaching students to form questions in Purposeful Translanguaging English Translanguaging – It refers to a pedagogical 1. Provide examples of basic questions in strategy that involves the purposeful and English. simultaneous use of two languages in the same 2. Next, ask the students to translate the classroom. This enables the bilingual students to questions in Tagalog. switch between their languages spontaneously. 3. Lastly, ask the students to analyze how However, translanguaging does not only English basic questions are formed and limited to code-switching. It also involves many compared it to how Tagalog questions are other kinds of multilingual practices. For also formed. example, giving activities in which input and output are in different languages like reading a text in the L1 and preparing a presentation based on it in the target language. This enables teachers to constantly make use of students’ emergent bilingual skills. The activities under this method encourages students to draw on their most appropriate linguistic resources they have. This also allows teachers to design intercultural and inclusive lessons that support English language learning while letting the learners enjoy the freedom of using their first language to tap their community and family funds of knowledge. Example activities When discussing a poem