The new Curriculum for Wales, implemented across schools in Wales from 2022, promotes a 'plurilingual and multilingual approach' (Welsh Government 2021) to the teaching of Welsh, English and International Languages. It is noted in the new curriculum that drawing on learners' entire linguistic repertoire will help them to progress in all languages, as well as seeing languages 'as a key to social cohesion' (Welsh Government 2021). However, the education system in Wales has not always centred language learning around the concept of holistic 'multilingualism'. Rather, there has been a longstanding tradition of teaching Welsh, English and mostly European languages – French, German and Spanish – and promoting 'triple literacy' teaching of Welsh, English and often one European language.
Therefore, how is this new multilingual element of the Curriculum for Wales translated into practice in the International Languages (MFL) classroom in Wales? This paper explores the beliefs and practices of the 37 International Languages secondary school teachers in Wales interviewed for a doctoral study. Employing an ecological perspective (van Lier 2004) to language learning, teaching and assessment, this paper explores common themes and differences amongst teacher views on multilingual pedagogies. Based on the study's findings, this paper argues that a cohesive multilingual approach to language learning on a policy curriculum level may not always translate into a multilingual classroom practice of learning from 'the relationships between different languages' (Welsh Government 2021). In this study, this was due to factors relating to the longstanding tradition of triple literacy, teachers' linguistic expertise, and accredited examinations driving teaching content, often excluding learners' home and community languages. Elements of 'language hierarchies' (Mehmedbegovic 2017) presented themselves, as well as the disjuncture between multilingual pedagogy and the lack of multilingual approaches within assessment (Schissel et al. 2018).
Therefore, this paper argues for the need to promote an ideological multilingual education shift from policy to classroom practice in Wales. Initial Teacher Education and CPD opportunities have a key role to play for such social change by supporting teachers to shift their perspectives towards a more holistic view of (multilingual) language learning, and supporting teachers' linguistic and confidence development in all languages present in their school contexts. This paper also argues, aligning with Shohamy's (2011) call, for a shift in perspective towards creative ways of language testing that reflect diverse multilingual populations – an alignment of cohesive teaching, learning and assessment.
Mehmedbegovic, D. 2017. Engaging with linguistic diversity in global cities: arguing for 'language hierarchy free' policy and practice in education. Open Linguistics 3, pp. 540-553.
Schissel, J.L., De Korne, H., and López-Gopar, M.E. 2018. Grappling with translanguaging for teaching and assessment in culturally and linguistically diverse language learning contexts: teacher perspectives from Oaxaca, Mexico. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
Shohamy, E. 2011. Assessing multilingual competencies: adopting construct valid assessment policies. The Modern Language Journal 95 (3), pp. 418–429.
van Lier, L. 2004. The ecology and semiotics of language learning: a sociocultural perspective. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Welsh Government. 2021. Curriculum for Wales guidance: languages, literacy and communication.
