The benefits of embracing linguistic diversity by EUN Partnership aisbl

2018-10-01 10:46:37 UTC

I think that a good way to improve learning, after explaining the lesson is to allow the students to explain what they have understood; I believe that this allows students to increase their self-esteem and to hear the topic explained in simple words.

Patrizia, Italy

2018-10-01 11:36:40 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis: allowing students to speak and be known in their language means making them active by recognizing their linguistic identity. The biggest difficulty is putting together the many languages spoken in the same class today: the classes are increasingly multi-ethnic. We need to give space to all languages but at the same time there must be a real sharing of cognitive experience. I think there's a lot of work to do ...

Raul C, Spain

liowa10 — 2018-10-01 11:58:17 UTC

I agrre in all. this is a big oportunity to learn different metodology and doing to students the main characters in the their learning. Something very no very normal in the present school

Varvara, Latvia

2018-10-01 12:58:29 UTC

i completely agree with Nell's analysis and it is really a great opportunity for students to learn foreign languages, if one can explain it.For example, i always explain the tasks in several languages, so that my students could succeed and speak English fluently. The main challenge is the lack of time, sometimes you waste a lot of time just to explain or translate something into students' native language.The main drawback is that students don't want to learn even, if you help them to understand in their native language, they are not motivated enough and i guess it's the biggest problem nowadays.

lara italy

2018-10-01 13:06:32 UTC

today we have the possibility to speak different languages at school. We should to create the opportunity to use these different languages in class as a social experience

Carmela Alberghina Italy

carmela_alberghina — 2018-10-01 13:09:52 UTC

I completely agree, in fact, as I said in the previuos activity, sometimes I learn from my foreign students appreciating the diversity of their language, encouraging them to show it. For example when I had Chinese students in my classroom they taught us the ideaograms, The result was funny and useful .

HASAN TURGAY ÖZÇELİK_TURKEY

mavimavi2316 — 2018-10-01 13:12:40 UTC

I'm agree in all...
Particularly, it is empowering him to reflect the different cultural characteristics to the child as wealth. Emphasizing the same cultural features makes them comfortable.

Elín Iceland

eths2 — 2018-10-01 13:17:03 UTC

I agree with her when you just got one or two new studend during the year.

I agree in all... If our students are given the opportunity to use their language, their knowledge, they will feel comfortable in the classroom, they can use the cultural differences to succed.

2018-10-01 13:17:31 UTC

Paola Italy

2018-10-01 13:28:17 UTC

I agree with her and with the focus over the role of been recognized in a world where integration of different people is first of all, the aknowledge the diversity and richness of everyone.

Lucia, Italy

2018-10-01 13:38:18 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. Also I see other benefits of embracing linguistic diversity: students are exposed to the foreign language and they acquire new metalinguistic and communicative skills.

Maria Antonella Melfi - Foggia- Italy

2018-10-01 13:41:20 UTC

I agree with Nell. It is often necessary to change roles and learn from foreign students, encouraging them to share their linguistic experience. I happened to invite a Chinese child to teach the class how to give happy birthday wishes in his language. The experience was very constructive because it created a climate of sharing and relaxation very effective both from the cognitive and emotional point of view.

İMRAN ARSLAN TÜRKİYE

zeynepsina — 2018-10-01 13:46:01 UTC

Öğrenciler farklı bir dili, ben ise farklı bir dili konuşuyor olmamız iletişim konusunda zorluklara neden oldu. Sınıf ortamında Nell'in söylediklerine katılıyorum. Sınıf içerisinde rol dağılımı, öğretmenin rol model olması iletişim, anlamlandırma ve algılama süreçlerinin de sınıf atmosferini güçlendirecek eğitime olumlu katkı sağlayacaktır.

Mariateresa De Mattia Foggia Italy

2018-10-01 13:47:23 UTC

I agree with Nell. I happened to invite a Ukrainian child to teach the class a nursery rhyme with movements and music.
The experience was very pleasant and effective and all the children participated with interest and attention.

Ilaria, Italy

2018-10-01 13:50:25 UTC

I agree with Nell’s analysis but I’ve never experimented it in person. I have to try in my classroom to give more space to all the languages and I hope that both the students and the families will recognise the potential for everyone to learn and grow. I’m also excited by the fact that I could also learn from my students.

Ana, Lisbon PT

anamadalenaf_1972 — 2018-10-01 13:53:18 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. I think students must be allowed and encourage to use their mother tongue in class. It's a win/win situation with benefits for all, and learning opportunuties for everyone. When I was an immigrant, I was not allowed to speak in my language at school. It made me very sad and I was always feeling lost. I was bulied for several months, not only by the other students but also by the teacher, who made fun of my accent and wasn't patient with me when I didn't understood things. It was 40 years ago...now, I think it would be very different. I always try to empower my foreign students in my class.

FRANCESCA

2018-10-01 13:54:34 UTC

I think it is advantageous to operate in a multilingual classroom because in the kindergarten school I am even more committed to taking on another role. I set myself as a learning facilitator to encourage pupils to play with the language and learn.

Paola T., Palestrina (Italy)

torniai_paola — 2018-10-01 13:58:36 UTC

Nell's analysis is very interesting. I totally agree with her and I endorse the remarks that have been made in this video. Benefits of linguistic diversity for our classrooms are very important.

Linguistic diversity reflected in multicultural social community enables all individuals to develop bilingualism and multilingualism skills ranging from family environment with mixed marriages and social environment with formal education systems, formal and informal education for the achievement of personal and collective in ward-processing versatile in every aspect of life. Multilingualism refers to the condition in which more than two languages are used in the same setting for similar purposes. It has been one of the characteristics of modern civilization

Daisy, Italy

daisydegio — 2018-10-01 14:17:24 UTC

Teachers must rethink their teaching practice with an eye open on the linguistic diversity, trying to focus on the whole process of language acquisition: everyone will benefit from this situation: the teacher will be more aware of his/her way of teaching, the students will discover that every language has its own importance and they will be really engaged in their learning process.

Serbia, Zorica

prof_zoricasubotic — 2018-10-01 14:19:52 UTC

I am agree with NellS analysis! For me, it was a great challenge for me to learn a few words from Romanian-speaking students! It was a challenge for the whole class to accept and learn their culture. I realized that in that position, the one who knows the language on which he is communicating is much more powerful than the one who learns the language. I understood the position in the multilingual classroom students who learn two languages.

Diana, Italy

2018-10-01 14:21:51 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. In the title of this module I read that "...two languages open every door along the way", and I can say that this is deeply true. In my classroom there are three bilingual children and their presence opens the doors of our hearts and our minds to all the world. Their presence gives us the possibility to become cityzens of the world. But of course teachers must change their role and their way of thinking. And over all, in primis, they must learn a second language and practise it. According to me, there are a lot of challenges. It's not an easy way. I think to the cultural diversity, in terms of mental rigidity. I think to those children who live in situation of cultural and financial poverty. And then there's a very important question: the teaching process is always a meeting between two liberties: teachers' and learners' liberty ( with all their cultural background). What could happen when these two liberties meet one another? It could happen everything or nothing, but the result depends on the responsability of both.

Roberto, Forlì, Italy

2018-10-01 14:34:51 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis and I would like to add another benefit of multilingualism in a classroom. Each language is a culture, and the practice of multilingualism in a school is therefore the meeting and mutual comprehension of different cultures. It is cultural integration at the highest level.
Are there challenges and downsides? Of course there are many: the switching of the role between students and the teacher is risky: the class can become out of control, many students are not used to interact with respect to each other, and so on....But if you want to improve the quality of your teaching some risks are in order and you should take them.

Daniela Galea, Malta

daniela_galea10 — 2018-10-01 14:39:57 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's analysis! Multilingualism has a lot of benefits. Children learn many different things related to different languages and different cultures. In my school, everyone is fully integrated no matter what their language, race, ethnicity and religion are.

FRANCESCA FROM BORMIO ITALY

2018-10-01 14:41:55 UTC

I'm really sure that multilanguages classes are an opportunity either for students or for teachers but I think that is also very difficult to manage a lesson in which the students can speak and learn in different languages; many are the strategies and many are the tools that we can adopt but most depends on the ability of the teacher to combine the different skills in the baste way; briefly I would like to stress that nothing ca be left to chance.

Alessandra Amideo,

2018-10-01 14:45:07 UTC

ITALY

I fully agree with Nell that there are a whole range of benefits, but the most important thing is to take on a different role as a teacher; which allows students to teach you and explain. Thus, give them the opportunity to develop a sense of belonging and be at the forefront of their learning process, which is an extremely effective way to achieve learning in your classroom. Also this attitude of openness and sharing develops humility , necessary virtue to face the challenges of the future.

Ankita, India

2018-10-01 15:06:42 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's analysis that there are many benefits of multi lingual classes but the most important things is to play a different role as a teacher. Whenever i get the chance, i change my role as a teacher to a student and try to learn something from my students i do not know about. And i do not think it is bad to switch roles with students but of course we have to be careful of some things also like if we are learning something different from them, we also have to teach them in different way. There are many challenges we have to face during teaching like if we are giving them the opportunity to talk or interact in their first language they get used to it and do not want to learn new language.

Daniela, Italy

2018-10-01 15:08:57 UTC

Taking on a different role as a teacher and switching roles with the learnes: this aspect of making lessons interests me much. How can I do it? I hope I can learn it during this course.

Mariagle, Italy

2018-10-01 15:26:04 UTC

A multilingual class have some benefits: a language is a culture too, and from a foreign students the other pupils can learn a lot especially because it isn't the "teacher" to do lesson; it can be more interresting and attractive. These students can explain not only the similies and differences between their mother tongue language and the language used at school, but also in the fields of habits, cooking...

Eda,Turkey

2018-10-01 15:28:01 UTC

Multilingual classes improve different ways of thinking;that is why it can be useful.Teacher has a key role here because the approach is really integral.It is hard to apply it because there are 40-45 students in my classes.

Of course, students benefit a great deal of being in a multilingual class. They learn about different cultures, habits, linguistic similarities and differences.

2018-10-01 15:30:01 UTC

Marija, Croatia

Stefania, Italy

2018-10-01 15:44:15 UTC

I perfectly agree with Nell's analysis. The kids learn a lot from a multilingual class. It would act as a stimulus to learn about different customs, uses, habits. In the class I have a Romanian, an Egyptian and a Chinese. During bithdays, we always sing in all languages. Also for mathematics, for example, the class has known each other's way of performing operations. I think children are the best teachers.

2018-10-01 15:45:54 UTC

Brigida Calise, Italy
I totally agree with her point of view.
Switching roles with our students enables them to teach us and to explain themselves making them active part of the lesson. It empowers their self confidence and as a matter of fact it may turn into their learning success and that's what we want, don't we?

Rosa, Italy

rosamonfreda2015 — 2018-10-01 15:47:30 UTC

I agree with Nell and I experimented this with two Chinese students. It was very difficult as our linguistic systems were very different, but the two foreign learners were happy to interact in their language and to help me to understand some words. As teachers, I think we should construct active learning opportunities and give our students the freedom to interact according their language, their learning style and so on.

Marina, Italy

maricos001 — 2018-10-01 15:50:02 UTC

Our role as teachers is to enhance the benefits of multilingualism. Our challenge is to make it an opportunity for our students and not as a barrier.

Tiziana, Italy

2018-10-01 16:03:41 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's point of view.

I think that the main challenge is to speak a common language, that probably is a foreign language for everybody, with a degree of competence that allows the correct transfer of knowledge when teaching a non linguistic subject.
At the same time, operating in a multilingual classroom empowers the linguistic skilss of both students and theachers.

On the other hand there's the risk of downsizing the cognitive targets, due to the incompetence in the use of language.
Unfortunately, the only way to address this problem is to practice the language diversity and let it embrace you

Bondar Gladiola, Borca-Romania

bondargladiola — 2018-10-01 16:19:36 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. The teacher should encourage students to speak, express themselves in their own language, but also in the language spoken by other students. Children learn from each other, learned about the culture and richness of other countries.

Lia Molini from Italy

lia_molini — 2018-10-01 16:24:38 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. There are lots of benefits and all students can learn and practice different cultures. Switching roles is also a very good idea to create a positive climate where students can be free to speak other languages and tell about themselves.

Lucy (Italy)As I already wrote on the padlet linked to 2.1 module, I teach geography and I’m planning to involve my students in a little but important work : I’ll ask them to help me in pronunciation of placenames, everyone in their mother tongue . So…I agree with Nell ! Probably it’s necessary more and more to find new ways to teach…In some moments of a lesson a switch of roles with our pupils, can be a moment of growth for them and their ownership

2018-10-01 16:39:56 UTC

I totally agree in terms of cultural osmosis, not just linguistics, but also in the transmission of different customs and traditions. Diversity is wealth and widens horizons. With a Nigerian student I did a research on the literary culture of Niger with the class. It was useful to make comparisons

montella_filomena — 2018-10-01 16:41:36 UTC

Pirjo, Finland

2018-10-01 16:45:26 UTC

I agree with Nell's ideas. And I realize that is what has been bothering me when thinking how to assist more the few immigrant pupils we have. They have recently arrived, so our communication is very superficial. But my aim is to involve these students more into the work in the classroom. Not only to teach them local language and manners, but to learn and let other pupils learn about their habits and traditions live, not from a textbook.

MARY

2018-10-01 16:46:08 UTC

I agree with Nell's point of view.
The multilingualism is an opportunity for our students. It's create a positive climate in the classroom

2018-10-01 16:47:22 UTC

an opportunity for our students.

Renata, Lithuania

2018-10-01 16:48:12 UTC

I agree with Nell's ideas.its very important method for me as a teacher to more effectivetly teach and empower my students.

Cristian - Italy

cristian_cris — 2018-10-01 16:48:45 UTC

Linguistic diversity is to me a synonym for richness. When my students come back from a school year abroad for example I ask them something about real names and real words they have learnt and ask them to explain them to the rest of the class. Role switches help both students and teachers to mutually understand their positions in class and within the teaching-learning environment

sabrina, Capua (CE

sabrina_poli — 2018-10-01 16:55:00 UTC

Linguistic diversity is an opportunity to meet different culture

Anna Rita Italy

2018-10-01 17:01:41 UTC

I agree with Neil's analysis , I think that a mulilingual class should be a good opportunity to stimulate children to Exchange their different cultures but also their different ways of Learning. I really like the switching of the roles because Teachers besides teaching,should learn a lot from their students.I've already experienced this method , I've given my students a topic and they have made a lesson to their classmates about it . I don't Know if it's what Neil meant in his video.

Michela, Ita

2018-10-01 17:05:48 UTC

Michela, Italy

2018-10-01 17:05:49 UTC

I like Nell's idea you switch roles with your multicultural pupils. The reciprocal bonus for the teacher is the opportunity to learn about other cultures and languages through the eyes of the students. The more bilingual students a teacher has in class, the more opportunities a teacher has to truly understand and embrace cultural diversity first hand.

Ela, Poland

2018-10-01 17:11:10 UTC

Generally, I can agree with Neil`s opinion, but I `m not experienced teacher of multilingualism. In my school are pupils who come back from Ukraine , Italy, Georgia, the UK ... because their parents had decided to return. And these children have special mother tongue lessons because they have languague problems. By the way some of them are language diversity ambassadors in positive way. I often switch roles with my pupils. This is empowers their learning motivation.

Vicky Archondi, Greece

almyros_teachers4europe — 2018-10-01 17:13:43 UTC

I couldn't agree more with Nell's ideas. Only if we see the different mother tongues spoken in our classrooms as a blessing rather as an anathema will Linguistic diversity end up being an asset upon our sleeves. In order to succeed in that , however we have to seriously take into consideration that students come to our classes with predisposed views on languages and language learning .Some of them could be really adamant ones. If they don't see the view change in us, they won't even bother for themselves and the whole thing of linguistic diversity will turn against us no doubt.

Rita Luiso

2018-10-01 17:20:10 UTC

It’s right to speak a common language to interact in a multilingual class but not all students can have the same maturity

David Navas, Spain

2018-10-01 17:26:11 UTC

I totally agree with Nell´s opinion. Teachers have to take into consideration the mother tongues of their pupils, and take the challenge in order to help them.

Anna Kaya, Seden

suw528 — 2018-10-01 17:37:16 UTC

I agree with Nell. Other benefits are that the students get more motivated, engaged and interested if they can read and share their thoughts in a language they understand. One challenge is that it's difficult to teach when the students discuss in languages you don't understand. I usually let the students translate ti one another what works best is if the assignment is clear about which language to use for what purpose. For example: "Use your strongest language when you discuss the topic with your classmate and afterwords, write your summary in Swedish". Another challenge is to find relevant materials/texts/resources in the students different languages. I don't have any solutions for that...

José Lopes, Guarda, Portugal

2018-10-01 17:39:16 UTC

It´s a very good idea to let a foreign student to be proactive in the classroom and express himself in his born language. The downsides are the origin of the language. If is a language that only he masters is unusefull. In that case the solution would be to him to adress to the class in a common language such as english or french. In that case the inclusion purpose of a pupil to take the active part in the class would still be valid; other downside, in Portugal, mainly in the secondary level, would be the pressure to acomplish the programs of the assignments. That would be incompatible with the time spent to practice multilingualism in the classroom.

Zeynep Taş Yardımcı, Turkey

zeyneptas0 — 2018-10-01 17:44:09 UTC

I agree with Neil's analysis however I've got some questions in mind such as what happens when these pupils speak their own languages in a classroom where most of the others don't understand? How does this process work? I really would love to watch a video of a class where the above-mentioned benefits are put into practice

Antonino, Italy

a_aiello1 — 2018-10-01 17:48:08 UTC

I think that in Italy the school system should be changed, because Multilingualism should start very early, and in such way we can really get the benefits mentioned by Neil. It could be really challenging but the result could be extraordinary.

yasemin uysal,Turkey

YaseminUysal — 2018-10-01 17:57:27 UTC

I agree with Neil's analysis.multilingualism can be useful for the teacher and our students.But it is really important to play teacher's role.Our students can learn different thinking ways.

Agata Brescia, Italy

tatiagata_brescia — 2018-10-01 18:42:03 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis especially when she suggests taking on a different role as a teacher. I think this should also happen in a monolingual class. It is important that the pupil is the main actor of learning, whatever his age, and that the teacher is the facilitator of learning. It is important that the pupil learns with his peers the knowledge that in a traditional and ancient conception of the school received passively from the teacher. Today the world has changed, and it is changing faster and faster. The problems that young people will one day face are increasingly complex and wide-ranging. For this reason the students must learn to develop the competence to work in a team, , developing the so-called social skills: being able to listen to the opinions of others, expressing their ideas clearly, etc. I think that the first step is precisely that of learning to communicate in the group of work. In this context, linguistic diversity plays a fundamental role!

Sandra Leite - Portugal

leite_sandra — 2018-10-01 18:47:38 UTC

I agree with what Nell presents! and indeed by having different languages in a classroom makes children and adults aware, motivating them more and more, always having a positive and diverse perspective.

Emanuela, Italy

2018-10-01 18:57:31 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis

Daniela Pagnini, Italy

daniela_pagnini — 2018-10-01 19:00:41 UTC

Being a bilingual student can be an opportunity non only in primary school but also in secondary schools level. Teachers should apply the same language-awareness-strategies in order to encourage multiculturalism in classes.

Andrea Mangiagalli, Italy

mangiagalli — 2018-10-01 19:02:53 UTC

I do agree with Nell and I really envy (in a positive way) her for knowing 6 languages!
Just while I was listening at her I had the idea to start building a technology (the suject I teach) diary in all the languages of the class. I've 9 class and I meet with my students only for two hours per week so I think it's a little bit difficult but I have to try and see what's coming out.

In any chanche multilinguism is a challange for our societies and it's important to develope integration, to overtake prejudices towards other cultures and to, in general , to strangers.
In our society thinking about boundaries is blind.

Stefania

2018-10-01 19:02:54 UTC

I totally agree with Nell, but unfortunately I have tried only once to give more space to other languages.

Last year, my students asked me to teach them Spanish. In their class there was a Spanish girl and I started thinking that it could be a good idea. So, the last school days I planned some Spanish lessons and I asked my Spanish student to help me giving examples and underling the differences with our first language. The students were engaged and interested in learning new words.

Thanks to these lessons, I also learnt some new Spanish words used by teenagers and new expressions.

Hanife, Turkey

2018-10-01 19:11:50 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis as it can be both usefull and also create a positve atmosphere in the class. In my prevıous school where most of the students speak Kurdish and I taught them English. It was sometimes very hard as they had to understand also Turkish. However, whenever I ask them to teach something in their home language, they were very happy to share their knowledge.

İSHAK KURT - TURKEY - MANİSA

kurtishak16 — 2018-10-01 19:23:39 UTC

I agree with NELL. However, if we do not fully understand the second language we will use in the classroom, we can cause different failures by making cultural mistakes and rule mistakes. We need to check the documents we use for it just in case. It will be useful to use different languages in order for students to learn European culture and to gain a sense of tolerance.

Anja; Norway

2018-10-01 19:24:31 UTC

I agree with Nell, but also with Rita. I can totally imagine that her approach works with younger children. With teenagers, like the ones that I am teaching, you have to take into consideration that they already have been confronted with all kinds of prejudices and it can be hard for them to open up and share with the group. Many of them have never had that positive experience of competence in school.

Rovena Trivanović

rovena_trivan — 2018-10-01 19:25:20 UTC

Croatia
The other day,when we talked about the day of European languages at school,I asked one of my students who is multilingual and was born and lived in Germany till the age of 6 to speak in German and her classmate who has been learning German for 5 years was the interpreter and I helped because I'm also a German teacher. It was fun and they both felt they contributed to our class. It can be difficult when students don't have enough knowledge about certain language and feel ashamed to take part because of mistakes they make. So,we as teachers have to create a shame-resilient classroom as Brene Brown says.

İnci , Turkey

incisuzer — 2018-10-01 19:34:33 UTC

Here in Turkey we have so many multilingual classrooms recently, because of the war and economic crisis in middle east many Syrians , afghans and Pakistanis live with us, we have Syrian kids in our classrooms some of them now intermediate level English , some has learned limited Turkish so most of my classes are like 3in1. But this is not a con i try to benefit this multilingualism every word i teach them in English i ask the Arabic version and sure peer educationa is very important so local kids try to teach Turkish equivalent aswell.

Laura,Sicily

2018-10-01 19:58:13 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysisi. In fact ,if a teacher switch his role with pupils then they will be at the centre of their learning process and develope a sense of ownership.In other words ,explaing concepts in their own mother tongue ,they will be more conscious and enhance critical skills.

Maria Rosaria, Italy I agree with Neil, in the past I had a French pupil who didn't know Italian language so I invited him to speak his language during my lessons so pupils could listen speaking from a mother tongue and they were enthousaistic and they learn more easily than in the past

tafymar — 2018-10-01 20:00:03 UTC

Victoria

2018-10-01 20:01:12 UTC

I find it interesting and I agree about taking on a different role as a teacher. I think that we support the students to do new things and try new skills.

Liana - ITALY I agree with Nell's analysis. Indeed, in my opinion, to enable students to switch roles themselves, helps them to fell competent and to develop a sense of ownership next to cognitive and social abilities. All those aspects are positive in the classroom's daily work.

2018-10-01 20:11:24 UTC

Sara, Portugal

2018-10-01 20:27:08 UTC

I agree with Nell´s analysis because it´s important for foreign pupils that teachers can see the linguistic diversity as a benefict for both - kids and teacher. This way they feel that they make part of a group and encourage them to participate and be more self-confidente. This behavior will bring more benefits to themselves like: don´t feel excluded and learn faster and with more effort than before. And if it´s good for the pupils, will be good for teacher aswell.

Ezel Tuna Bursa/Turkey

ezeltuna — 2018-10-01 20:43:37 UTC

I agree with Nell. It is a very important way to teach and strengthen my students more effectively. However, if we cannot fully understand the second language, we can cause different errors.

Ilaria, Puglia, Italy

2018-10-01 20:45:36 UTC

The advantages are both for language learning and for cognitive development. The
Bilingual education experiences allow us to observe that the "mixed" language learning format is a support to development
self-assertion and the formation of a positive self-image.

Esther, Spain

esanz — 2018-10-01 20:47:39 UTC

I agree with Nell´s idea. It is very important to recognize linguistic and cultural diversity in a positive way. Great idea!Things change when you do it in your class.

FILOMENA BIANCO, ITALY

2018-10-01 20:47:52 UTC

I find Nell's analysis very interesting and inspiring and, of course, I agree with what she says. I think the idea of switching roles is very important and can lead to good results. However, these activities takes a lot of time and, while on one side it's essential to encourage bilingual students to speak their own language and teach some of it to their classmates and students, on the other there is the urge to complete the syllabus so that students can cope with final state exams and national tests.

Laura, Italy

laura_gianfranceschi — 2018-10-01 20:53:47 UTC

I agree with Nell's ideas, but I also think that in higher schools it is more difficult.

Josefina, Spain

fefimg — 2018-10-01 20:58:28 UTC

I agree that newly arrived can access content easily if they can use their mother language (if we take a positive approach) , you can learn from them,so they feel they are competent and do not feel the sense of not being part of learning. On the other hand the probblem is when there is noone who can understand this language, how can teachers then know about the learning goals achieved by these students?

Irene S. , Italy

2018-10-01 21:17:52 UTC

I think that Nell has a great idea about the teacher's role and bilingual children can be a great resource for the class and for the teacher.

Anis Amouri (Tunisia )

amourianis — 2018-10-01 21:29:02 UTC

I am absolutely with nell's ideas ... especially when the teacher changes role with his students especially when he can not know all the native languages of his students

Sharon, Australia

2018-10-01 22:58:59 UTC

Gradual Release of Responsibility is how i see Nell's analysis - respecting students' backgrounds and what they bring to the classroom and allowing them to take ownership of their learning

Elisabetta, Italy

elisanteroma — 2018-10-01 23:23:58 UTC

Students' diversity should be respected and take as a resource to better. The highest challenge to face with is to enter to another culture with is so different from our culture, to try understanding a different language means to understand a different way to think, to establish relationship and to perceive the space and the time. Receiving a foreign person and helping him to integrate could be a good strategy to overcome this challenge.

Raffaella from Genova,

raffaturbi1 — 2018-10-02 01:06:57 UTC

I think Nell’s analysis is very interesting: switching roles with students allows to learn more effectively and it’s also pleasant for both teachers and students.
But I also see a contradiction for me in this, because I’m supposed to teach Italian. I know many students don’t speak italian when they are not at school, so school time is very important in order to practice the language and learn it quickly, even because they need to use Italian even for studying the other subjects. I recognized the importance of allowing students to use their mother tongue when they're recently arrived in Italy, in order to facilitate their setting, but I also think they need to practice the language as much as possible. So we use their bilingual or multilingual knowledge when we learn new words or concepts and we compare them with the same in their language and culture.

Palma from Spain

palmagarciahn — 2018-10-02 04:38:27 UTC

Having a multilingual class allows students to know more about other countries, open their minds, be respectful. We must take advantage of this context to make exhibitions of countries of origin of these students, with proof of food, listen to their music, see typical costumes. It is the best way to integrate them and work their leadership

Petra Kokeza, Croatia

2018-10-02 06:18:06 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. For me linguistic diversity is synonym for richnes. I think that we need to start with multilingualism very early. It can be difficult when students don't have enought knowledge about languages. When students know more languages they have more motivation to learn

I perfectly agree

2018-10-02 06:59:45 UTC

Lena, Germany

2018-10-02 07:13:06 UTC

I agree with Nell. If you want to facilitate the student's learning in the best way possible, you sometimes have to step back and let students take the role of the teacher. If you do not understand the language, waht other chance do you have? If you do not let the student take control, you will most likely prevent learning instead of enhancing it

Melissa Leyshon,

2018-10-02 07:17:47 UTC

Malta
I love the idea of acceptance and embracing linguistic diversity. I would like to explore the idea of integrating this somehow into my lesson. However my difficulty at the moment is figuring out how this integration could take place without encouraging the student to practice as much Englsh as possible. I guess this has been my mind set so far!

Feruze,TURKEY

feruzeerol — 2018-10-02 07:32:09 UTC

I agree with Nell. But sometimes switching roles may casue waste of time.

Claudia Mazzone from Naples - Italy

angelfrance1972 — 2018-10-02 07:34:53 UTC

I absolutely agrre with Nell analysis. Infact I often make a flipped classroom where techers and learners switch their role. This is a way to make the students feel main characters in the classroom and to develop in them the sense of ownership. But, in a secondary schhool this is more difficult to realize, because there are more strict curriculum to respect

Daniela G, Romania

danardana2000 — 2018-10-02 07:55:55 UTC

I agree with Nell´s analysis. It is very important to recognize linguistic and cultural diversity these days.

Sofia Kotsou, Greece

ksofia2008 — 2018-10-02 09:20:20 UTC

I agree with the previous analysis, because the diversity creates the uniqueness. We are teachers and our work is to make a better world for everybody.

Rosy (Italy)

2018-10-02 09:46:10 UTC

Even if sometimes student's language abilities are not so good and teacher need to translate or explain with other words, teacher should invite and enable childrens to have an interaction because it represents a social experience and develop a sense of ownership.

Mary F. (Italy)

2018-10-02 09:48:05 UTC

I completely agree with Nell Foster's view, I think it is very important to switch the roles in classroom because it enables children to face their difficulties at the time of speaking, and this activity creates a relaxing context in classroom.
Furthermore, this activity develops the identity of competence of the children and helps teacher to understand what are the linguistic needs of the children, what was wrong with his previous experience in another school as well.

Silvia DM, Italy

2018-10-02 10:20:22 UTC

I agree with Nell. I often experience that students in our multilingual classes don't like to speak their own language or make comparisons with how Italian and their language work. That is a pity; contrastive analysis can be very useful not for students who come from abroad but also for Italian students. I will try and communicate that speaking more than a language is not only interesting, but also useful and mind-opening.

Vasiliki Psaridou/Greece

2018-10-02 10:32:36 UTC

I fully agree with Nell's analysis. I work in a Minority school where all the children have turkish as their main language. This is a benefit for me, even though I knew nothing of turkish I learn the basic. Sometimes this is a challenge as well because there are so many greek words in turkish language and vise versa.

Rita Xuereb, Malta

2018-10-02 11:29:36 UTC

Nell’s analysis is correct and I agree with her totally. The multilingual classroom would have a treasure chest of ideas and skills partially hidden because of the language barrier. It is therefore a good idea to allow the children to take over and lead the way themselves to create a more comfortable learning environment.

Violeta, Romania

violeta_crst — 2018-10-02 11:55:49 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. I think is a very good strategie to put our students in the position of a teacher. They can explain some things, they can act as moderator of the class and they have the possibility to teach others about some problems wich others dindt knew anything about, in this case another language, culture, traditions,etc.

Konstantina, Greece

2018-10-02 12:14:00 UTC

I think that the best way of teaching is the one that Nell said, but I always recognise the problems that appear such as relunctance of the students, shame, unwiilingness and other things. I think that the best way to figh it is when you look like a person who respects the other and the different and also appreciates it.

Rosario Santana

2018-10-02 12:25:01 UTC

From my point of view, student participation in class is essential for their learning process, giving importance to social competences, critical thinking, development of innovative ideas, and so on. Therefore, the use of the home language can facilitate the achievement of these objectives. On the other hand, creating a save environment for pupil is a must.

Krisnel, Italy

krisneln — 2018-10-02 12:31:55 UTC

I definitely believe that Nell's point of view is very interesting and constructive. A continuous exchange of information, allowing the use of more language, even if for someone they are incomprehensible, I believe everyone puts on the same level, everyone becomes aware of the difficulties of the other and usually takes over the mechanism of collective help; everyone helps in trying to make a concept understandable by suggesting words, a continuous mutual learning.

Laura, Canada

2018-10-02 13:49:12 UTC

Yes! Building a multi language classroom would provide so much learning.

I

2018-10-02 14:28:35 UTC

Marina

2018-10-02 14:33:05 UTC

I totally with Nell's ideas, and as I said in the previous activity, I truly believe that linguistic diversity is essential to boost participation in the classroom, especially for those kids who don't feel confident in the common language of the school. In my experience this is one of the best way to develop a wide range of skills, not only linguistic.

Amelia, Italy

ametosca — 2018-10-02 14:38:10 UTC

I'm truly agree with Nell's ideas, to embody language diversity is a very effective devices during a language lesson (role play, dialogue, code switch..)

Margherita Carta - Italy

margherita_carta — 2018-10-02 14:43:18 UTC

I fully agree with the previous analysis and mostly with the idea that teachers and students have to swich roles. Students need to be the very key players of their learning. That's why it is important to share various experiences of linguistic diversity and languages in the classroom.

Patrizia, Italy

2018-10-02 14:54:23 UTC

It is a very interesting her point about switching roles with pupils/students and so get to know them more closely and better.

Sofia Tsigara, Greece

softsigara — 2018-10-02 15:01:27 UTC

It's a good opportunity for us, as teachers to learn the basics in foreign languages

viki dogani, greece

2018-10-02 15:10:18 UTC

they develope positive perspectives

Rita, Italy

2018-10-02 15:19:48 UTC

I fully agree with Nell. I think that having a multi-lingual class is a great opportunity of growth for everyone. I think it is very useful to give pupils the possibility to use their mother tongue in order to let them explain better and to let others know a part of themselves.

Silvia, It

2018-10-02 15:25:39 UTC

Yes, I totally agree with Nell. I think another benefit of embracing linguistic diversity could be that all the classmates - includes the teachers - can have the opportunity to learn a lot of new languages during their lifetime and with them they can learn the cultural diversity and cultural exchange and understanding what it means a multicultural and multilingual society.

Giedre, Lithuania

giedraud — 2018-10-02 15:41:05 UTC

I agree. I think some learning process is important.

Barbara, Italy

2018-10-02 15:46:00 UTC

I agree I think that is very important to use other language in our classroom. students is a good learning process

Athena Anastasiadou, Nafpaktos-GREECE

athenaanastasiadou1 — 2018-10-02 16:59:55 UTC

I totally agree with the points presented in the video. It's really demanding to be in a multilingual class but it's also challenging and extremelly interesting for an innovative teacher

Michela Italy

2018-10-02 17:21:27 UTC

I defintely agree with Nell’s analisys even if I’ve never experimented it.... it can be an opportunity for me to learn new ways of tesching

Iveta Leinberga, Latvia

2018-10-02 17:47:49 UTC

I truly agree with Nell's analysis. I consider teaching in multilingual class very challenging. I also teach professional English. Sometimes my students explain me, for example, how car`s engine works. In that way they feel more valuable and responsible for exchange of information between me - teacher and him or her - a student.

Sirpa, Finland

2018-10-02 18:17:35 UTC

I agree with Nell's view and would like to test it with one of my groups during our school's language week later this autumn. I'm thinking of picking a topic and then having the students study in different languages (home languages & other languages learnt in school). I will be interesting to see what they will learn...

Ioana, Romania

ioana6333 — 2018-10-02 18:23:23 UTC

Each of the many national, regional, minority and migrant languages spoken in Europe brings an added element to our common cultural heritage that should be used together to foster dialogue and mutual respect. There are areas in the EU where citizens successfully combine the language of a regional or minority language with the national language and also have good language skills. Multilingual people are a valuable asset because they act as a binder between different cultures.

Martina

mrnmtn — 2018-10-02 19:11:17 UTC

I agree with Nell's point of view and I sometimes experiment this role-switching activities, even if I have never tried to do so in order to achieve language-awareness and to enhance the benefits of linguistic diversity.

Ana Cristina Martins

2018-10-02 19:22:41 UTC

Completely agree with Nell's point of view. teaching in a multilingual class is very challenging as I said before on the previous activity. We teach but we learn so much about their culture, and their skills. Amazing. When we "change" roles in the classroom, specially when language is the key word, and we give them the main role to communicate and be the interlocutor magic happens.

Serenella,Italy

2018-10-02 20:11:31 UTC

Even though I do not have personal experience, I suppose that in a class of multilingual students the teacher has to be able to make all the students cooperate in order to improve, and let them know that is possible to know and study languages with pleasure.

The teacher could make them participate in the process of studying , and switching roles teacher/students is the best way to do this.

Kirsten - Scotland

mynameiskirst — 2018-10-02 20:19:42 UTC

I totally agree with Nell and would love to use this short video when speaking to mainstream teachers as I feel she summarises the benefits superbly.

Challenges - Many mainstream teachers still do not see the benefit of languages and don't understand how learners can have two languages (or more). They have the attitude that it is one or the other. The challenge is changing this mindset. Some teachers don't recognise underneath the iceberg and how languages support each other.

Angel, Italy

mariangela_gallo68 — 2018-10-02 20:38:44 UTC

completely agree with Nell' s point of view because I think that if foreign students are allowed to use their mother tongue, you recognize the skills they developed previously in another school system and you give them a positive perspective on learning a new language,aboveall you recognize their cultural identity.

Rosa, Portugal

carinaribeiro18 — 2018-10-02 21:35:54 UTC

I agree whith Nell´s point of view. I never had teaching in a real multilingual class as I said on the previous activity but I am conscious that this situation must be very challenging! We certainly learn a lot and the foreign students will be more responsable of their learning process if we let them explain/share things about their mother language.

Giselda Costa - Teresina-Piauí- Brasil

2018-10-02 22:09:59 UTC

See my article in English. An experience of 7 Brazilian students in the classroom of europe and america. They told me, the greatest communication challenge was the socio-cultural adaptation.
http://www.giseldacosta.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Internacionaliza%C3%A7%C3%A3o-Ingl%C3%AAs.pdf

Rute - Portugal

2018-10-02 22:26:06 UTC

I agree with Nell´s analysis and i will try, for sure, to make the exchange of roles between teacher/ student. But as a primary school teacher i feel that they expect me to lead the class and without preparing the subject it will be hard for them.

Federica (Australia)

2018-10-03 01:24:58 UTC

I agree with Nell that it is crucial for teachers to recognise and value all the different languages and cultures that pupils bring into their classrooms as this perfectly resonates with the 21^st Century student centred education and can lead to many positive outcomes. For example, students are encouraged to use HOTS (higher order thinking skills) and cannot hide behind their lack of proficiency in the standard academic language used at school. In fact, as explained by Ofelia Garcia in her YouTube video ‘What is Translanguaging?, translanguaging is “the use of the children’s full linguistic repertoire to make meaning […]” / “a way of using all of the linguistic resources in order to make meaning.”

Moreover, I believe that translanguaging is also a very inclusive teaching practice which strengthens pupils’ identities and, in turn, fosters self-confidence and risk taking.

In these regards, here in Australia there is a significant quote from Yurranydjil Dhurrkay, an Indigenous language advisor based at Galiwin’ku, North East Arnhem Land: “Our language is like a pearl inside a shell. The shell is like the people that carry the language. If our language is taken away, then that would be like a pearl that is gone. We would be like an empty oyster shell.” (this quote is referenced in the 2012 report: Our Land, Our Languages: Language Learning in Indigenous Communities).

Including translanguaging in our teaching practice requires that we step back, put ourselves on our students’ level, show true interest in their cultural background and start to learn about their languages. Finding the time to learn new L2s is a challenge for me, but I know that it is a challenge worth taking on.

Gianni Lottino

giannilottino — 2018-10-03 05:40:38 UTC

As teachers, I should to take into account the linguistic and cultural heterogeneity of the pupils, the variety of languages spoken and the multiplicity of their cultural affiliation. In an educational environment often marked by practices anchored in a monolingual system, this is a great challenge for a teacher. The child who leaves the language of her family outside school does not understand why this language is not entitled to be used in the classroom. She often feels that the language of her family is considered to be some kind of problem at school. It is well known that negative representations of bilingualism among children of immigrant origin particularly affect their language skills. Rather than refer to heterogeneity we prefer to speak of diversity, a notion that is both broader and more positive. So I agree with Nell and during my lessons I try to tranform identity competences for participation. I try to take linguistic diversities in a positive way giving pupils the possibility to externalize a lot of their learning, creating an improving cognitive and social experience.

Alice, Italy

severi_alice — 2018-10-03 06:09:16 UTC

I agree with Nell's point of view and I would try this way in my classroom. Some topics (in chemistry or biology) are able to underline different skills, in particular communication among students.

Francesca, Italy

2018-10-03 07:38:59 UTC

I agree with Nell’s point of view, but i’d like to know more about the way to swich the roles teacher/students. I usually do in my monolingual classes, but i don’t know if i can do it in the same way with bilingual pupils or ife they need different approaches.

Ame, Italy

2018-10-03 08:52:02 UTC

I agree with Nell and if in the future we will have pupils from different places, I will try to do as she says

Vincenzo M. Italy

2018-10-03 08:55:46 UTC

I totally agree. The study of new languages will be the future for our learners.

Krizia, Italy

kriziaiese — 2018-10-03 09:43:18 UTC

I agree with Nell's point of view. Creating a multilingual class could be challenging and very interesting for our sts, and for us too. Sts should understand that we are not "ones who have all the knowledge" but that learning is communicating, is discussion, is sharing

Manuela, Portugal

2018-10-03 10:04:36 UTC

I also agree with Neil's perspetive and I think that enabling students to teach and explain themselves will contribute to a better and more productive learning environment.

Giuseppina V., Italy

2018-10-03 10:22:28 UTC

I think that Nell’s analysis on the importance of switching roles between teacher and pupils is significant not just in the context of multilingual classes but also in the context of monolingual ones as the new educational method called Flipped Classroom is now showing us. In particular, pupils are enabled to make a lot of practice both at speaking in front of people and doing any sort of exercises under the expert guidance of their teacher. On the other hand it appears to me there might arise a few difficulties due to prejudices since neither pupils nor fellow teachers are still used to Flipped Learning. In fact they are both still tied to the traditional frontal kind of Education.

Anna, Barcelona

erasmus_coordinators — 2018-10-03 10:28:21 UTC

In my opinion it depends on context and educational system. I used to teach different up to 250 pupils from so different countries like China, Romania, Poland, Morocco, Pakistan, India, Russia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Ghana, Liberia... not to mention nearly all countries in South America and Roms speaking caló, in the same school year, so sometimes it is even difficult to remember what their names are... I can some of their native languages, but they sometimes don't want you to speak with them in public in their mother language because they don't want to be perceived as given a different treatment from their fellows. Visual support is very important in CLIL lessons.

Maria Rosa (Sicily)

maryroseprof — 2018-10-03 10:29:01 UTC

I totally agree with Nell’s analysis,,even though I think it is a demanding work to deal with.

So why not have a go? If we want to be innovative teachers we need to be open to all challenges.

Rosanna

2018-10-03 12:20:58 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. Linguistic diversity is positive for everybody. Students can learn a lot by their foreign friends and they can know different cultural aspects of other Countries. So, when they grow up, they can be ready to live in other Countries because they already know aspects of different cultures.

Federica,Ita

2018-10-03 13:20:14 UTC

I totally agree with Nell, but unfortunately there are a lot of Italian secondary school teachers of humanities who are too conservative and narrow-minded. Many colleagues of mine, for instance, can't undertstand why an Italian and History teacher like me, who studied Latin ancient Greek and classical culture, could be so fond of English... There still is too much prejudice and too many barriers even in Europe.

Francesco, Italy

francescoaverna — 2018-10-03 14:12:33 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis on the benefits of the embracing linguistic diversity. I think it needs to take itself on a different role as a teacher, giving more importance to all pupils the same chance to teach and to explain themeselves in their language.

In my opinion embracing language diversity is very beneficial for pupil as it gives more priority , to explain themselves in their language and learn a lot by their foreign freinds. Which helps them to settle in other countries.

pardeepkaur9aug1994 — 2018-10-03 14:32:03 UTC

Alina, Romania

2018-10-03 14:59:15 UTC

The benefits mentioned by Nell are also met during our hours. My students are involved in several projects with pupils from European countries through whom they exchange ideas, chat, compare ... We play in other languages, which makes relaxing science lessons or we are watching various scientific films, students providing translation

Matilde

2018-10-03 15:46:32 UTC

In my opinion I find really important to value our pupils background, especially the new arrivals. They usually feel lost at the beginning, around six months according to Nell's and it can be a great way to help them

Maria Calà, Italy

2018-10-03 15:47:58 UTC

Linguistic diversity is good for everyone, teachers and students. It forces us to get back into the game and to positively reconsider the diversity of the other

Maria Calà, Italy

2018-10-03 15:48:07 UTC

Salvador. SPAIN

salprosm1 — 2018-10-03 15:53:59 UTC

I agree with Nell too. Linguistic diversity is helps us to be open-mind, teachers and students. The way of considering different languages in the same environment improves the relationship among us.

Alma, Croatia

2018-10-03 16:13:03 UTC

I agree with Nell. My students are more motivated, engaged and interested if they can understand subject content in English.

Roberto, Italia

2018-10-03 16:20:11 UTC

Linguistic diversity is to be considered from the perspective of the resource, opportunity, as it is a positive and constructive stimulus for the class of belonging, allowing to develop a sense of belonging and to be at the forefront of their learning process, which is a extremely effective way to achieve learning in your classroom.

Ilaria

2018-10-03 16:31:21 UTC

I agree with Nell. I think that linguistic diversity ( and culture diversity and a different way of think) is a positive resource for everyone: theacers, students, school and also for inclusion and for having an open mind about other cultures and other way of thinking. Become in same way the builders of the knowledge of each other will be certainly a very rewarding experience!

Rosamaria Teodorani

rossyteo — 2018-10-03 16:54:15 UTC

Rome, Italy
I agree with Nell Foster. I find very interesting to change roles in the classroom, to learn from pupils it is an important experience, very challenging. I Think that a teacher must always find a strategy to help pupils to paricipate and to share the lessons even if they don't speak the same language yet.

Laura Colombo - Italy

2018-10-03 16:56:39 UTC

Switching roles is, I think, the most beneficial effect and it also has a social positive consequence in class in terms of integration.

Laura Italy

laura_badalini — 2018-10-03 17:03:53 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. As a teacher I can benefit from cultural diversity , I can learn from my students different perspectives and different social paths to create an effective communication with them , to improve learning activities

Giuseppe, Italy

profgiuseppevullo — 2018-10-03 17:23:35 UTC

I agree with Nell; as teacher I believe I should to take into account linguistic and cultural heterogeneity of my pupils, the variety of languages they speak and the multiplicity of their cultural affiliation. In an educational environment often marked by practices anchored to a monolingual system, as mine, this is a great challenge for a teacher. The child who leaves the language of her family outside school does not understand why this language is not entitled to be used in the classroom. Pupils often feel that their family language is considered as some kind of problem at school and, in for certain ways, it is true, because we're not ready, or because we are frightened of the implications on our work.

ANTONIETTA, ITALY

miaaba — 2018-10-03 17:33:56 UTC

I totally agree with Nell’s analysis as a teacher switching role in a multilingual class develop a strong sense of ownership. The true challenge is to address that to facilitate the learning process, good practices produce effective learning.

Francesca, Italy

2018-10-03 17:36:42 UTC

I agree with Nell Foster. Linguistic diversity can be a strength for the class and for the teacher. It stimulates integration and inclusion, it helps building self-esteem and enriches knowledge.

An open context for an open text (pun intended)

2018-10-03 17:51:03 UTC

Good evening! Here’s maestra Emma. I’’l want to focus a very relevant benefit of this approche for me. The aspect that is relevant to me is the possibility of networking with families. Design relationship networks that the school, the teachers can structure for purpose, with a wide delivery (what can or wants to teach your child to the comrades of what he has learned in the school he comes from? Or the country he comes from? ), helping to break down possible activities, to choose mediators (videos, images, objects). You can think of a group activity (plurilingual) by activating a collaboration between families with the specific purpose of helping the children to prepare the lesson. Being able to talk together with roles, goals, defined times and aimed at supporting and integrating children helps to avoid dispersing in moments of encounter. There is a diversity of imaginations on the school between employees and non-professionals who often has an impact on children. Having the opportunity to build together a concrete and defined thing helps to act in a better way the respective roles and supports the serenity of the class atmosphere.

Maria Antonietta

mariaantoniettaleone12 — 2018-10-03 18:46:52 UTC

Maria Antonietta Leone, Italy

mariaantoniettaleone12 — 2018-10-03 18:46:54 UTC

I agree with Nell's analisys.
From multilingual- class, can grow up everyone (pupils and teachers).
We teachers can learn a new way of teaching too.

Manlio, Comiso (RG)

2018-10-03 18:54:19 UTC

I think that the benefits described by Nell, deriving from emphasizing linguistic diversity as wealth and resource, can really produce a climate of integration and stimulate foreign students to participate more actively in the proposed activities, creating in them the awareness of be members of the class group.

Catello de Sinno - Italy

2018-10-03 19:14:36 UTC

Using all of the linguistic resources in the classroom is definitely a great challenge for Teachers and pupils in order to promote and enhence the Learning process, the inclusion and the respect for other cultures.

Pantaleo, Italy

2018-10-03 19:56:45 UTC

It seems to be a great opportunity of learning. Giving the opportunity to a students to express himself with the tools that he has makes him more confident with the subject. If we focus on the acquisition of scientific contents, probably it is not too much important in which language to acquire concepts, probably languaging they can fix more the appropriate words and concepts.

Anna De Donno, Italy

annadedonno — 2018-10-03 20:15:34 UTC

The most important advantage is that there is no disadvantage in linguistic diversity. It indicates cultural diversity. We live in a multicultural society when we diversify our workplaces, we not only gain access to new perspectives and ideas, but it can open doors for us. Languages are crucial bridges between cultures. earn a new language is to explore new ways of thinking, new value systems, to open our orizons to the richness of other cultures and ideas.

Claudia, Italy

2018-10-03 21:45:25 UTC

The video with Nell is important to don't forget the importance to use bilinguism into the classroom. Comparation, sharing words different help build new culture and experience

M.T. Rome

2018-10-04 09:56:52 UTC

I often apply the method of exchanged roles. I find it very effective and this article is a confirmation. My students on these occasions appreciate the lesson and our relationship improves a lot.

Antonella p.

avenusitita — 2018-10-04 13:03:19 UTC

I completely agree with Nell's analysis. I think that exchanging roles could be a good idea to reinforce foreign students' self-esteem. Thy have the opportunity to show and analyse the differences between their mother tongue and the language used in classroom. For example they can show the teacher and the classroom how to translate idiomatic expression in their languages. They can also translate proverbs and this could be a starting point to analyse the cultural differences between the foreign students and the rest of the classroom. This could give everybody the opportunity to overcome prejudice and to enlarge their point of view.

Vanessa-Italy

2018-10-04 15:03:52 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis.
I'm a primary school teacher ,I notice that linguistic and cultural diversity in themodo classroom presents a difficult challenge for teacher and students.
It 's very important taking on a different role as a teacher above all when in classroom where all pupils are monolingual ,since are you cannot speak all the languages in the classroom.We could switch roles with our students,which enable them to teach us and explain themselves.

Alessandra, Italy

2018-10-04 15:08:28 UTC

This video points out the importance of using bilinguism into the class.
It's an opportunity to analyze words, to share different idioms and phrases. This kind of activity could give a big chance to the children to improve new languages.

Leonardo, Italy

l_benedetti_fotografia — 2018-10-04 15:27:42 UTC

I agree with this analysis. I think that is very important for a teacher to stay "open" and to be a student at the same time. The roles are interchangeable and that's a good way to be open minded

İsmail Erdoğan, Çanakkale, Turkey

aseka — 2018-10-04 15:37:24 UTC

Yeah, I agree with Nell's analysis. The teacher is not a teacher anymore, s/he is a facilitator now. So, students is made to learn what they don't know.

Modulo 2

mannunziata_loverso — 2018-10-04 15:39:17 UTC

Maria A, Messina

I agree with Nell's. Nowedays we live in a global society and the study of new languages will be the future for our learners.
Multilingual class could be challenging and very interesting for students, and for us too.

Markus, Austria

2018-10-04 15:40:21 UTC

To give the students oportunities to widen their horozont concering languages. It´s important that they see in a totally positive way and as a gift. I agree the fact of switching roles that students can teach the teachers. The feeling you give the students will be overwhelming.

Dimitra P., Greece

2018-10-04 15:59:39 UTC

Nell gained her experience by both acting and researching. She knows exactly what she is talking about. Yet another benefit I can think of is that such protagonist's roles given to bilingual children to present and explain their mother tongues can be very beneficial to monoligual peers as it exhances their linguistic perspective and provides them with metalinguistic reflections

Serena, Italy

2018-10-04 16:09:41 UTC

Nell is right, especially when she says that a multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience for a teacher, not only for the students. That is the reason why I think that there are many benefits in such a context, for example you learn to live your school life not only as a teacher of your subject but as a part of a team that is engaged every day to enhance his interaction and positive relation between the members and with the pupils. The challange is: how could we change our perspective to adopt a dfferent teaching style? Switch the roles is a good starting point, but building a whole project all along the school--year could be more difficult if you don't manage to involve your collegues

Nicoletta, Italy

2018-10-04 16:14:36 UTC

I very much agree with what was said by Nell. In my first classes I have children whose mother tongue is Arabic, French and most speak Italian. To encourage an effective inclusion of foreign children I asked parents to write me the words that we teachers use as reinforcement and motivation, greetings and in the coming days also simple songs or refrains to be recited and sing together.

Chiara Sabatini - Italy

chisab72 — 2018-10-04 16:17:38 UTC

I really agree with Nell and I think that recognising the relevance of all the languages spoken in a class it is very important. When a student can speak his/her own language he/she feels appreciated and is usually happy to teach something he/she knows to all the others. I usually try to something like this but I don't have enough time to do more, so I was thinking I should involve teachers of other subjects to do so too.

Francesca Neiviller, Italy

2018-10-04 16:38:06 UTC

I think that it's a great advantage for students who come from another country, who speak another language, because the bring with them this advantage of representing a different way of thinking and living, they challenge themselves,because they must adapt to a new system of seeing the world and represent it and they add value to the community they are set in.

Dina, Verona, Italy

2018-10-04 17:03:07 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. I am also convinced that enhancing the original language does not only serve to make the student feel central in his learning process but helps him to feel like an important person in the round, in a global sense, as a person. That is, it has a relapse on his self-esteem. In fact, I often see that young students of other nationalities present a constant fall in self-confidence in their schooling and the fact of not having a strong command of the linguistic aspect weighs on this low self-esteem. Do not ptoer give value to your language for them to be conicide with not being able to give value to their culture and therefore to themselves as a person. Obviously, if we succeed in finding a way, if a positive image of ourselves is to increase, then a positive reinforcement of the learning process of the individual and of the class group follows.

Violeta Korkucyte, the UK-London

2018-10-04 17:48:28 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important, as it promotes integration and inclusion of all pupils. When pupils' language and background is valued, their self-esteem and motivation to learn increases. They start to feel the sense of responsibility and ownership of their learning. They are encouraged to participate no matter what the level of their language is. There can be some challenges though, especially in terms of time constraints to teach certain subjects. But I think the challenges can be overcome by being a more innovative and open teacher.

Violeta Korkucyte, The

2018-10-04 17:48:28 UTC

Giuseppe Vecchio, Acate, Italy

2018-10-04 18:25:48 UTC

I totally agree with Nell’s point of view. Pupils who are in multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students. First of all, they learn that there are pupils with cultures, traditions, languages as important and interesting as theirs. They also understand that they must cooperate and help each other an that diversity is an enrichment. In my opinion, a teacher must ensure that all pupils, in particular immigrants who at first speak only their mother tongue language, feel comfortable at school.

He has to encourage them to speak their own language and to promote their culture. That way, they can feel understood and accepted and this facilitates communication and learning process.

It is a really difficult challenge for a teacher, but it is a very worthwhile activity for both teachers and students.

Maria Luce Spagnolo, Italy

maluspagnolo — 2018-10-04 18:34:31 UTC

I agree with Nell’s analysis. It’s important for a teacher take on a different role and it’s important for students become the main characters of their learning process. The hardest downside I can see in my experience is the opposition to this new role caused by the heavy work behind every lesson and the loss of “teacher power”: students are enthusiasthics, but some teachers aren’t…

Cinzia Marrone italy

stella130307 — 2018-10-04 19:14:19 UTC

I’m totally agree with Nell. I a primary teacher, too and I think linguistic diversity can be a useful method to engage learning especially in those students who needs motivation. So it can be inclusive

Livia, Romania

catincaoanalivia — 2018-10-04 19:47:45 UTC

I agree with Nell’s point of view. Students who are in multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students by learning themselves new words. Sometimes it can be challenging that other students do not understand and it can be stressful also for the classmates.

Vincenza R. - Salerno Italy

2018-10-04 19:48:19 UTC

I totally agree with Nell: embracing linguistic diversity enables teachers to have a new perspective by switching roles with their bilingual learners who are allowed to teach something to their teacher and classmates, and in this way they become the protagonists of their learning process and get more self-confidence. On the other way, their classmates can see them from another viewpoint and their become more respectful of differneces and eager to learn much more about their new friends and their linguistic and cultural capital.

Sílvia, Spain

2018-10-04 19:54:03 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis, however, I'm not sure about the content. I'm still at that point that at the end of the year you want to have finished your curriculum. So I would be really insecure at switching roles in the way Nel suggested.

Laura, Italy

luchelau11 — 2018-10-04 20:56:37 UTC

I totally agree with Neil's point of view. It can be a cognitive and social experience for both teachers and students. For innovative teachers it could be a great opportunity.

Agata, Italy

scanselli — 2018-10-04 21:30:37 UTC

I agree and I'm greatly impressed by her words. I believe it's useless to "force" newly arrived students to learn the official language of instruction as first thing, they are often unable to meet demands in terms of skills (even basic skills) in a short time. What often happens is that they start feeling inadequate and get nable to develop a positive attitude toward learning ...

Elena Merlini (Italy)

2018-10-04 21:33:49 UTC

I completely agree with Nell’s analysis, though it’s really difficult for teachers to face this multicultural scenario. Teachers are now facilitators, too helping students with their skills and self-esteem

Michele, Pinerolo (IT)

2018-10-05 05:06:19 UTC

I think that Nell's perspective open many problems that depends not only by teachers but also by school system. If it's vey important developing pupils skills and self.esteem every teacher must reckon with scolar programs and other obligations that often make difficult employ time to realize these important targets. However I think that Nell's ideas and practises are very interesting and useful in a good learnig and teaching approach

Aleksandra, Macedonia

anecvetanovska — 2018-10-05 10:56:35 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's method in teaching of switching roles with our pupils. In that case every pupil is important, every culture and backgroud is good and every language is valuable to everyone.
Being a teacher of a foreign language gives you the ability to explore different cultures, to adjust your lesson and expand your lesson depending on your class and diversity of your classroom.

Floriana, Italy

2018-10-05 13:15:49 UTC

I share Nell’s opinion. I think that embrancing linguistic diversity offers also some benefits: children develop cognitive and social experiences, they improve memory and communicative skills. Bilinguism also facilitates problem solving and multitasking capabilities

Silvana, Italy

silvana_povolo — 2018-10-05 14:59:13 UTC

I do agree with Nell’s analysis about benefits of linguistic diversity.

I think that the switch role that Nell proposes is very important. Most of the time we do not speak the language of recently arrived learners. If we want to integrate these students Nell’s proposal could be a positive way to do it.

I also think that we need to involve the other learners in this process. One drawback could be related to the lack of motivation of the class. The whole class should be integrated in this process.

Lucia Alonzo,Italy

alonzolucia63 — 2018-10-05 15:18:50 UTC

Most of our students at the Secondary School are totally aware to be uprooted from their native countries to improve their family way of living. Both the acquisition of a different language and their bilingualism can be seen as a useful instrument to be linked to their origins , enhancing their linguistic and cultural differences: an added value.

Lucia Alonzo,

alonzolucia63 — 2018-10-05 15:18:55 UTC

2018-10-05 16:06:28 UTC

Lucia Italy
I agree very much with Nell, I think that linguistic diversity makes knowledge broader and offers many benefits for learning in children: expanding their communication skills and their logical ability. I think the switch role that Nell proposes is very important for the integration process.

Tea sisko, Croatia

tejasisko01 — 2018-10-05 16:08:34 UTC

I agree with Nell very much. I think empowering my students and giving them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning is the key to success along with knowing them and their world. This builds a closer relationship. Challenges for me are to be aware that I have plurilingual students and to tackle the problem of their better fluency in English than in Croatian. I like to learn from my students and to know their culture and tradition but I haven't been aware of the depths of language diversity yet.

Alina, Romania

2018-10-05 16:12:35 UTC

I agree with Nell. It's very important nowadays to focus on children and develop their skills. It's a challenge to have multilingual students and a benefit because they can learn new words from each other.

MARIA ITALY

soleconcetta96 — 2018-10-05 16:30:59 UTC

I THINK THAT BEEING A BILINGUAL OR MULTILINGUAL IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. FIRST OF ALL YOUR BRAIN IS MORE STIMULATED, SMART AND READY TO FACE NEW SITUATIONS. THEN YOU ARE OPEN MINDED BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED YOU KNOW DIFFERENT CULTURES. SO IT IS VERY INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE TO TEACH IN A MULTILINGUAL CLASS

Ioanna

2018-10-05 16:41:01 UTC

It is interesting and more challenging to teach multilingual classes. Teachers have to be prepared for more questions while students might become frustrated or disengaged if they don't understand something. That's why lessons have to be well-prepared taking in mind the students' skills and strengths.

Hande Türker, Turkey

hande_28_hy — 2018-10-05 16:51:16 UTC

I definitely agree with Nell. I believe that it is very important to create tasks including all the students in order to address them. The most crucial part os --f her speech is that nobody should condemn the students and give some time to them

Raquel Oliveira, Portugal

2018-10-05 17:17:55 UTC

In my humble opinion, I believe that linguistic diversity is a benefit for the children because they will become more receptive to new points of view, new ideas and they develop an open mind. But in my country, where the program is very extensive, we are left with not enough time to talk with the students and create the necessary bond.

Veronica - italy

2018-10-05 17:28:25 UTC

I totally agree with Nell, and I think that what she is saying it’s at the same time the benefit and the challenge of this type of teaching method. Also if we agree with all those things, I think that it’s very difficult for everyone acting like we are the ones that don’t know things. Especially if we are teachers. Are incredibles the benefits of letting students be aware of their knowledge and that they can teach things to others, and also to the teacher, but it’s very difficult stay in the right mood to let them do it.

Anabela Vieira Port

anabelavieiratv2004 — 2018-10-05 17:57:53 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. Linguistic diversity is good for everyone involved. Students can learn a lot by their foreign friends and they can know different cultural aspects of other countries. A multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience, not only for the students but also for the teacher, it has to be a team.
When pupils' language and background is valued, their self-esteem and motivation to learn will increase.
Something very important is that we need to know better our students so we can help them in this difficult process.

Fabrizio, Genova

2018-10-05 19:35:07 UTC

I agree. The teacher must adjust to the needs of his students, who are in first place. Every activity must start from the analysis of the needs that the students are guilty of.

Gabriela Turea

2018-10-06 04:56:41 UTC

Romania
I agree with Nell's analysis. We need to pay them attention, to let them express themselves in order to integrate them, to make them feel at ease.

Omisha, India

omishachhabra100 — 2018-10-06 08:17:51 UTC

I agree with Neil's analysis. The more we know about embracing linguistic diversity, the more likely we will be able to make an opening wall in all boundaries.

Laurie, Germany

canadaday — 2018-10-06 09:40:02 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. A further benefit builds on a point Dina made. By encouraging linguistic diversity in a classroom, each language represented becomes equal in status. Openness to diversity dismantles any risk of a language hierarchy forming. Furthermore, by empowering students to teach the teacher, it reinforces that we are all lifelong learners. This commonality can unify all members within the learning community. One challenge I see, is finding ways to encourage interactions between peers of different cultural groups outside of the classroom. In my school, the students who use their L1 language exclusively on the playground end up excluding others. Therefore, I think it is also important for the language of instruction to be encouraged at certain times to promote positive peer-peer interactions.

Minka, Bulgaria

2018-10-06 11:46:43 UTC

I definitely agree with Nell. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important, as it promotes integration and inclusion of all pupils. Linguistic diversity can be a strength for the class and for the teacher. It's very important nowadays to focus on children and develop their skills.

Eduarda, Portugal

2018-10-06 12:32:50 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. Language diversity in the classroom is no doubt an enormous advantage for both students and teachers. Not only can learners use their mother language and this can obviously enhance their learning of a new language or any other subjet, but also for teachers is a huge opportunity to reflect on our role inside the classroom: maybe a, let´s say less traditional and more dynamic. As one allows diversity into classrooms, boundaries fall apart, diferences are weakened but the teaching-learning process is strenghthen

Natalia, Italy

nbv777 — 2018-10-06 12:37:24 UTC

I agree with Nell. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important because It helps all students to get inclusion and to be opened to inclusion. Linguistic diversity must be a strong point for pupils and teachers.

Concetta, Sicily

concetta_grasso — 2018-10-06 13:33:31 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important because it promotes students' integration and inclusion; in fact as the English proverb says “Variety is the spice of life”.
Nowadays it is essential that teachers recognize and value all the different languages and cultures that students bring into their classrooms as this perfectly fits with the 21st Century student-centered education and this can lead to many positive outcomes.
Students attending multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students. They can learn that there are pupils with cultures, traditions and languages as important and interesting as theirs. They also understand that they must cooperate and help each other and that diversity is a wealth.
Nell is right, especially when she says that a multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience for a teacher, not only for the students.
I think that it is significant to switch roles between teacher and students not only in a context of multilingual classes but also in a context of monolingual ones; I realized this through my Flipped teaching method.

Caterina Fantini - Italy

cate_67 — 2018-10-06 13:34:05 UTC

I agree with Nell's method in teaching of switching roles with our pupils. Every student is important, every culture and backgroud is good and every language is valuable to everyone. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important to help all students to be part in the class and prevent racisma and intolerance

Nuno, PT

profnpms — 2018-10-06 13:57:07 UTC

I agree, switching roles in a multicultural class is important, as before teaching anything to multicultural students, we should be aware of their cultural background and use that background as a valuable asset to our teaching/learning process.

Emanuela, Rome

2018-10-06 14:40:04 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis.

Inta Reinholde, Latvia

2018-10-06 15:11:06 UTC

I agree, of course, with Nell's analysis. The best way to learn and understand the subject is to teach (explain) it to someone...

Stathis, Greece

2018-10-06 15:51:43 UTC

I could only agree with Nell's ideas. Different languages spoken in our classrooms shows respect to different cultures , so embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is to important for the students to feel and act as a teamin the class.

Sandra

sandra_evangelio — 2018-10-06 17:25:31 UTC

I definitely agree with Nell's ideas differnet languages and cultures in your classroom imply that the role of the teacher will be different

Paola Italy

2018-10-06 19:19:20 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's opinion. Programs are more effective when they recognise values and are based on cultural and social experiences of children. Bringing multiculture into programs provides consistency in learning diversity.

Margherita, Italy.

2018-10-06 19:36:44 UTC

I totally agree with Nell.

Elisa M. from Belluno (Italy)

elisa_miatello_3 — 2018-10-06 19:55:41 UTC

Nell Foster positive attitude and new perspective on teachers' role was truly inspiring, more so because it represented a useful starting point from which to develop a new way of thinking and acting my role as a teacher. I particularly appreciate the possibility of encouraging my students to express themselves more, having them take a more active role in the classroom. Having them realize what amazing resources, perspectives and peculiarities they can offert to the community they are a part of.

Nurcan , Turkey

ndegerli — 2018-10-06 20:03:24 UTC

I don't have a multilingual classroom but I agree with Nell.

Miriam, Italy

miriamscafatihpg23 — 2018-10-06 23:10:03 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis

Jesús (Spain)

jesus_griego — 2018-10-07 05:03:32 UTC

Agree.

More benefits: Good asset for inclusive school. Much funnier than traditional approach.

Possible challenges / downsides: Progress through the table of contents is slower. This could be addressed combining diverse strategies for learning.

Cristina C, Bergamo, Italy

2018-10-07 06:50:03 UTC

Nell's analysis is encouraging and full of challenge for a teacher, but, on the other hand, her words do not sufficiently underline, in my opinion, the difficulties inside this way of teaching. It is true : if you switch role with your pupils and let them teaching you in their mother tongue, they will experience an improving schooling time, they will be gratified and more motivated to learn for the future. And other students? What is going to happen in your classroom while you are concentrating only on a pupil who is using a language nobody understands? Facing with this sort of trouble is the challenge: that class risks to be interesting and motivating only for a little part of the group.

laura b. - italy

laura_brazzabeni1 — 2018-10-07 07:16:01 UTC

I agreee and it could be funnier and more motivating.

Stefania

stefaniapi67 — 2018-10-07 07:38:55 UTC

I agree with Nell,but unfortunately it isn't easy.

Bilingual school

2018-10-07 09:21:34 UTC

I think that it is important to embrace the multicultural scene within the classroom, however it can lead to some confusion linguistically. I work in a bilingual school teaching English. I can speak Swedish too and the children often revert back to Swedish as they are less confident in their other language, which in turn means that the learning is taking longer. I think other aids to help promote bilingualism is useful. Pictures for example relate across languages.

Mariella, Italy

mariella_brunaz — 2018-10-07 09:30:12 UTC

I agree with Nell’s analysis and think it is important for teachers to embrace language diversity in our classroom but as Cristina from Bergamo pointed out it’s not easy above all at upper secondary school level. The language of schooling at that level is more technical and subject-based, but anyway at vocational schools like the one where I teach there are practical lessons in laboratories and those lessons can be used to allow room for activities where the students’ language and cultural diversity can be addressed, valued and enhanced.

Albert from Catalonia

apanade4 — 2018-10-07 09:54:18 UTC

From my point of view Nell's statements about how to deal with these pupils is a great challenge for teachers as you have to understand several languatges and more often these are non-romanic. In one hand, I think that for learns is a good idea to express yourself in your mother tongue but the teacher has no evidence if the pupil are doing it right, that is to say, it is difficult to assess the pupil if you don't understand him/her completely.

Amelia, Italy

2018-10-07 10:41:59 UTC

I do concurr with Nell that as teachers we can learn a great deal from our students, however, the school system has some flaws because the kind of inclus and integration we, as teachers, tend to reach constanty crushes with the reality. First of all, we should have a linguistic and cultural mediator, who as such, constantly reminds children about the importance of different languages and culture and that a language per sè does not exist unless there is a culture which backs it up. Secondly, the assessment system should be different in terms of structure. I'll give you an example, I learnt from my Nigerian student, a refugee, that he was never thaught history as a subject, so maybe, encouraging multilingual classroom as well encouraging a multidisciplines approach is advisable.

Irene from Rome

2018-10-07 11:47:06 UTC

I agree totally with Nell. As a teacher I have to include all the difference of my pupils and turn them in learning opportunities for all. So embracing the linguistic diversity and enhancing the cultural diffrence is the way to follow. Infact I think that the suggest of Nell about the role of teacher is a winner method but the challenges are so many. Especially with new arrively children could be difficult to create a comunication, so I think that in every school should be there cultural mediators and social educators in orden to help students and teachers in the comunication.

Giusy

2018-10-07 13:16:26 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis; having a multicultural classroom is training for students and for teachers; but even from a monolingual class there is much to learn even if the challenge appears much more difficult.

Joanna,Poland

2018-10-07 13:24:08 UTC

I totally agree . I've been doing this for years . In order to be effective , a teacher must be flexible - react to the demand . Some teachers,though, might find it difficult to abandon their' MENTOR'S position.

Embracing linguistic diversity

anna_carolina_loddo — 2018-10-07 13:29:31 UTC

Anna, Italy

VANESSA, ITALY

vanessa_ridolfi — 2018-10-07 13:36:01 UTC

I think that teaching in a multilingual class is easier at the primary school, when the topics and themes are not articulated yet, but in case of a secondary school , where teachers have a specific curricula and programs to follow, it becomes more difficult to allow students to speak their own language.

2018-10-07 13:37:15 UTC

VANESSA, ITALY VANESSA, ITALY I think that teaching in a multilungual class is easier at the primary school, Embracing linguistic diversity Embracing linguistic diversity Anna, Italy Joanna,Poland Joanna,Poland I totally agree . I've been doing this for years . In order to be effective , a teacher must be flexible - react to the demand . Some teachers,though, might find it difficult to abandon their' MENTOR'S position. Giusy Giusy I agree with Nell's analysis; having a multicultural classroom is training for students and for teachers; but even from a monolingual class there is much to learn even if the challenge appears much more difficult. Irene from Rome Irene from Rome I agree totally with Nell. As a teacher I have to include all the difference of my pupils and turn them in learning opportunities for all. So embracing the linguistic diversity and enhancing the cultural diffrence is the way to follow. Infact I think that the suggest of Nell about the role of teacher is a winner method but the challenges are so many. Especially with new arrively children could be difficult to create a comunication, so I think that in every school should be there cultural mediators and social educators in orden to help students and teachers in the comunication. Amelia, Italy Amelia, Italy I do concurr with Nell that as teachers we can learn a great deal from our students, however, the school system has some flaws because the kind of inclus and integration we, as teachers, tend to reach constanty crushes with the reality. First of all, we should have a linguistic and cultural mediator, who as such, constantly reminds children about the importance of different languages and culture and that a language per sè does not exist unless there is a culture which backs it up. Secondly, the assessment system should be different in terms of structure. I'll give you an example, I learnt from my Nigerian student, a refugee, that he was never thaught history as a subject, so maybe, encouraging multilingual classroom as well encouraging a multidisciplines approach is advisable. Albert from Catalonia Albert from Catalonia From my point of view Nell's statements about how to deal with these pupils is a great challenge for teachers as you have to understand several languatges and more often these are non-romanic. In one hand, I think that for learns is a good idea to express yourself in your mother tongue but the teacher has no evidence if the pupil are doing it right, that is to say, it is difficult to assess the pupil if you don't understand him/her completely. Mariella, Italy Mariella, Italy I agree with Nell’s analysis and think it is important for teachers to embrace language diversity in our classroom but as Cristina from Bergamo pointed out it’s not easy above all at upper secondary school level. The language of schooling at that level is more technical and subject-based, but anyway at vocational schools like the one where I teach there are practical lessons in laboratories and those lessons can be used to allow room for activities where the students’ language and cultural diversity can be addressed, valued and enhanced. Bilingual school Bilingual school I think that it is important to embrace the multicultural scene within the classroom, however it can lead to some confusion linguistically. I work in a bilingual school teaching English. I can speak Swedish too and the children often revert back to Swedish as they are less confident in their other language, which in turn means that the learning is taking longer. I think other aids to help promote bilingualism is useful. Pictures for example relate across languages. Stefania Stefania I agree with Nell,but unfortunately it isn't easy. laura b. - italy laura b. - italy I agreee and it could be funnier and more motivating. Cristina C, Bergamo, Italy Cristina C, Bergamo, Italy Nell's analysis is encouraging and full of challenge for a teacher, but, on the other hand, her words do not sufficiently underline, in my opinion, the difficulties inside this way of teaching. It is true : if you switch role with your pupils and let them teaching you in their mother tongue, they will experience an improving schooling time, they will be gratified and more motivated to learn for the future. And other students? What is going to happen in your classroom while you are concentrating only on a pupil who is using a language nobody understands? Facing with this sort of trouble is the challenge: that class risks to be interesting and motivating only for a little part of the group. Jesús (Spain) Jesús (Spain) Agree. More benefits: Good asset for inclusive school. Much funnier than traditional approach. Possible challenges / downsides: Progress through the table of contents is slower. This could be addressed combining diverse strategies for learning. Miriam, Italy Miriam, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis Nurcan , Turkey Nurcan , Turkey I don't have a multilingual classroom but I agree with Nell. Elisa M. from Belluno (Italy) Elisa M. from Belluno (Italy) Nell Foster positive attitude and new perspective on teachers' role was truly inspiring, more so because it represented a useful starting point from which to develop a new way of thinking and acting my role as a teacher. I particularly appreciate the possibility of encouraging my students to express themselves more, having them take a more active role in the classroom. Having them realize what amazing resources, perspectives and peculiarities they can offert to the community they are a part of. Margherita, Italy. Margherita, Italy. I totally agree with Nell. Paola Italy Paola Italy I totally agree with Nell's opinion. Programs are more effective when they recognise values and are based on cultural and social experiences of children. Bringing multiculture into programs provides consistency in learning diversity. Sandra Sandra I definitely agree with Nell's ideas differnet languages and cultures in your classroom imply that the role of the teacher will be different Stathis, Greece Stathis, Greece I could only agree with Nell's ideas. Different languages spoken in our classrooms shows respect to different cultures , so embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is to important for the students to feel and act as a teamin the class. Inta Reinholde, Latvia Inta Reinholde, Latvia I agree, of course, with Nell's analysis. The best way to learn and understand the subject is to teach (explain) it to someone... Emanuela, Rome Emanuela, Rome I agree with Nell's analysis. Nuno, PT Nuno, PT I agree, switching roles in a multicultural class is important, as before teaching anything to multicultural students, we should be aware of their cultural background and use that background as a valuable asset to our teaching/learning process. Caterina Fantini - Italy Caterina Fantini - Italy I agree with Nell's method in teaching of switching roles with our pupils. Every student is important, every culture and backgroud is good and every language is valuable to everyone. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important to help all students to be part in the class and prevent racisma and intolerance Concetta, Sicily Concetta, Sicily I agree with Nell's analysis. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important because it promotes students' integration and inclusion; in fact as the English proverb says “Variety is the spice of life”. Nowadays it is essential that teachers recognize and value all the different languages and cultures that students bring into their classrooms as this perfectly fits with the 21st Century student-centered education and this can lead to many positive outcomes. Students attending multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students. They can learn that there are pupils with cultures, traditions and languages as important and interesting as theirs. They also understand that they must cooperate and help each other and that diversity is a wealth. Nell is right, especially when she says that a multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience for a teacher, not only for the students. I think that it is significant to switch roles between teacher and students not only in a context of multilingual classes but also in a context of monolingual ones; I realized this through my Flipped teaching method. Natalia, Italy Natalia, Italy I agree with Nell. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important because It helps all students to get inclusion and to be opened to inclusion. Linguistic diversity must be a strong point for pupils and teachers. Eduarda, Portugal Eduarda, Portugal I totally agree with Nell. Language diversity in the classroom is no doubt an enormous advantage for both students and teachers. Not only can learners use their mother language and this can obviously enhance their learning of a new language or any other subjet, but also for teachers is a huge opportunity to reflect on our role inside the classroom: maybe a, let´s say less traditional and more dynamic. As one allows diversity into classrooms, boundaries fall apart, diferences are weakened but the teaching-learning process is strenghthen Minka, Bulgaria Minka, Bulgaria I definitely agree with Nell. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important, as it promotes integration and inclusion of all pupils. Linguistic diversity can be a strength for the class and for the teacher. It's very important nowadays to focus on children and develop their skills. Laurie, Germany Laurie, Germany I agree with Nell's analysis. A further benefit builds on a point Dina made. By encouraging linguistic diversity in a classroom, each language represented becomes equal in status. Openness to diversity dismantles any risk of a language hierarchy forming. Furthermore, by empowering students to teach the teacher, it reinforces that we are all lifelong learners. This commonality can unify all members within the learning community. One challenge I see, is finding ways to encourage interactions between peers of different cultural groups outside of the classroom. In my school, the students who use their L1 language exclusively on the playground end up excluding others. Therefore, I think it is also important for the language of instruction to be encouraged at certain times to promote positive peer-peer interactions. Omisha, India Omisha, India I agree with Neil's analysis. The more we know about embracing linguistic diversity, the more likely we will be able to make an opening wall in all boundaries. Gabriela Turea Gabriela Turea Romania I agree with Nell's analysis. We need to pay them attention, to let them express themselves in order to integrate them, to make them feel at ease. Fabrizio, Genova Fabrizio, Genova I agree. The teacher must adjust to the needs of his students, who are in first place. Every activity must start from the analysis of the needs that the students are guilty of. Anabela Vieira Port Anabela Vieira Port I agree with Nell's analysis. Linguistic diversity is good for everyone involved. Students can learn a lot by their foreign friends and they can know different cultural aspects of other countries. A multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience, not only for the students but also for the teacher, it has to be a team. When pupils' language and background is valued, their self-esteem and motivation to learn will increase. Something very important is that we need to know better our students so we can help them in this difficult process. Veronica - italy Veronica - italy I totally agree with Nell, and I think that what she is saying it’s at the same time the benefit and the challenge of this type of teaching method. Also if we agree with all those things, I think that it’s very difficult for everyone acting like we are the ones that don’t know things. Especially if we are teachers. Are incredibles the benefits of letting students be aware of their knowledge and that they can teach things to others, and also to the teacher, but it’s very difficult stay in the right mood to let them do it. Raquel Oliveira, Portugal Raquel Oliveira, Portugal In my humble opinion, I believe that linguistic diversity is a benefit for the children because they will become more receptive to new points of view, new ideas and they develop an open mind. But in my country, where the program is very extensive, we are left with not enough time to talk with the students and create the necessary bond. Hande Türker, Turkey Hande Türker, Turkey I definitely agree with Nell. I believe that it is very important to create tasks including all the students in order to address them. The most crucial part os --f her speech is that nobody should condemn the students and give some time to them Ioanna Ioanna It is interesting and more challenging to teach multilingual classes. Teachers have to be prepared for more questions while students might become frustrated or disengaged if they don't understand something. That's why lessons have to be well-prepared taking in mind the students' skills and strengths. MARIA ITALY MARIA ITALY I THINK THAT BEEING A BILINGUAL OR MULTILINGUAL IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. FIRST OF ALL YOUR BRAIN IS MORE STIMULATED, SMART AND READY TO FACE NEW SITUATIONS. THEN YOU ARE OPEN MINDED BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSED YOU KNOW DIFFERENT CULTURES. SO IT IS VERY INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE TO TEACH IN A MULTILINGUAL CLASS Alina, Romania Alina, Romania I agree with Nell. It's very important nowadays to focus on children and develop their skills. It's a challenge to have multilingual students and a benefit because they can learn new words from each other. Tea sisko, Croatia Tea sisko, Croatia I agree with Nell very much. I think empowering my students and giving them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning is the key to success along with knowing them and their world. This builds a closer relationship. Challenges for me are to be aware that I have plurilingual students and to tackle the problem of their better fluency in English than in Croatian. I like to learn from my students and to know their culture and tradition but I haven't been aware of the depths of language diversity yet. Lucia Italy Lucia Italy I agree very much with Nell, I think that linguistic diversity makes knowledge broader and offers many benefits for learning in children: expanding their communication skills and their logical ability. I think the switch role that Nell proposes is very important for the integration process. Lucia Alonzo, Lucia Alonzo, Lucia Alonzo,Italy Lucia Alonzo,Italy Most of our students at the Secondary School are totally aware to be uprooted from their native countries to improve their family way of living. Both the acquisition of a different language and their bilingualism can be seen as a useful instrument to be linked to their origins , enhancing their linguistic and cultural differences: an added value. Silvana, Italy Silvana, Italy I do agree with Nell’s analysis about benefits of linguistic diversity. I think that the switch role that Nell proposes is very important. Most of the time we do not speak the language of recently arrived learners. If we want to integrate these students Nell’s proposal could be a positive way to do it. I also think that we need to involve the other learners in this process. One drawback could be related to the lack of motivation of the class. The whole class should be integrated in this process. Floriana, Italy Floriana, Italy I share Nell’s opinion. I think that embrancing linguistic diversity offers also some benefits: children develop cognitive and social experiences, they improve memory and communicative skills. Bilinguism also facilitates problem solving and multitasking capabilities Aleksandra, Macedonia Aleksandra, Macedonia I totally agree with Nell's method in teaching of switching roles with our pupils. In that case every pupil is important, every culture and backgroud is good and every language is valuable to everyone. Being a teacher of a foreign language gives you the ability to explore different cultures, to adjust your lesson and expand your lesson depending on your class and diversity of your classroom. Michele, Pinerolo (IT) Michele, Pinerolo (IT) I think that Nell's perspective open many problems that depends not only by teachers but also by school system. If it's vey important developing pupils skills and self.esteem every teacher must reckon with scolar programs and other obligations that often make difficult employ time to realize these important targets. However I think that Nell's ideas and practises are very interesting and useful in a good learnig and teaching approach Elena Merlini (Italy) Elena Merlini (Italy) I completely agree with Nell’s analysis, though it’s really difficult for teachers to face this multicultural scenario. Teachers are now facilitators, too helping students with their skills and self-esteem Agata, Italy Agata, Italy I agree and I'm greatly impressed by her words. I believe it's useless to "force" newly arrived students to learn the official language of instruction as first thing, they are often unable to meet demands in terms of skills (even basic skills) in a short time. What often happens is that they start feeling inadequate and get nable to develop a positive attitude toward learning ... Laura, Italy Laura, Italy I totally agree with Neil's point of view. It can be a cognitive and social experience for both teachers and students. For innovative teachers it could be a great opportunity. Sílvia, Spain Sílvia, Spain I agree with Nell's analysis, however, I'm not sure about the content. I'm still at that point that at the end of the year you want to have finished your curriculum. So I would be really insecure at switching roles in the way Nel suggested. Vincenza R. - Salerno Italy Vincenza R. - Salerno Italy I totally agree with Nell: embracing linguistic diversity enables teachers to have a new perspective by switching roles with their bilingual learners who are allowed to teach something to their teacher and classmates, and in this way they become the protagonists of their learning process and get more self-confidence. On the other way, their classmates can see them from another viewpoint and their become more respectful of differneces and eager to learn much more about their new friends and their linguistic and cultural capital. Livia, Romania Livia, Romania I agree with Nell’s point of view. Students who are in multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students by learning themselves new words. Sometimes it can be challenging that other students do not understand and it can be stressful also for the classmates. Cinzia Marrone italy Cinzia Marrone italy I’m totally agree with Nell. I a primary teacher, too and I think linguistic diversity can be a useful method to engage learning especially in those students who needs motivation. So it can be inclusive Maria Luce Spagnolo, Italy Maria Luce Spagnolo, Italy I agree with Nell’s analysis. It’s important for a teacher take on a different role and it’s important for students become the main characters of their learning process. The hardest downside I can see in my experience is the opposition to this new role caused by the heavy work behind every lesson and the loss of “teacher power”: students are enthusiasthics, but some teachers aren’t… Giuseppe Vecchio, Acate, Italy Giuseppe Vecchio, Acate, Italy I totally agree with Nell’s point of view. Pupils who are in multilingual classes benefits from listening to other students. First of all, they learn that there are pupils with cultures, traditions, languages as important and interesting as theirs. They also understand that they must cooperate and help each other an that diversity is an enrichment. In my opinion, a teacher must ensure that all pupils, in particular immigrants who at first speak only their mother tongue language, feel comfortable at school. He has to encourage them to speak their own language and to promote their culture. That way, they can feel understood and accepted and this facilitates communication and learning process. It is a really difficult challenge for a teacher, but it is a very worthwhile activity for both teachers and students. Violeta Korkucyte, The Violeta Korkucyte, The Violeta Korkucyte, the UK-London Violeta Korkucyte, the UK-London I agree with Nell's analysis. Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is very important, as it promotes integration and inclusion of all pupils. When pupils' language and background is valued, their self-esteem and motivation to learn increases. They start to feel the sense of responsibility and ownership of their learning. They are encouraged to participate no matter what the level of their language is. There can be some challenges though, especially in terms of time constraints to teach certain subjects. But I think the challenges can be overcome by being a more innovative and open teacher. Dina, Verona, Italy Dina, Verona, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis. I am also convinced that enhancing the original language does not only serve to make the student feel central in his learning process but helps him to feel like an important person in the round, in a global sense, as a person. That is, it has a relapse on his self-esteem. In fact, I often see that young students of other nationalities present a constant fall in self-confidence in their schooling and the fact of not having a strong command of the linguistic aspect weighs on this low self-esteem. Do not ptoer give value to your language for them to be conicide with not being able to give value to their culture and therefore to themselves as a person. Obviously, if we succeed in finding a way, if a positive image of ourselves is to increase, then a positive reinforcement of the learning process of the individual and of the class group follows. Francesca Neiviller, Italy Francesca Neiviller, Italy I think that it's a great advantage for students who come from another country, who speak another language, because the bring with them this advantage of representing a different way of thinking and living, they challenge themselves,because they must adapt to a new system of seeing the world and represent it and they add value to the community they are set in. Chiara Sabatini - Italy Chiara Sabatini - Italy I really agree with Nell and I think that recognising the relevance of all the languages spoken in a class it is very important. When a student can speak his/her own language he/she feels appreciated and is usually happy to teach something he/she knows to all the others. I usually try to something like this but I don't have enough time to do more, so I was thinking I should involve teachers of other subjects to do so too. Nicoletta, Italy Nicoletta, Italy I very much agree with what was said by Nell. In my first classes I have children whose mother tongue is Arabic, French and most speak Italian. To encourage an effective inclusion of foreign children I asked parents to write me the words that we teachers use as reinforcement and motivation, greetings and in the coming days also simple songs or refrains to be recited and sing together. Serena, Italy Serena, Italy Nell is right, especially when she says that a multilingual class is both a social and a cognitive experience for a teacher, not only for the students. That is the reason why I think that there are many benefits in such a context, for example you learn to live your school life not only as a teacher of your subject but as a part of a team that is engaged every day to enhance his interaction and positive relation between the members and with the pupils. The challange is: how could we change our perspective to adopt a dfferent teaching style? Switch the roles is a good starting point, but building a whole project all along the school--year could be more difficult if you don't manage to involve your collegues Dimitra P., Greece Dimitra P., Greece Nell gained her experience by both acting and researching. She knows exactly what she is talking about. Yet another benefit I can think of is that such protagonist's roles given to bilingual children to present and explain their mother tongues can be very beneficial to monoligual peers as it exhances their linguistic perspective and provides them with metalinguistic reflections Markus, Austria Markus, Austria To give the students oportunities to widen their horozont concering languages. It´s important that they see in a totally positive way and as a gift. I agree the fact of switching roles that students can teach the teachers. The feeling you give the students will be overwhelming. Modulo 2 Modulo 2 Maria A, Messina I agree with Nell's. Nowedays we live in a global society and the study of new languages will be the future for our learners. Multilingual class could be challenging and very interesting for students, and for us too. İsmail Erdoğan, Çanakkale, Turkey İsmail Erdoğan, Çanakkale, Turkey Yeah, I agree with Nell's analysis. The teacher is not a teacher anymore, s/he is a facilitator now. So, students is made to learn what they don't know. Leonardo, Italy Leonardo, Italy I agree with this analysis. I think that is very important for a teacher to stay "open" and to be a student at the same time. The roles are interchangeable and that's a good way to be open minded Alessandra, Italy Alessandra, Italy This video points out the importance of using bilinguism into the class. It's an opportunity to analyze words, to share different idioms and phrases. This kind of activity could give a big chance to the children to improve new languages. Vanessa-Italy Vanessa-Italy I agree with Nell's analysis. I'm a primary school teacher ,I notice that linguistic and cultural diversity in themodo classroom presents a difficult challenge for teacher and students. It 's very important taking on a different role as a teacher above all when in classroom where all pupils are monolingual ,since are you cannot speak all the languages in the classroom.We could switch roles with our students,which enable them to teach us and explain themselves. Antonella p. Antonella p. I completely agree with Nell's analysis. I think that exchanging roles could be a good idea to reinforce foreign students' self-esteem. Thy have the opportunity to show and analyse the differences between their mother tongue and the language used in classroom. For example they can show the teacher and the classroom how to translate idiomatic expression in their languages. They can also translate proverbs and this could be a starting point to analyse the cultural differences between the foreign students and the rest of the classroom. This could give everybody the opportunity to overcome prejudice and to enlarge their point of view. Rosanna Rosanna I agree with Nell's analysis. Linguistic diversity is positive for everybody. Students can learn a lot by their foreign friends and they can know different cultural aspects of other Countries. So, when they grow up, they can be ready to live in other Countries because they already know aspects of different cultures. M.T. Rome M.T. Rome I often apply the method of exchanged roles. I find it very effective and this article is a confirmation. My students on these occasions appreciate the lesson and our relationship improves a lot. Claudia, Italy Claudia, Italy The video with Nell is important to don't forget the importance to use bilinguism into the classroom. Comparation, sharing words different help build new culture and experience Pantaleo, Italy Pantaleo, Italy It seems to be a great opportunity of learning. Giving the opportunity to a students to express himself with the tools that he has makes him more confident with the subject. If we focus on the acquisition of scientific contents, probably it is not too much important in which language to acquire concepts, probably languaging they can fix more the appropriate words and concepts. Catello de Sinno - Italy Catello de Sinno - Italy Using all of the linguistic resources in the classroom is definitely a great challenge for Teachers and pupils in order to promote and enhence the Learning process, the inclusion and the respect for other cultures. Maria Antonietta Maria Antonietta Maria Antonietta Leone, Italy Maria Antonietta Leone, Italy I agree with Nell's analisys. From multilingual- class, can grow up everyone (pupils and teachers). We teachers can learn a new way of teaching too. Anna De Donno, Italy Anna De Donno, Italy The most important advantage is that there is no disadvantage in linguistic diversity. It indicates cultural diversity. We live in a multicultural society when we diversify our workplaces, we not only gain access to new perspectives and ideas, but it can open doors for us. Languages are crucial bridges between cultures. earn a new language is to explore new ways of thinking, new value systems, to open our orizons to the richness of other cultures and ideas. An open context for an open text (pun intended) An open context for an open text (pun intended) Good evening! Here’s maestra Emma. I’’l want to focus a very relevant benefit of this approche for me. The aspect that is relevant to me is the possibility of networking with families. Design relationship networks that the school, the teachers can structure for purpose, with a wide delivery (what can or wants to teach your child to the comrades of what he has learned in the school he comes from? Or the country he comes from? ), helping to break down possible activities, to choose mediators (videos, images, objects). You can think of a group activity (plurilingual) by activating a collaboration between families with the specific purpose of helping the children to prepare the lesson. Being able to talk together with roles, goals, defined times and aimed at supporting and integrating children helps to avoid dispersing in moments of encounter. There is a diversity of imaginations on the school between employees and non-professionals who often has an impact on children. Having the opportunity to build together a concrete and defined thing helps to act in a better way the respective roles and supports the serenity of the class atmosphere. Manlio, Comiso (RG) Manlio, Comiso (RG) I think that the benefits described by Nell, deriving from emphasizing linguistic diversity as wealth and resource, can really produce a climate of integration and stimulate foreign students to participate more actively in the proposed activities, creating in them the awareness of be members of the class group. Francesca, Italy Francesca, Italy I agree with Nell Foster. Linguistic diversity can be a strength for the class and for the teacher. It stimulates integration and inclusion, it helps building self-esteem and enriches knowledge. ANTONIETTA, ITALY ANTONIETTA, ITALY I totally agree with Nell’s analysis as a teacher switching role in a multilingual class develop a strong sense of ownership. The true challenge is to address that to facilitate the learning process, good practices produce effective learning. Giuseppe, Italy Giuseppe, Italy I agree with Nell; as teacher I believe I should to take into account linguistic and cultural heterogeneity of my pupils, the variety of languages they speak and the multiplicity of their cultural affiliation. In an educational environment often marked by practices anchored to a monolingual system, as mine, this is a great challenge for a teacher. The child who leaves the language of her family outside school does not understand why this language is not entitled to be used in the classroom. Pupils often feel that their family language is considered as some kind of problem at school and, in for certain ways, it is true, because we're not ready, or because we are frightened of the implications on our work. Laura Italy Laura Italy I totally agree with Nell. As a teacher I can benefit from cultural diversity , I can learn from my students different perspectives and different social paths to create an effective communication with them , to improve learning activities Laura Colombo - Italy Laura Colombo - Italy Switching roles is, I think, the most beneficial effect and it also has a social positive consequence in class in terms of integration. Rosamaria Teodorani Rosamaria Teodorani Rome, Italy I agree with Nell Foster. I find very interesting to change roles in the classroom, to learn from pupils it is an important experience, very challenging. I Think that a teacher must always find a strategy to help pupils to paricipate and to share the lessons even if they don't speak the same language yet. Ilaria Ilaria I agree with Nell. I think that linguistic diversity ( and culture diversity and a different way of think) is a positive resource for everyone: theacers, students, school and also for inclusion and for having an open mind about other cultures and other way of thinking. Become in same way the builders of the knowledge of each other will be certainly a very rewarding experience! Roberto, Italia Roberto, Italia Linguistic diversity is to be considered from the perspective of the resource, opportunity, as it is a positive and constructive stimulus for the class of belonging, allowing to develop a sense of belonging and to be at the forefront of their learning process, which is a extremely effective way to achieve learning in your classroom. Alma, Croatia Alma, Croatia I agree with Nell. My students are more motivated, engaged and interested if they can understand subject content in English. Salvador. SPAIN Salvador. SPAIN I agree with Nell too. Linguistic diversity is helps us to be open-mind, teachers and students. The way of considering different languages in the same environment improves the relationship among us. Maria Calà, Italy Maria Calà, Italy Linguistic diversity is good for everyone, teachers and students. It forces us to get back into the game and to positively reconsider the diversity of the other Maria Calà, Italy Maria Calà, Italy Matilde Matilde In my opinion I find really important to value our pupils background, especially the new arrivals. They usually feel lost at the beginning, around six months according to Nell's and it can be a great way to help them Alina, Romania Alina, Romania The benefits mentioned by Nell are also met during our hours. My students are involved in several projects with pupils from European countries through whom they exchange ideas, chat, compare ... We play in other languages, which makes relaxing science lessons or we are watching various scientific films, students providing translation In my opinion embracing language diversity is very beneficial for pupil as it gives more priority , to explain themselves in their language and learn a lot by their foreign freinds. Which helps them to settle in other countries. In my opinion embracing language diversity is very beneficial for pupil as it gives more priority , to explain themselves in their language and learn a lot by their foreign freinds. Which helps them to settle in other countries. Francesco, Italy Francesco, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis on the benefits of the embracing linguistic diversity. I think it needs to take itself on a different role as a teacher, giving more importance to all pupils the same chance to teach and to explain themeselves in their language. Federica,Ita Federica,Ita I totally agree with Nell, but unfortunately there are a lot of Italian secondary school teachers of humanities who are too conservative and narrow-minded. Many colleagues of mine, for instance, can't undertstand why an Italian and History teacher like me, who studied Latin ancient Greek and classical culture, could be so fond of English... There still is too much prejudice and too many barriers even in Europe. Maria Rosa (Sicily) Maria Rosa (Sicily) I totally agree with Nell’s analysis,,even though I think it is a demanding work to deal with. So why not have a go? If we want to be innovative teachers we need to be open to all challenges. Anna, Barcelona Anna, Barcelona In my opinion it depends on context and educational system. I used to teach different up to 250 pupils from so different countries like China, Romania, Poland, Morocco, Pakistan, India, Russia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Ghana, Liberia... not to mention nearly all countries in South America and Roms speaking caló, in the same school year, so sometimes it is even difficult to remember what their names are... I can some of their native languages, but they sometimes don't want you to speak with them in public in their mother language because they don't want to be perceived as given a different treatment from their fellows. Visual support is very important in CLIL lessons. Giuseppina V., Italy Giuseppina V., Italy I think that Nell’s analysis on the importance of switching roles between teacher and pupils is significant not just in the context of multilingual classes but also in the context of monolingual ones as the new educational method called Flipped Classroom is now showing us. In particular, pupils are enabled to make a lot of practice both at speaking in front of people and doing any sort of exercises under the expert guidance of their teacher. On the other hand it appears to me there might arise a few difficulties due to prejudices since neither pupils nor fellow teachers are still used to Flipped Learning. In fact they are both still tied to the traditional frontal kind of Education. Manuela, Portugal Manuela, Portugal I also agree with Neil's perspetive and I think that enabling students to teach and explain themselves will contribute to a better and more productive learning environment. Krizia, Italy Krizia, Italy I agree with Nell's point of view. Creating a multilingual class could be challenging and very interesting for our sts, and for us too. Sts should understand that we are not "ones who have all the knowledge" but that learning is communicating, is discussion, is sharing Vincenzo M. Italy Vincenzo M. Italy I totally agree. The study of new languages will be the future for our learners. Ame, Italy Ame, Italy I agree with Nell and if in the future we will have pupils from different places, I will try to do as she says Francesca, Italy Francesca, Italy I agree with Nell’s point of view, but i’d like to know more about the way to swich the roles teacher/students. I usually do in my monolingual classes, but i don’t know if i can do it in the same way with bilingual pupils or ife they need different approaches. Alice, Italy Alice, Italy I agree with Nell's point of view and I would try this way in my classroom. Some topics (in chemistry or biology) are able to underline different skills, in particular communication among students. Gianni Lottino Gianni Lottino As teachers, I should to take into account the linguistic and cultural heterogeneity of the pupils, the variety of languages spoken and the multiplicity of their cultural affiliation. In an educational environment often marked by practices anchored in a monolingual system, this is a great challenge for a teacher. The child who leaves the language of her family outside school does not understand why this language is not entitled to be used in the classroom. She often feels that the language of her family is considered to be some kind of problem at school. It is well known that negative representations of bilingualism among children of immigrant origin particularly affect their language skills. Rather than refer to heterogeneity we prefer to speak of diversity, a notion that is both broader and more positive. So I agree with Nell and during my lessons I try to tranform identity competences for participation. I try to take linguistic diversities in a positive way giving pupils the possibility to externalize a lot of their learning, creating an improving cognitive and social experience. Federica (Australia) Federica (Australia) I agree with Nell that it is crucial for teachers to recognise and value all the different languages and cultures that pupils bring into their classrooms as this perfectly resonates with the 21st Century student centred education and can lead to many positive outcomes. For example, students are encouraged to use HOTS (higher order thinking skills) and cannot hide behind their lack of proficiency in the standard academic language used at school. In fact, as explained by Ofelia Garcia in her YouTube video ‘What is Translanguaging?, translanguaging is “the use of the children’s full linguistic repertoire to make meaning […]” / “a way of using all of the linguistic resources in order to make meaning.” Moreover, I believe that translanguaging is also a very inclusive teaching practice which strengthens pupils’ identities and, in turn, fosters self-confidence and risk taking. In these regards, here in Australia there is a significant quote from Yurranydjil Dhurrkay, an Indigenous language advisor based at Galiwin’ku, North East Arnhem Land: “Our language is like a pearl inside a shell. The shell is like the people that carry the language. If our language is taken away, then that would be like a pearl that is gone. We would be like an empty oyster shell.” (this quote is referenced in the 2012 report: Our Land, Our Languages: Language Learning in Indigenous Communities). Including translanguaging in our teaching practice requires that we step back, put ourselves on our students’ level, show true interest in their cultural background and start to learn about their languages. Finding the time to learn new L2s is a challenge for me, but I know that it is a challenge worth taking on. Rute - Portugal Rute - Portugal I agree with Nell´s analysis and i will try, for sure, to make the exchange of roles between teacher/ student. But as a primary school teacher i feel that they expect me to lead the class and without preparing the subject it will be hard for them. Giselda Costa - Teresina-Piauí- Brasil Giselda Costa - Teresina-Piauí- Brasil See my article in English. An experience of 7 Brazilian students in the classroom of europe and america. They told me, the greatest communication challenge was the socio-cultural adaptation. http://www.giseldacosta.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Internacionaliza%C3%A7%C3%A3o-Ingl%C3%AAs.pdf Rosa, Portugal Rosa, Portugal I agree whith Nell´s point of view. I never had teaching in a real multilingual class as I said on the previous activity but I am conscious that this situation must be very challenging! We certainly learn a lot and the foreign students will be more responsable of their learning process if we let them explain/share things about their mother language. Angel, Italy Angel, Italy completely agree with Nell' s point of view because I think that if foreign students are allowed to use their mother tongue, you recognize the skills they developed previously in another school system and you give them a positive perspective on learning a new language,aboveall you recognize their cultural identity. Kirsten - Scotland Kirsten - Scotland I totally agree with Nell and would love to use this short video when speaking to mainstream teachers as I feel she summarises the benefits superbly. Challenges - Many mainstream teachers still do not see the benefit of languages and don't understand how learners can have two languages (or more). They have the attitude that it is one or the other. The challenge is changing this mindset. Some teachers don't recognise underneath the iceberg and how languages support each other. Serenella,Italy Serenella,Italy Even though I do not have personal experience, I suppose that in a class of multilingual students the teacher has to be able to make all the students cooperate in order to improve, and let them know that is possible to know and study languages with pleasure. The teacher could make them participate in the process of studying , and switching roles teacher/students is the best way to do this. Ana Cristina Martins Ana Cristina Martins Completely agree with Nell's point of view. teaching in a multilingual class is very challenging as I said before on the previous activity. We teach but we learn so much about their culture, and their skills. Amazing. When we "change" roles in the classroom, specially when language is the key word, and we give them the main role to communicate and be the interlocutor magic happens. Martina Martina I agree with Nell's point of view and I sometimes experiment this role-switching activities, even if I have never tried to do so in order to achieve language-awareness and to enhance the benefits of linguistic diversity. Ioana, Romania Ioana, Romania Each of the many national, regional, minority and migrant languages spoken in Europe brings an added element to our common cultural heritage that should be used together to foster dialogue and mutual respect. There are areas in the EU where citizens successfully combine the language of a regional or minority language with the national language and also have good language skills. Multilingual people are a valuable asset because they act as a binder between different cultures. Sirpa, Finland Sirpa, Finland I agree with Nell's view and would like to test it with one of my groups during our school's language week later this autumn. I'm thinking of picking a topic and then having the students study in different languages (home languages & other languages learnt in school). I will be interesting to see what they will learn... Iveta Leinberga, Latvia Iveta Leinberga, Latvia I truly agree with Nell's analysis. I consider teaching in multilingual class very challenging. I also teach professional English. Sometimes my students explain me, for example, how car`s engine works. In that way they feel more valuable and responsible for exchange of information between me - teacher and him or her - a student. Michela Italy Michela Italy I defintely agree with Nell’s analisys even if I’ve never experimented it.... it can be an opportunity for me to learn new ways of tesching Athena Anastasiadou, Nafpaktos-GREECE Athena Anastasiadou, Nafpaktos-GREECE I totally agree with the points presented in the video. It's really demanding to be in a multilingual class but it's also challenging and extremelly interesting for an innovative teacher Barbara, Italy Barbara, Italy I agree I think that is very important to use other language in our classroom. students is a good learning process Giedre, Lithuania Giedre, Lithuania I agree. I think some learning process is important. Silvia, It Silvia, It Yes, I totally agree with Nell. I think another benefit of embracing linguistic diversity could be that all the classmates - includes the teachers - can have the opportunity to learn a lot of new languages during their lifetime and with them they can learn the cultural diversity and cultural exchange and understanding what it means a multicultural and multilingual society. Rita, Italy Rita, Italy I fully agree with Nell. I think that having a multi-lingual class is a great opportunity of growth for everyone. I think it is very useful to give pupils the possibility to use their mother tongue in order to let them explain better and to let others know a part of themselves. viki dogani, greece viki dogani, greece they develope positive perspectives Sofia Tsigara, Greece Sofia Tsigara, Greece It's a good opportunity for us, as teachers to learn the basics in foreign languages Patrizia, Italy Patrizia, Italy It is a very interesting her point about switching roles with pupils/students and so get to know them more closely and better. Margherita Carta - Italy Margherita Carta - Italy I fully agree with the previous analysis and mostly with the idea that teachers and students have to swich roles. Students need to be the very key players of their learning. That's why it is important to share various experiences of linguistic diversity and languages in the classroom. Amelia, Italy Amelia, Italy I'm truly agree with Nell's ideas, to embody language diversity is a very effective devices during a language lesson (role play, dialogue, code switch..) Marina Marina I totally with Nell's ideas, and as I said in the previous activity, I truly believe that linguistic diversity is essential to boost participation in the classroom, especially for those kids who don't feel confident in the common language of the school. In my experience this is one of the best way to develop a wide range of skills, not only linguistic. I I Laura, Canada Laura, Canada Yes! Building a multi language classroom would provide so much learning. Krisnel, Italy Krisnel, Italy I definitely believe that Nell's point of view is very interesting and constructive. A continuous exchange of information, allowing the use of more language, even if for someone they are incomprehensible, I believe everyone puts on the same level, everyone becomes aware of the difficulties of the other and usually takes over the mechanism of collective help; everyone helps in trying to make a concept understandable by suggesting words, a continuous mutual learning. Rosario Santana Rosario Santana From my point of view, student participation in class is essential for their learning process, giving importance to social competences, critical thinking, development of innovative ideas, and so on. Therefore, the use of the home language can facilitate the achievement of these objectives. On the other hand, creating a save environment for pupil is a must. Konstantina, Greece Konstantina, Greece I think that the best way of teaching is the one that Nell said, but I always recognise the problems that appear such as relunctance of the students, shame, unwiilingness and other things. I think that the best way to figh it is when you look like a person who respects the other and the different and also appreciates it. Violeta, Romania Violeta, Romania I agree with Nell's analysis. I think is a very good strategie to put our students in the position of a teacher. They can explain some things, they can act as moderator of the class and they have the possibility to teach others about some problems wich others dindt knew anything about, in this case another language, culture, traditions,etc. Rita Xuereb, Malta Rita Xuereb, Malta Nell’s analysis is correct and I agree with her totally. The multilingual classroom would have a treasure chest of ideas and skills partially hidden because of the language barrier. It is therefore a good idea to allow the children to take over and lead the way themselves to create a more comfortable learning environment. Vasiliki Psaridou/Greece Vasiliki Psaridou/Greece I fully agree with Nell's analysis. I work in a Minority school where all the children have turkish as their main language. This is a benefit for me, even though I knew nothing of turkish I learn the basic. Sometimes this is a challenge as well because there are so many greek words in turkish language and vise versa. Silvia DM, Italy Silvia DM, Italy I agree with Nell. I often experience that students in our multilingual classes don't like to speak their own language or make comparisons with how Italian and their language work. That is a pity; contrastive analysis can be very useful not for students who come from abroad but also for Italian students. I will try and communicate that speaking more than a language is not only interesting, but also useful and mind-opening. Mary F. (Italy) Mary F. (Italy) I completely agree with Nell Foster's view, I think it is very important to switch the roles in classroom because it enables children to face their difficulties at the time of speaking, and this activity creates a relaxing context in classroom. Furthermore, this activity develops the identity of competence of the children and helps teacher to understand what are the linguistic needs of the children, what was wrong with his previous experience in another school as well. Rosy (Italy) Rosy (Italy) Even if sometimes student's language abilities are not so good and teacher need to translate or explain with other words, teacher should invite and enable childrens to have an interaction because it represents a social experience and develop a sense of ownership. Sofia Kotsou, Greece Sofia Kotsou, Greece I agree with the previous analysis, because the diversity creates the uniqueness. We are teachers and our work is to make a better world for everybody. Daniela G, Romania Daniela G, Romania I agree with Nell´s analysis. It is very important to recognize linguistic and cultural diversity these days. Claudia Mazzone from Naples - Italy Claudia Mazzone from Naples - Italy I absolutely agrre with Nell analysis. Infact I often make a flipped classroom where techers and learners switch their role. This is a way to make the students feel main characters in the classroom and to develop in them the sense of ownership. But, in a secondary schhool this is more difficult to realize, because there are more strict curriculum to respect Feruze,TURKEY Feruze,TURKEY I agree with Nell. But sometimes switching roles may casue waste of time. Melissa Leyshon, Melissa Leyshon, Malta I love the idea of acceptance and embracing linguistic diversity. I would like to explore the idea of integrating this somehow into my lesson. However my difficulty at the moment is figuring out how this integration could take place without encouraging the student to practice as much Englsh as possible. I guess this has been my mind set so far! Lena, Germany Lena, Germany I agree with Nell. If you want to facilitate the student's learning in the best way possible, you sometimes have to step back and let students take the role of the teacher. If you do not understand the language, waht other chance do you have? If you do not let the student take control, you will most likely prevent learning instead of enhancing it I perfectly agree I perfectly agree Petra Kokeza, Croatia Petra Kokeza, Croatia I agree with Nell's analysis. For me linguistic diversity is synonym for richnes. I think that we need to start with multilingualism very early. It can be difficult when students don't have enought knowledge about languages. When students know more languages they have more motivation to learn Palma from Spain Palma from Spain Having a multilingual class allows students to know more about other countries, open their minds, be respectful. We must take advantage of this context to make exhibitions of countries of origin of these students, with proof of food, listen to their music, see typical costumes. It is the best way to integrate them and work their leadership Raffaella from Genova, Raffaella from Genova, I think Nell’s analysis is very interesting: switching roles with students allows to learn more effectively and it’s also pleasant for both teachers and students. But I also see a contradiction for me in this, because I’m supposed to teach Italian. I know many students don’t speak italian when they are not at school, so school time is very important in order to practice the language and learn it quickly, even because they need to use Italian even for studying the other subjects. I recognized the importance of allowing students to use their mother tongue when they're recently arrived in Italy, in order to facilitate their setting, but I also think they need to practice the language as much as possible. So we use their bilingual or multilingual knowledge when we learn new words or concepts and we compare them with the same in their language and culture. Elisabetta, Italy Elisabetta, Italy Students' diversity should be respected and take as a resource to better. The highest challenge to face with is to enter to another culture with is so different from our culture, to try understanding a different language means to understand a different way to think, to establish relationship and to perceive the space and the time. Receiving a foreign person and helping him to integrate could be a good strategy to overcome this challenge. Sharon, Australia Sharon, Australia Gradual Release of Responsibility is how i see Nell's analysis - respecting students' backgrounds and what they bring to the classroom and allowing them to take ownership of their learning Anis Amouri (Tunisia ) Anis Amouri (Tunisia ) I am absolutely with nell's ideas ... especially when the teacher changes role with his students especially when he can not know all the native languages of his students Irene S. , Italy Irene S. , Italy I think that Nell has a great idea about the teacher's role and bilingual children can be a great resource for the class and for the teacher. Josefina, Spain Josefina, Spain I agree that newly arrived can access content easily if they can use their mother language (if we take a positive approach) , you can learn from them,so they feel they are competent and do not feel the sense of not being part of learning. On the other hand the probblem is when there is noone who can understand this language, how can teachers then know about the learning goals achieved by these students? Laura, Italy Laura, Italy I agree with Nell's ideas, but I also think that in higher schools it is more difficult. FILOMENA BIANCO, ITALY FILOMENA BIANCO, ITALY I find Nell's analysis very interesting and inspiring and, of course, I agree with what she says. I think the idea of switching roles is very important and can lead to good results. However, these activities takes a lot of time and, while on one side it's essential to encourage bilingual students to speak their own language and teach some of it to their classmates and students, on the other there is the urge to complete the syllabus so that students can cope with final state exams and national tests. Esther, Spain Esther, Spain I agree with Nell´s idea. It is very important to recognize linguistic and cultural diversity in a positive way. Great idea!Things change when you do it in your class. Ilaria, Puglia, Italy Ilaria, Puglia, Italy The advantages are both for language learning and for cognitive development. The Bilingual education experiences allow us to observe that the "mixed" language learning format is a support to development self-assertion and the formation of a positive self-image. Ezel Tuna Bursa/Turkey Ezel Tuna Bursa/Turkey I agree with Nell. It is a very important way to teach and strengthen my students more effectively. However, if we cannot fully understand the second language, we can cause different errors. Sara, Portugal Sara, Portugal I agree with Nell´s analysis because it´s important for foreign pupils that teachers can see the linguistic diversity as a benefict for both - kids and teacher. This way they feel that they make part of a group and encourage them to participate and be more self-confidente. This behavior will bring more benefits to themselves like: don´t feel excluded and learn faster and with more effort than before. And if it´s good for the pupils, will be good for teacher aswell. Liana - ITALY I agree with Nell's analysis. Indeed, in my opinion, to enable students to switch roles themselves, helps them to fell competent and to develop a sense of ownership next to cognitive and social abilities. All those aspects are positive in the classroom's daily work. Liana - ITALY I agree with Nell's analysis. Indeed, in my opinion, to enable students to switch roles themselves, helps them to fell competent and to develop a sense of ownership next to cognitive and social abilities. All those aspects are positive in the classroom's daily work. Victoria Victoria I find it interesting and I agree about taking on a different role as a teacher. I think that we support the students to do new things and try new skills. Maria Rosaria, Italy I agree with Neil, in the past I had a French pupil who didn't know Italian language so I invited him to speak his language during my lessons so pupils could listen speaking from a mother tongue and they were enthousaistic and they learn more easily than in the past Maria Rosaria, Italy I agree with Neil, in the past I had a French pupil who didn't know Italian language so I invited him to speak his language during my lessons so pupils could listen speaking from a mother tongue and they were enthousaistic and they learn more easily than in the past Laura,Sicily Laura,Sicily I agree with Nell's analysisi. In fact ,if a teacher switch his role with pupils then they will be at the centre of their learning process and develope a sense of ownership.In other words ,explaing concepts in their own mother tongue ,they will be more conscious and enhance critical skills. İnci , Turkey İnci , Turkey Here in Turkey we have so many multilingual classrooms recently, because of the war and economic crisis in middle east many Syrians , afghans and Pakistanis live with us, we have Syrian kids in our classrooms some of them now intermediate level English , some has learned limited Turkish so most of my classes are like 3in1. But this is not a con i try to benefit this multilingualism every word i teach them in English i ask the Arabic version and sure peer educationa is very important so local kids try to teach Turkish equivalent aswell. Rovena Trivanović Rovena Trivanović Croatia The other day,when we talked about the day of European languages at school,I asked one of my students who is multilingual and was born and lived in Germany till the age of 6 to speak in German and her classmate who has been learning German for 5 years was the interpreter and I helped because I'm also a German teacher. It was fun and they both felt they contributed to our class. It can be difficult when students don't have enough knowledge about certain language and feel ashamed to take part because of mistakes they make. So,we as teachers have to create a shame-resilient classroom as Brene Brown says. Anja; Norway Anja; Norway I agree with Nell, but also with Rita. I can totally imagine that her approach works with younger children. With teenagers, like the ones that I am teaching, you have to take into consideration that they already have been confronted with all kinds of prejudices and it can be hard for them to open up and share with the group. Many of them have never had that positive experience of competence in school. İSHAK KURT - TURKEY - MANİSA İSHAK KURT - TURKEY - MANİSA I agree with NELL. However, if we do not fully understand the second language we will use in the classroom, we can cause different failures by making cultural mistakes and rule mistakes. We need to check the documents we use for it just in case. It will be useful to use different languages in order for students to learn European culture and to gain a sense of tolerance. Hanife, Turkey Hanife, Turkey I agree with Nell's analysis as it can be both usefull and also create a positve atmosphere in the class. In my prevıous school where most of the students speak Kurdish and I taught them English. It was sometimes very hard as they had to understand also Turkish. However, whenever I ask them to teach something in their home language, they were very happy to share their knowledge. Stefania Stefania I totally agree with Nell, but unfortunately I have tried only once to give more space to other languages. Last year, my students asked me to teach them Spanish. In their class there was a Spanish girl and I started thinking that it could be a good idea. So, the last school days I planned some Spanish lessons and I asked my Spanish student to help me giving examples and underling the differences with our first language. The students were engaged and interested in learning new words. Thanks to these lessons, I also learnt some new Spanish words used by teenagers and new expressions. Andrea Mangiagalli, Italy Andrea Mangiagalli, Italy I do agree with Nell and I really envy (in a positive way) her for knowing 6 languages! Just while I was listening at her I had the idea to start building a technology (the suject I teach) diary in all the languages of the class. I've 9 class and I meet with my students only for two hours per week so I think it's a little bit difficult but I have to try and see what's coming out. In any chanche multilinguism is a challange for our societies and it's important to develope integration, to overtake prejudices towards other cultures and to, in general , to strangers. In our society thinking about boundaries is blind. Daniela Pagnini, Italy Daniela Pagnini, Italy Being a bilingual student can be an opportunity non only in primary school but also in secondary schools level. Teachers should apply the same language-awareness-strategies in order to encourage multiculturalism in classes. Emanuela, Italy Emanuela, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis Sandra Leite - Portugal Sandra Leite - Portugal I agree with what Nell presents! and indeed by having different languages in a classroom makes children and adults aware, motivating them more and more, always having a positive and diverse perspective. Agata Brescia, Italy Agata Brescia, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis especially when she suggests taking on a different role as a teacher. I think this should also happen in a monolingual class. It is important that the pupil is the main actor of learning, whatever his age, and that the teacher is the facilitator of learning. It is important that the pupil learns with his peers the knowledge that in a traditional and ancient conception of the school received passively from the teacher. Today the world has changed, and it is changing faster and faster. The problems that young people will one day face are increasingly complex and wide-ranging. For this reason the students must learn to develop the competence to work in a team, , developing the so-called social skills: being able to listen to the opinions of others, expressing their ideas clearly, etc. I think that the first step is precisely that of learning to communicate in the group of work. In this context, linguistic diversity plays a fundamental role! yasemin uysal,Turkey yasemin uysal,Turkey I agree with Neil's analysis.multilingualism can be useful for the teacher and our students.But it is really important to play teacher's role.Our students can learn different thinking ways. Antonino, Italy Antonino, Italy I think that in Italy the school system should be changed, because Multilingualism should start very early, and in such way we can really get the benefits mentioned by Neil. It could be really challenging but the result could be extraordinary. Zeynep Taş Yardımcı, Turkey Zeynep Taş Yardımcı, Turkey I agree with Neil's analysis however I've got some questions in mind such as what happens when these pupils speak their own languages in a classroom where most of the others don't understand? How does this process work? I really would love to watch a video of a class where the above-mentioned benefits are put into practice José Lopes, Guarda, Portugal José Lopes, Guarda, Portugal It´s a very good idea to let a foreign student to be proactive in the classroom and express himself in his born language. The downsides are the origin of the language. If is a language that only he masters is unusefull. In that case the solution would be to him to adress to the class in a common language such as english or french. In that case the inclusion purpose of a pupil to take the active part in the class would still be valid; other downside, in Portugal, mainly in the secondary level, would be the pressure to acomplish the programs of the assignments. That would be incompatible with the time spent to practice multilingualism in the classroom. Anna Kaya, Seden Anna Kaya, Seden I agree with Nell. Other benefits are that the students get more motivated, engaged and interested if they can read and share their thoughts in a language they understand. One challenge is that it's difficult to teach when the students discuss in languages you don't understand. I usually let the students translate ti one another what works best is if the assignment is clear about which language to use for what purpose. For example: "Use your strongest language when you discuss the topic with your classmate and afterwords, write your summary in Swedish". Another challenge is to find relevant materials/texts/resources in the students different languages. I don't have any solutions for that... David Navas, Spain David Navas, Spain I totally agree with Nell´s opinion. Teachers have to take into consideration the mother tongues of their pupils, and take the challenge in order to help them. Rita Luiso Rita Luiso It’s right to speak a common language to interact in a multilingual class but not all students can have the same maturity Vicky Archondi, Greece Vicky Archondi, Greece I couldn't agree more with Nell's ideas. Only if we see the different mother tongues spoken in our classrooms as a blessing rather as an anathema will Linguistic diversity end up being an asset upon our sleeves. In order to succeed in that , however we have to seriously take into consideration that students come to our classes with predisposed views on languages and language learning .Some of them could be really adamant ones. If they don't see the view change in us, they won't even bother for themselves and the whole thing of linguistic diversity will turn against us no doubt. Ela, Poland Ela, Poland Generally, I can agree with Neil`s opinion, but I `m not experienced teacher of multilingualism. In my school are pupils who come back from Ukraine , Italy, Georgia, the UK ... because their parents had decided to return. And these children have special mother tongue lessons because they have languague problems. By the way some of them are language diversity ambassadors in positive way. I often switch roles with my pupils. This is empowers their learning motivation. Michela, Ita Michela, Ita Michela, Italy Michela, Italy I like Nell's idea you switch roles with your multicultural pupils. The reciprocal bonus for the teacher is the opportunity to learn about other cultures and languages through the eyes of the students. The more bilingual students a teacher has in class, the more opportunities a teacher has to truly understand and embrace cultural diversity first hand. Anna Rita Italy Anna Rita Italy I agree with Neil's analysis , I think that a mulilingual class should be a good opportunity to stimulate children to Exchange their different cultures but also their different ways of Learning. I really like the switching of the roles because Teachers besides teaching,should learn a lot from their students.I've already experienced this method , I've given my students a topic and they have made a lesson to their classmates about it . I don't Know if it's what Neil meant in his video. sabrina, Capua (CE sabrina, Capua (CE Linguistic diversity is an opportunity to meet different culture Cristian - Italy Cristian - Italy Linguistic diversity is to me a synonym for richness. When my students come back from a school year abroad for example I ask them something about real names and real words they have learnt and ask them to explain them to the rest of the class. Role switches help both students and teachers to mutually understand their positions in class and within the teaching-learning environment an opportunity for our st an opportunity for our students. MARY MARY I agree with Nell's point of view. The multilingualism is an opportunity for our students. It's create a positive climate in the classroom Pirjo, Finland Pirjo, Finland I agree with Nell's ideas. And I realize that is what has been bothering me when thinking how to assist more the few immigrant pupils we have. They have recently arrived, so our communication is very superficial. But my aim is to involve these students more into the work in the classroom. Not only to teach them local language and manners, but to learn and let other pupils learn about their habits and traditions live, not from a textbook. Renata, Lithuania Renata, Lithuania I agree with Nell's ideas.its very important method for me as a teacher to more effectivetly teach and empower my students. I totally agree in terms of cultural osmosis, not just linguistics, but also in the transmission of different customs and traditions. Diversity is wealth and widens horizons. With a Nigerian student I did a research on the literary culture of Niger with the class. It was useful to make comparisons I totally agree in terms of cultural osmosis, not just linguistics, but also in the transmission of different customs and traditions. Diversity is wealth and widens horizons. With a Nigerian student I did a research on the literary culture of Niger with the class. It was useful to make comparisons Lucy (Italy)As I already wrote on the padlet linked to 2.1 module, I teach geography and I’m planning to involve my students in a little but important work : I’ll ask them to help me in pronunciation of placenames, everyone in their mother tongue . So…I agree with Nell ! Probably it’s necessary more and more to find new ways to teach…In some moments of a lesson a switch of roles with our pupils, can be a moment of growth for them and their ownership Lucy (Italy)As I already wrote on the padlet linked to 2.1 module, I teach geography and I’m planning to involve my students in a little but important work : I’ll ask them to help me in pronunciation of placenames, everyone in their mother tongue . So…I agree with Nell ! Probably it’s necessary more and more to find new ways to teach…In some moments of a lesson a switch of roles with our pupils, can be a moment of growth for them and their ownership Lia Molini from Italy Lia Molini from Italy I agree with Nell's analysis. There are lots of benefits and all students can learn and practice different cultures. Switching roles is also a very good idea to create a positive climate where students can be free to speak other languages and tell about themselves. Bondar Gladiola, Borca-Romania Bondar Gladiola, Borca-Romania I agree with Nell's analysis. The teacher should encourage students to speak, express themselves in their own language, but also in the language spoken by other students. Children learn from each other, learned about the culture and richness of other countries. Tiziana, Italy Tiziana, Italy I totally agree with Nell's point of view. I think that the main challenge is to speak a common language, that probably is a foreign language for everybody, with a degree of competence that allows the correct transfer of knowledge when teaching a non linguistic subject. At the same time, operating in a multilingual classroom empowers the linguistic skilss of both students and theachers. On the other hand there's the risk of downsizing the cognitive targets, due to the incompetence in the use of language. Unfortunately, the only way to address this problem is to practice the language diversity and let it embrace you Stefania, Italy Stefania, Italy I perfectly agree with Nell's analysis. The kids learn a lot from a multilingual class. It would act as a stimulus to learn about different customs, uses, habits. In the class I have a Romanian, an Egyptian and a Chinese. During bithdays, we always sing in all languages. Also for mathematics, for example, the class has known each other's way of performing operations. I think children are the best teachers. Marina, Italy Marina, Italy Our role as teachers is to enhance the benefits of multilingualism. Our challenge is to make it an opportunity for our students and not as a barrier. Rosa, Italy Rosa, Italy I agree with Nell and I experimented this with two Chinese students. It was very difficult as our linguistic systems were very different, but the two foreign learners were happy to interact in their language and to help me to understand some words. As teachers, I think we should construct active learning opportunities and give our students the freedom to interact according their language, their learning style and so on. Brigida Calise, Ital Brigida Calise, Italy I totally agree with her point of view. Switching roles with our students enables them to teach us and to explain themselves making them active part of the lesson. It empowers their self confidence and as a matter of fact it may turn into their learning success and that's what we want, don't we? Of course, students benefit a great deal of being in a multilingual class. They learn about different cultures, habits, linguistic similarities and differences. Of course, students benefit a great deal of being in a multilingual class. They learn about different cultures, habits, linguistic similarities and differences. Marija, Croatia Eda,Turkey Eda,Turkey Multilingual classes improve different ways of thinking;that is why it can be useful.Teacher has a key role here because the approach is really integral.It is hard to apply it because there are 40-45 students in my classes. Mariagle, Italy Mariagle, Italy A multilingual class have some benefits: a language is a culture too, and from a foreign students the other pupils can learn a lot especially because it isn't the "teacher" to do lesson; it can be more interresting and attractive. These students can explain not only the similies and differences between their mother tongue language and the language used at school, but also in the fields of habits, cooking... Daniela, Italy Daniela, Italy Taking on a different role as a teacher and switching roles with the learnes: this aspect of making lessons interests me much. How can I do it? I hope I can learn it during this course. Ankita, India Ankita, India I totally agree with Nell's analysis that there are many benefits of multi lingual classes but the most important things is to play a different role as a teacher. Whenever i get the chance, i change my role as a teacher to a student and try to learn something from my students i do not know about. And i do not think it is bad to switch roles with students but of course we have to be careful of some things also like if we are learning something different from them, we also have to teach them in different way. There are many challenges we have to face during teaching like if we are giving them the opportunity to talk or interact in their first language they get used to it and do not want to learn new language. İMRAN ARSLAN TÜRKİYE İMRAN ARSLAN TÜRKİYE Öğrenciler farklı bir dili, ben ise farklı bir dili konuşuyor olmamız iletişim konusunda zorluklara neden oldu. Sınıf ortamında Nell'in söylediklerine katılıyorum. Sınıf içerisinde rol dağılımı, öğretmenin rol model olması iletişim, anlamlandırma ve algılama süreçlerinin de sınıf atmosferini güçlendirecek eğitime olumlu katkı sağlayacaktır. Alessandra Amideo, Alessandra Amideo, ITALY I fully agree with Nell that there are a whole range of benefits, but the most important thing is to take on a different role as a teacher; which allows students to teach you and explain. Thus, give them the opportunity to develop a sense of belonging and be at the forefront of their learning process, which is an extremely effective way to achieve learning in your classroom. Also this attitude of openness and sharing develops humility , necessary virtue to face the challenges of the future. FRANCESCA FROM BORMIO ITALY FRANCESCA FROM BORMIO ITALY I'm really sure that multilanguages classes are an opportunity either for students or for teachers but I think that is also very difficult to manage a lesson in which the students can speak and learn in different languages; many are the strategies and many are the tools that we can adopt but most depends on the ability of the teacher to combine the different skills in the baste way; briefly I would like to stress that nothing ca be left to chance. Daniela Galea, Malta Daniela Galea, Malta I totally agree with Nell's analysis! Multilingualism has a lot of benefits. Children learn many different things related to different languages and different cultures. In my school, everyone is fully integrated no matter what their language, race, ethnicity and religion are. Roberto, Forlì, Italy Roberto, Forlì, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis and I would like to add another benefit of multilingualism in a classroom. Each language is a culture, and the practice of multilingualism in a school is therefore the meeting and mutual comprehension of different cultures. It is cultural integration at the highest level. Are there challenges and downsides? Of course there are many: the switching of the role between students and the teacher is risky: the class can become out of control, many students are not used to interact with respect to each other, and so on....But if you want to improve the quality of your teaching some risks are in order and you should take them. Diana, Italy Diana, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis. In the title of this module I read that "...two languages open every door along the way", and I can say that this is deeply true. In my classroom there are three bilingual children and their presence opens the doors of our hearts and our minds to all the world. Their presence gives us the possibility to become cityzens of the world. But of course teachers must change their role and their way of thinking. And over all, in primis, they must learn a second language and practise it. According to me, there are a lot of challenges. It's not an easy way. I think to the cultural diversity, in terms of mental rigidity. I think to those children who live in situation of cultural and financial poverty. And then there's a very important question: the teaching process is always a meeting between two liberties: teachers' and learners' liberty ( with all their cultural background). What could happen when these two liberties meet one another? It could happen everything or nothing, but the result depends on the responsability of both. Serbia, Zorica Serbia, Zorica I am agree with NellS analysis! For me, it was a great challenge for me to learn a few words from Romanian-speaking students! It was a challenge for the whole class to accept and learn their culture. I realized that in that position, the one who knows the language on which he is communicating is much more powerful than the one who learns the language. I understood the position in the multilingual classroom students who learn two languages. Daisy, Italy Daisy, Italy Teachers must rethink their teaching practice with an eye open on the linguistic diversity, trying to focus on the whole process of language acquisition: everyone will benefit from this situation: the teacher will be more aware of his/her way of teaching, the students will discover that every language has its own importance and they will be really engaged in their learning process. Ana, Lisbon PT Ana, Lisbon PT I totally agree with Nell. I think students must be allowed and encourage to use their mother tongue in class. It's a win/win situation with benefits for all, and learning opportunuties for everyone. When I was an immigrant, I was not allowed to speak in my language at school. It made me very sad and I was always feeling lost. I was bulied for several months, not only by the other students but also by the teacher, who made fun of my accent and wasn't patient with me when I didn't understood things. It was 40 years ago...now, I think it would be very different. I always try to empower my foreign students in my class. Paola T., Palestrina (Italy) Paola T., Palestrina (Italy) Nell's analysis is very interesting. I totally agree with her and I endorse the remarks that have been made in this video. Benefits of linguistic diversity for our classrooms are very important. Linguistic diversity reflected in multicultural social community enables all individuals to develop bilingualism and multilingualism skills ranging from family environment with mixed marriages and social environment with formal education systems, formal and informal education for the achievement of personal and collective in ward-processing versatile in every aspect of life. Multilingualism refers to the condition in which more than two languages are used in the same setting for similar purposes. It has been one of the characteristics of modern civilization FRANCESCA FRANCESCA I think it is advantageous to operate in a multilingual classroom because in the kindergarten school I am even more committed to taking on another role. I set myself as a learning facilitator to encourage pupils to play with the language and learn. Ilaria, Italy Ilaria, Italy I agree with Nell’s analysis but I’ve never experimented it in person. I have to try in my classroom to give more space to all the languages and I hope that both the students and the families will recognise the potential for everyone to learn and grow. I’m also excited by the fact that I could also learn from my students. Mariateresa De Mattia Foggia Italy Mariateresa De Mattia Foggia Italy I agree with Nell. I happened to invite a Ukrainian child to teach the class a nursery rhyme with movements and music. The experience was very pleasant and effective and all the children participated with interest and attention. Maria Antonella Melfi - Foggia- Italy Maria Antonella Melfi - Foggia- Italy I agree with Nell. It is often necessary to change roles and learn from foreign students, encouraging them to share their linguistic experience. I happened to invite a Chinese child to teach the class how to give happy birthday wishes in his language. The experience was very constructive because it created a climate of sharing and relaxation very effective both from the cognitive and emotional point of view. Lucia, Italy Lucia, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis. Also I see other benefits of embracing linguistic diversity: students are exposed to the foreign language and they acquire new metalinguistic and communicative skills. Paola Italy Paola Italy I agree with her and with the focus over the role of been recognized in a world where integration of different people is first of all, the aknowledge the diversity and richness of everyone. I agree in all... If our students are given the opportunity to use their language, their knowledge, they will feel comfortable in the classroom, they can use the cultural differences to succed. I agree in all... If our students are given the opportunity to use their language, their knowledge, they will feel comfortable in the classroom, they can use the cultural differences to succed. Elín Iceland Elín Iceland I agree with her when you just got one or two new studend during the year. HASAN TURGAY ÖZÇELİK_TURKEY HASAN TURGAY ÖZÇELİK_TURKEY I'm agree in all... Particularly, it is empowering him to reflect the different cultural characteristics to the child as wealth. Emphasizing the same cultural features makes them comfortable. Carmela Alberghina Italy Carmela Alberghina Italy I completely agree, in fact, as I said in the previuos activity, sometimes I learn from my foreign students appreciating the diversity of their language, encouraging them to show it. For example when I had Chinese students in my classroom they taught us the ideaograms, The result was funny and useful . lara italy lara italy today we have the possibility to speak different languages at school. We should to create the opportunity to use these different languages in class as a social experience Varvara, Latvia Varvara, Latvia i completely agree with Nell's analysis and it is really a great opportunity for students to learn foreign languages, if one can explain it.For example, i always explain the tasks in several languages, so that my students could succeed and speak English fluently. The main challenge is the lack of time, sometimes you waste a lot of time just to explain or translate something into students' native language.The main drawback is that students don't want to learn even, if you help them to understand in their native language, they are not motivated enough and i guess it's the biggest problem nowadays. Raul C, Spain Raul C, Spain I agrre in all. this is a big oportunity to learn different metodology and doing to students the main characters in the their learning. Something very no very normal in the present school Patrizia, Italy Patrizia, Italy I agree with Nell's analysis: allowing students to speak and be known in their language means making them active by recognizing their linguistic identity. The biggest difficulty is putting together the many languages spoken in the same class today: the classes are increasingly multi-ethnic. We need to give space to all languages but at the same time there must be a real sharing of cognitive experience. I think there's a lot of work to do ... I think that a good I think that a good way to improve learning, after explaining the lesson is to allow the students to explain what they have understood; I believe that this allows students to increase their self-esteem and to hear the topic explained in simple words.

Embrace linguistic diversity

anna_carolina_loddo — 2018-10-07 14:27:51 UTC

Anna, Italy

Erik, Italy

szazie — 2018-10-07 14:29:29 UTC

I completely agree with Nell’s analysis.

The cognitive and the cultural benefits of a multilingual classroom are evident.
Considering the cognitive level, bilingual/multilingual children have high levels of linguistic competence, they focus better on their tasks avoiding irrelevant distractions, they can gain new metalinguistic skills and develop their abstract thinking. Learning a new language or some of its aspects always requires a cooperative and supportive attitude.

Considering the cultural level, multilingual/bilingual children have the opportunity to discover new cultures (ways of life, thinking and perceiving the world) through the knowledge of different languages.
In the long run, while an important barrier (the lack of linguistic competence) to mobility is removed, future work oppurtunities increase.

For this reason, nowadays, encouraging bilingualism and multilingualism has to be considered as a teacher’s duty.

Furthermore, as underlined by Nell Foster, in a multilingual classroom teachers (who do not master all their pupils’ languages) are forced to switch their roles with their students.

Making comparisons between the languages they already know, kids and teenagers can start explaining/ teaching some aspects of their languages understanding these elements in a better way, developing their metalinguistc competence and a sense of ownership.

Thinking about the challenges, I experienced two different difficulties:
One day, some of my Moroccan students were talking to each other using their mother tongue (they were drawing). I was very happy to listen to them, but when I asked them to translate what they were saying, they started laughing without replying. Maybe it was just a secret, but I experienced a feeling of confusion and exclusion...

The second difficulty is related to some of my students’ sense of shame. During these two years, I observed that, in a monolingual atmosphere, some Arabic dominant bilingual children tend to avoid speaking their mother-tongue at school, they really do not want to speak it. They always use their second language in front of the other monolingual students, considering their first language as the language that can be spoken only at home or among the other students who share the same origin, culture and social condition.

Certainly, this phenomenon is related to negative linguistic attitudes, strengthened by the monolingual environment where the children are immersed. In this case, i do not force them to speak their language, but I try to convince them that their mother tongue has to be seen as a beautiful resource, as a strenght, not as a weakness.

Valentina, Italy

ditranivale — 2018-10-07 14:47:58 UTC

I agre with Nell’s analysis, although I think that the practice she offers is easier at the primary school than at high school. However, in my experience at the high school I’ve observed more interest in my students if I proposed works focus on their native countries , expecially in History. Furthermore they felt proud.

Lucica , R omania

birlea_lucia — 2018-10-07 15:39:40 UTC

I think that teaching in multilingual class is easier at the primary school, but at the secondary school is difficult because teacher have a special curricula.

Sophia, Italy

sophia_danesino — 2018-10-07 15:52:53 UTC

I totally agree with Nell Foster that switching roles with my students is at the forefront of their learning process.
In my CLIL classroom we are all students as none of us is mother tongue, so we are learning together.

Giorgia, Romania

giorgiagroza — 2018-10-07 16:08:42 UTC

I agree with Nell`s point of view, but I think that her strategy is more suitable for primary school level.

Elizabeta, R. Macedinia

2018-10-07 17:06:45 UTC

I completely agree with Nell. Multilingual classroom is both challenging for teachers and students. Students can learn from each other, but also teacher can learn from students. Students can be encouraged to learn other language than their own. They could share many cultural and language diversity or similarities. It could be difficult in certain subjects where we have to follow the curriculum, but some other subjects like social studies, art, music, history, language or extracurriculum activities could be good experience.

Malvina Di Gianvito Italy Children learn the language even just listening ... my students have learned a song that had a refrain in Arabic, without difficulty

2018-10-07 17:16:34 UTC

Stefania Carolina, Italy

2018-10-07 17:18:19 UTC

Nell's analysis is very interesting and useful. I would add that embracing lingustic and cultural diversity in our classroom is also an "ecological approch" that helps to create a respectful and peaceful society. Motivated teachers can really play a leading role facing the complexity of our deeply interconnected world.

Victoria

2018-10-07 17:55:27 UTC

that's interesting really! The diversity makes our students respectful and helpful, they show more care and learn thinking critical.

Paola, Florence-Italy

paola_riello — 2018-10-07 18:11:08 UTC

Nell's analysis is really interesting and helpful although her strategies are not easy to put completely into practice when having a curriculum to conform to, timetable to respect and goals to reach when teaching in high schools. Anyway, I'll try to follow her path because I definitely care about my students and these practices can really motivate them.

Cinzia, Bergamo, Italy

cinzfior — 2018-10-07 19:50:03 UTC

I agree with Nell. Multilingual classroom is challenging . Students and teachers can learn from each others. Students learn other language but they could share many cultural information. It is difficult in subjects where we have to study but some other subjects they are a great ressouce.

Nadia, Lucera (Italy)

nadia_massariellotibello — 2018-10-07 22:11:20 UTC

I completely agree with Nell. Multilingual classroom is both challenging for teachers and students.

Latife Çeri,Turkey

2018-10-08 08:05:31 UTC

I agree with her because all pupils love studying with you if you give a chance about using their own languages in the classroom.By this way, we will learn their languages sementic and phonotics.But if we have more than 4 or five different languages in a class,we may have problems and we cant continue our lessons.

Vladimiro Italy

2018-10-08 08:45:10 UTC

Amanpreet, India

2018-10-08 17:06:50 UTC

I agree with Nell that Multilingual classroom is challenging for both teacher's as well as for students. It becomes simple in case where there are only two or three students of different language but it becomes more difficult where there are more students with different language. But it is somehow beneficial for teachers too as they learn new cultures as well as language from these students. For primary classes it is easy to explain everything to them as the syllabus is less where as in secondary classes it is much more difficult as teacher has to follow the curriculum which makes it very difficult for a teacher to explain everything in different language. I will try to follow her path as these practices of her will definitely motivate students.

Maria Covino ,Italy

2018-10-08 17:41:22 UTC

I agree with Nell, to have foreign students in the class isa big challenge for both students and teachers. The benefits of language diversity is more effective in the primary school, but it's more difficult in secondary school where contents are more complex and sometimes it is difficult to teach some contents using a dofferent language.

Ayşe,Turkey

fable_tugcee_90 — 2018-10-08 18:25:58 UTC

I agree with Nell. We must give a chance in order to speak their own language so this student feels better and he or she adopt the class easily.

2018-10-08 19:17:06 UTC

Lina

2018-10-08 19:17:07 UTC

Lina, Italy
I completely agree with Nelly’s analysis, above all when she says that a multilingual class is an important social and cognitive experience not only for the students but also for the teachers . I believe that linguistic diversity is a strengh for the class because it promotes inclusion, integration of all students and improves learning activities.

Christos, Greece

christos_chachoudis — 2018-10-08 20:25:28 UTC

I strongly agree with Nell that there are many challenges allowing these children to understand the way thing are in the new school enviroment, when they come from another country and they don't know the soken language. We must make them feel comfortable with the new situation they have to deal, and a very crucial matter is to reform our teaching methods to their language abillities ensuring the knowledge and their educational chances.

Ersin GENÇOĞLU/TURKEY

gencoglueylul — 2018-10-08 21:07:44 UTC

Today we have the possibility to speak different languages at school. We should to create the opportunity to use these different languages in class as a social experience.

Mocriș Melissa,Romania

2018-10-08 21:19:49 UTC

I agree completely with what Nell said and I will also add that the idea of embracing linguistic diversity is benefiting very much to the students when it comes to multilingual skills.

Annamaria, Italy

annamariamazzacuva — 2018-10-08 22:36:07 UTC

I completely agree with Nell. I often ask my students to explain to me linguistic uses of their languages, I think that the comparison with other languages and cultures can be useful not only to develop further lingusitic skills but also to create an intercultural atmosphere in the classroom

Iulia, Romania

julix_2007 — 2018-10-09 06:44:19 UTC

Embracing linguistic diversity is a benefit for the students because they have the opportunity to develop multilingual skills, to understand other cultures and other civilisations.

Shukufa Najafova

shukufa_n — 2018-10-09 10:51:09 UTC

Ismailli, AZerbaijan

I agree with Nell. We must give a chance in order to speak their own language so this student feels better and he or she adopt the class easily.

Alex_PT

alexandraduarte — 2018-10-09 12:30:54 UTC

I completely agree with Nell. As parents, we are flexible to our children’s needs and the same should also happen with our students. However, at least in the Portuguese reality, this is better said than done as, for example, I have 7 different groups with around 25 students each and classes of 45 minutes...In any case, whenever possible (and it’s doable - to a limited extent! - where I teach since we don’t have that many new arrivals), I do “take advantage” of the situation to learn something for an easier integration of the student and for memorable teaching and learning. New pedagogies are urgent for new European and world realities, especially with the immigrant crisis.

I think linguistic diversity is an important resource in a classroom and in this case, as Neil says, teacher's role is essential to help our students getting over their shyness and improving cooperation among them.

2018-10-09 15:18:19 UTC

Maria Rosaria

2018-10-09 17:17:28 UTC

I share Nell's ideas and try to change the role it is important to give courage to the child who is in a class where the majority of pupils speak a different language.

Nicoleta, Romania

2018-10-09 17:27:58 UTC

I agree with Nell”s analysis and I think that her ideas are very useful in working with pupils from primary school because you can develop knowledge, integration, inclusion, respect, peace, transdisciplinary teaching, but also with Amelia from Italy because it”s not easy to work with foreign pupils and they need help from a mediator.

Carmen from Spain

biologiamencia — 2018-10-09 17:57:20 UTC

Changing our roles with students can help them to develop different skills: selfsteem, communicative competence, a deep learning of the concepts they try to express...
I like the following document.
The only problem we can address is when a new foreing student arrives and he/she dont know any word of spanish. Here in our educational system during the majority of school time (not all for allowing him/her to form part of a school group), they receive linguistic support in the named ATAL (aulas temporales de adapatación lingüistica)= temporary linguistic adaptation classroom

Samantha, italy

2018-10-09 18:07:17 UTC

At first my pupils didn’t speak in their languages, but now they feel free to express themselves, this is a great goal!!

Tiziana Panaro, Italy

tizianapanaro — 2018-10-09 18:09:01 UTC

I totally agree with Nell Foster. In fact, linguistic diversity is a vital resource for both teaching and learning. Moreover, the role of the teacher is that to act as a learner himself in order to help his students to get over their shyness and improving cooperation.

Clara, Portugal

acjesus — 2018-10-09 18:31:03 UTC

I agree with Nell´s analysis. Linguistic (and cultural) integration is really important. Last school year we had a lunch to integrate a student from Guiné (a former portuguese colony) and she brought her mother. The menu was made of tipical dishes from Guiné (we asked for help to a Cooking Vet Course) and all her class coolaborated and it was funtastic.

Lorina, Romania

2018-10-09 19:17:08 UTC

Nell is totally right. Linguistic diversity is not something which only students can benefit from. All the actors in the class start from the same level. None of us totally understands the others We try to meet somewhere in the middle and make it easier until we fulfill our final task.

Catalina

vrinceanu09 — 2018-10-09 19:19:49 UTC

Linguistic diversity is the starting point for encouraging students to overcome their linguistic barries.

Emilia,Romania

teacherro — 2018-10-09 19:41:09 UTC

Bringing linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroom is very important not only for students.This makes the school community understand better other cultures, developing their spirit of tolerance and empathy.As Nell said, every student brings a new system of education and it's important for the teacher to see and check the student level of knowledge and competences even if that new student doesn't know the country's language.Europe is on the move so we must be flexible and learn something from each culture.

Carla Guido ItalyI totally agree with Mell's analysis: part of the teaching job is recognizing our students' learning styles and give them more chances to express themselves in different ways and try through different language. Getting to know their origins, their daily life may really help us to understand what they can really need in their learning process and how they might proceed and succeed too. Carla Guido ItalyI totally agree with Mell's analysis: part of the teaching job is recognizing our students' learning styles and give them more chances to express themselves in different ways and try through different language. Getting to know their origins, their daily life may really help us to understand what they can really need in their learning process and how they might proceed and succeed too.

2018-10-09 21:33:21 UTC

Carla Guido - Primary school CLIL teacher Pescara - ITALY

2018-10-09 21:36:21 UTC

I totally agree with Mell's analysis: part of the teaching job is recognizing our students' learning styles and giving them more chances to express themselves in different ways, even trying through different language. Getting to know their origins, their daily life may help us to understand what they can really need in their learning process and how they might proceed and succeed too.

Manpreet Kaur, India

2018-10-10 07:23:21 UTC

I agree with Nelly's analysis, today we have the possibility to speak different languages at school and it is very helpful for both students and teachers to live in a multilingual world

Odarka, Latvia

2018-10-10 09:01:22 UTC

There are a lot of benefits, the main one is that students are able to learn different languages and these languages help us to shape our sense of reality, think and understand culture.

Pina, Ital

2018-10-10 13:36:42 UTC

I totally agree with Nell´s analysis, because I think that that the benefits are much more important than the effords.Embracing linguistic diversity makes the teacher more aware of the student´s real abilities and it gives the students the opportunity of learning new languages by themselves. It is a way to develope a deep interaction with other people and live a meaninful social and cognitive experience.

Gatsi Giota, Greece

2018-10-10 15:22:48 UTC

i totally agree. Its is important to embace linguistic diversity in that way the whole classroom develop a positive attitude towards the pupils from other countries, the pupils from other countries are the plurilingual pupils, in that way we reinforce their identity and uniqueness so they want to participate actively

MRosaria - Italy

2018-10-10 15:47:34 UTC

I totally agree with Nell and teachers should do their best to give all students the opportunity to share their knowledge
talking other languages as well.

Nica Italy

2018-10-10 17:12:32 UTC

It's true that embracing cultural and linguistic diversity promotes student's integration, but at the same time I think this is easier in primary school than in secondary school. There are subject with a technical language and concepts difficult to explain.

mariaminicucci — 2018-10-10 17:23:40 UTC

Maria, Vinchiaturo (CB), Italy

mariaminicucci — 2018-10-10 17:35:20 UTC

I mostly agree with Nell’s analysis, but I think that teaching a non linguistic subject in a secondary school in a multilingual classroom could bring out some negative repercussions.

For example it could take time out of each curricula programme, so that it could be a challenge to complete the whole programme for each subject.

özge güney türkiye

sevgiylebebek — 2018-10-10 22:24:56 UTC

I started to think that it was definitely advantageous. I must turn this into an opportunity.

Rachel Uk

2018-10-11 08:02:35 UTC

I definitely agree that allowing children to use a language which is not the main language of instruction in the classroom will mean that the teacher's role will also change. This could be positive as it will force the teacher to consider carefully how difficult concepts are explained and maybe encourage the use of more creative means of expression or the consideration of different cultural perspectives. On the other hand it could e difficult to ensure that students remain focused on the content of the class if the teacher cannot understand what they are saying or it could allow bullying or other problems to go unnoticed.

napoligiusy1959 — 2018-10-11 09:57:34 UTC

napoligiusy1959 — 2018-10-11 09:57:38 UTC

Tiziana Diso

napoligiusy1959 — 2018-10-11 10:05:20 UTC

Italy
Students should be the main actors in a class, in order to focus learning process on them, so teacher is a mediator, a facilitator when they need help. Peer education is important too as well as peer evaluation. Students must learn to develop the working in team competences , developing the so-called social skills. I think that the first step is that of learning to communicate and so linguistic diversity will play a central and driving role.

Fernanda, Portugal

soares_fernanda — 2018-10-11 10:24:47 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis, but it is a tough challenge. As a Teacher I would have to focus on and give more attention to these students who are not familiar with the language of schooling. In order to switch roles with each one of them (and it depends on the number of students which speak a foreign language) it seems to me that I would need a large amount of time. And I would have to give attention to all the other students, who could also start learning their classmate's foreign language and benefit from his/her linguistic capital.
Still, I can see huge benefits for foreign students and I understand how this is paramount in terms of increasing their self-esteem and taking control of their learning process.

IRENE – GUARDA, PORTUGALI obviously agree with Nell’s analysis: as teachers, we must always try to profit the most from our students’ abilities in our classroom, but we also need to reflect, to put ourselves in they’re shoes, to try to bring they’re knowledge to our classroom so that we can improve our own knowledge and the knowledge of all the students.I have had a curious experience, not with foreign languages, but with sign language: a few years ago, I had a student with special needs who “spoke” this language and I learned a lot from him: after a few classes, I was able to use some signs to communicate with him and he felt really enthusiastic with that. He believed that if I could learn from him, he could also learn from me and the experience was great.I can confess that I find that that was the experience of a lifetime!One day, maybe, this will also happen with a foreign language that I don’t yet know.

2018-10-11 11:23:07 UTC

Angelamaria Galderisi, Italy

soleemare_a — 2018-10-11 14:40:05 UTC

Nell’s analysis is really interesting. I think that linguistic diversity can help students develop different cultural views and perspectives. The only downsides I view are linked to our duties as teachers to develop and perform a specific curriculum in our specific subject.

Christine, Germany

2018-10-11 14:45:42 UTC

I absolutely agree with Nell's analysis! We should support children in being or becoming competent speakers of their home languages as well as in learning a second or third language. This can contribute to making them feel confident as speakers of other languages. In my opinion, embracing linguistic and cultural diversity is one of the keys to international understanding

Maria Paola

2018-10-11 19:47:01 UTC

I think that it is very important to change the roles with my students. During my lessons the students improve their abilities and they can give an important contribution during the CLIL lesson. Everyone can help the other pupils, so they can encourage each other to improve English. The linguistic difference can be the opportunity for the teacher and the students to increase the integration.

Stefano, Australia

2018-10-11 23:28:14 UTC

I find interesting the switching role described by Nell and her ideas open the classroom to what each children can bring. I can see the difficulties of organise activities in which children can use and share their language or where the teacher can give feedback.

Gabriela, Romania

gabi_petrichei — 2018-10-12 13:07:12 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's analysis. Instead of seeing only the downsides of having a multilingual class, we should concentrate on seeing and taking advantage of the advantages it offers us as teachers. It is a challenge worth taking to help our students and to reach our goals.

Helen, Spain

helen119 — 2018-10-12 14:17:16 UTC

I think Nell's analysis is quite interesting. It must feel very empowering for the young students to take charge of their education in such a way! As the mother of a bilingual child without adequate support for one of his two languages, I would love for him to be able to learn in such a situation. The only challenge I see is teachers' fear of such a situation. Especially in Spain, where I often feel that people are hesitant to recognize other languages in schools. How could we overcome this? By educating our colleagues.

Noe, Puigcerdà

2018-10-12 15:00:08 UTC

I belive it's so interesting this approach og "being a student again" and "swich roles with the students.. A long time ago I was told about the "guruchela" concept (ancient yoguic tradition) where a teacher is connected with the student and also the student with the teacher and in anytime both of them are learning one form each other.
Basically, I think we are saying the same here and also the concept of allowing an active role to our students.., if they can feel they get an active role at school, I m sure they can get an active role in their entire lifes!

José Carvalho, Guarda, Portugal

joseantoniocarvalho — 2018-10-12 15:35:13 UTC

I agree with the linguistic diversity in the classroom. The main contradictions I encounter are the skills and linguistic prepration of teachers and students that prevents the smooth development of a class in a language other than the mother tongue. I believe that the solution lies in progressively carrying out small tasks and increasing the language skills of teachers and pupils.

continuita1 — 2018-10-12 16:16:35 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis and I think she's absolutely right when she says that teachers should also switch roles with students. We should learn from them before teaching to them. A multilingual classroom offers countless benefits and precious opportunities for the students to develop social and cultural skills. The class is a microcosm of the multicultural society we live in: insisting on monolingualism is nonsense. We can encourage pupils to speak their own languages (there are so many technological aids that can help us understand them today, even if we do not know their languages), we can take up bilingual or multilingual projects...It's a big challenge, but we must stop considering language diversity as a limit and do our best to embrace it as a resource.

Gioia, Italy

Nadina Nicolici, Romania

n_nadina — 2018-10-13 07:48:02 UTC

Yes, I definitely agree with Neil's ideas. I think that if we step back we are able to judge our teaching more objectively, and we can identify and correct what is wrong. Moreover, we can expand our cultural and linguistic horizon, and in this way, we become better, both personally and professionally.

Elisabetta, Italy

porceddaelisabetta — 2018-10-13 09:10:46 UTC

I definitely agree with Nell, because I had the same experience, with Secondary school students though. The foreign students forced me to another schooling, as they couldn't take an active part to the traditional lessons without knowing the Italian language. So the class become more collaborative and inclusive, developing the language acquisition of both teacher and pupils, other than the whole 21th century skills, through new ways of schooling.

Giuseppina Tumino - Italy.

2018-10-13 14:08:52 UTC

In my opinion is very interesting to change the roles with my pupils. During my lessons the pupils improve their abilities and they can give an important contribution during the CLIL lesson. The pupils encourage each other and help each one other to learn language. The linguistic differences are a great opportunity for both teachers and students to increase inclusion and integration.

2018-10-13 17:02:13 UTC

The benefits

Dulcinea Portugal

2018-10-13 19:38:54 UTC

I agree with the linguistic diversity in the classroom in this global wold. This must be seen like something positive and useful in a classroom.
The main difficulty are the skills and linguistic preparation of Portuguese teachers for these reality.
I agree with Nell,s analysis and i think she is absolutely right when she talk about switch roles with students. We should be open to learn from pupils before teaching them. Pupils of different backgrounds, languages and cultures are a precious resource for develop whole 21 th century skills through the schooling, and increase inclusion and integration off all in any country. Was a history teacher, when i have students from another country I have to integrate those pupils using theme Knowledge when it is possible.

T. Marilena Sammarco, Italy

marilenasammarco — 2018-10-13 19:41:55 UTC

I really agree with Nell Forest's analysis, some other benefits are that pupils become more confident, from a psychological point of view they feel welcomed, not only seen as someone to instruct. This allows the learning of the new language. As a French teacher I see many challenges: foreign pupils are strictly involved in the new learning and French would become another language to learn while they are engaged in learning Italian. It can generate confusion, so I focus on communicative functions rather than on grammar

G.keserci

2018-10-13 19:44:34 UTC

I totally agree with Nell

Cinzia, Sicily

2018-10-13 19:49:07 UTC

Teaching in a multilingual environment is very important, because you can teach the various disciplines using languages and this creates an innovative and engaging learning environment, where each pupil can feel the protagonist of their own learning

Elisa C., Italy

2018-10-13 20:19:35 UTC

I agree with Nell' s analysis, multicultural classrooms bilingualism becomes important because it creates bridges to share with children from different cultures, it is an interchange of emotions and communication that is an essential part of human life. Students who speak and understand school language break down the barriers of being strangers and become a part of the community.The children who grow up with many languages, have a better sense of cultural differences and of the global world.
There's also a downside when teachers of multicultural classes have to communicate with their students' parents. In my experience indeed, even if the child can speak and understand school language, his/her parents sometimes can't communicate, making it very difficult for me and other colleagues to be certain that they are well-informed about activities in his/her education.

Elena, Italy

elenalzano — 2018-10-13 20:31:16 UTC

Nell made me think that in my classroom my tongue is only one among various langueges useful to communicate and find out information. Each of them need to be respected and considered seriously. These linguistic resources are available but I have not yet used them in their totality.

Güneş

2018-10-13 20:48:28 UTC

Nell make me aware of developing the sense of ownership and giving the child a chance to teach you, too. I ll keep these in my mind and apply them in my classroom.

Romit kaur ,India

2018-10-14 05:40:57 UTC

I totally agree with the analysis.This is best method to develop students as well as teachers linguistic skills.As we have various subjects in the curriculum,it will be better if we are multilingual so that we can teach our students more efficiently along with the development of other skills like confidence and effective communication.

Sylwia, Poland

2018-10-14 08:51:04 UTC

I think and feel the same like Nell Forest's analysis. This is the idea of exchanging knowledge peers to peers.

Maribel, Spain

2018-10-14 11:41:09 UTC

I totally agree with Nell, I

I agree with Nell although I don't have any foreign student in my classroom. In my opinion the teacher always has to pay attention to the diversity of the students, especially when there is a multicultural class and a variety of languages. Moreover every teacher should know that he can learn a lot from his students. If he speaks in another language he can also immediately understand how it's possible to teach the same topic in different ways.

2018-10-14 14:11:46 UTC

Miriam madrid

2018-10-14 16:10:03 UTC

I’m agree with Nell. In my job with multilingualism classroom, I changed my point of view and I learned that the children coming from other country arrive with skill, competencies and knowledges. So, it is very important receive the children and their families give them the space to tell theirself and their culture, and to valorize their cultural value . Because is very important to work on the pluridentitary aspects of our pupils overall today, in the global world where is simple to lose your roots. The most important challenge in multilingualism classroom, maybe is really help our children not lose their roots and in the same time to help them to feel not stranger in our country. I mean, The students have to feel theirself belonging to a their new country. And if we want work in this way, the teaching/learning local language is very important.

now I work in italian school in Madrid, And The situation is very different. I always need to work on the pupils’ identity,but in the same time my principal focus is the metalinguistic competence. In fact the veicholar language is Spanish and not Italian, and the interest of Italian language can be improve in the main way with a long work on the linguistic conscious. In my schedule of scenario you can find the bilingualism project realized in the Italian school in Madrid where I describe the steps of activities

Margaret, Poland

2018-10-14 20:28:22 UTC

I agree with Nell too. That's why I need to put my students knowledge into practice and create opportinities for them to speak with people from different countries and cultures.

Mustafa BOZOGLAN Mersin Turkish

mdbozoglan — 2018-10-14 20:51:57 UTC

I agree with Nell. A class that includes students with different languages enhances students' understanding, learning, respecting, thinking and understanding skills. students' feeling that their own culture and language are cared for has a lot to do with their success.

yasemin uysal-muğla -Turkey

YaseminUysal — 2018-10-14 21:15:48 UTC

I agree with Nell.We must give a chance to speak their own language so this students feels better and he/she adopts the class easily.But he/she also try to learn new language to communicate effectively.

Upasana Tripathi, INDIA

upasana181069_cce — 2018-10-15 03:27:38 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. There are many benefits of linguistic diversity. Generally I used english in my classroom but i also tied to use the language in which my student can feel comfortable

Rosa A., Italy

rosaagneta — 2018-10-15 13:16:09 UTC

I agree with the speaker. Particularly, when there are students of different nationalities, for pupils switch roles could be a good way to become protagonist of their learning process.

Anna S. Italy

scriminacianna — 2018-10-15 14:40:58 UTC

I completely agree with Nell's analysis. I think one of the best benefits is to give the possibility to exchange roles between teacher and student. This not only gives greater self-esteem to the children but they feel welcomed and accepted. In addition, the benefits are also for all the other kids in the class because they learn a new language, cultures and traditions and this can develop their divergent thinking and their creativity. It encourages children to be open to new points of view to be empathetic and to be able to accept the difficulties of their peers.

Cristina, Romania

2018-10-15 18:12:15 UTC

Of course i agree Neill. Objects -observers( we call them audients) become subjects and part of lesson

AANCHAL ,INDIA

2018-10-15 18:12:18 UTC

I agree with Nell. but the challenges in my classroom with my students are that may be there are not able to understand bilingual language. they don't won't to cope with it.

Cristina, Romania

2018-10-15 18:27:24 UTC

I feel guilty. I'll try to learn or notice basic words, learn9ng from my kids. I expect them understanding me, but where is my own work?
I guess we owe them some interes.

Majlinda ,Albania

kmajlinda — 2018-10-15 21:08:59 UTC

I agree with Nell.I like to give all the students the possibility to express him/herself.

DESHWINDER KAUR,INDIA

2018-10-16 09:52:04 UTC

I think linguistic diversity is an important resource in a classroom and in this case, as Neil says, teacher's role is essential to help our students getting over their shyness and improving cooperation among them.

Mihaela, Romania

salistemihaela — 2018-10-16 13:51:13 UTC

I agree with Nell. One of the best benefits is to give the possibility to exchange roles between teacher and student.

Odete Teixeira, Arouca, Aveiro, Portugal

odete_teixeira — 2018-10-16 14:15:41 UTC

I entirely agree with Nell’s analyses. If you allow the students to use their home language, you transform their ability to access content material and to develop an identity competence. I appreciated when she said they are not condemned to a 6 months non-participation! Linguistic diversity regarded in a positive way is much more useful. It is important to switch roles with them and enable them to teach us, to explain themselves. The problem is that we value the school curriculum (the script) too much and we forget the characters trying to play a role in our class. We should start to look a bit more deeply skills that children have not necessarily valued immediately by the school system.

Spain, Trini

2018-10-16 15:26:43 UTC

I definitely agree with nell. I think that is so important to avoid the non participation of a student that has not a knownledge of our language... They have to express themselves in their mother tongue and to include the rest of the class in the new linguistic experience.

2018-10-16 20:58:41 UTC

Very interesting point of view, the teacher role needs to be “ reinvented “ quite a lot.
A real challenge.

José María, Spain

2018-10-16 21:01:03 UTC

In our school, bilingual education is developing little by little and is already beginning in the first years of Secondary Education. We are concerned that language difficulties slow down the learning process so strict that the curriculum demands of us. But I´m sure that the good preparation of our teachers will achieve a successful result.

RACHNA,INDIA

2018-10-17 14:44:20 UTC

yes , i agree with Nell's analysis. having a multilingual classroom gives us a opportunity to make non participating students come forward and interaction comes out to be interesting for thme

Francesca Barile

francesca_barile50 — 2018-10-17 16:06:49 UTC

I completely agree with Nell's analysis. Linguistic diversity can enlarge and enrich ourselves, both students and teachers: We have to find what is the right way to permitt this in the best way. solutions can be different depending on the different situations. This is our task: Integrate everyone and improve our students' both in personality and competences.

Emilia, Poland

2018-10-17 17:27:28 UTC

I agree that it must be very beneficial experience to exchange roles between students and teachers. We should not forget that we also can learn a lot from students.

David, Slovenia

2018-10-17 18:14:22 UTC

in our school we start teaching foreing langiage in 1st class (2 hours per week) and we can see benefits of accepting foreing language when children com ein touch with new students that don't speak Slovene, so that they are accepting them more.

Konstantina, Greece

konstantinakokmotou — 2018-10-17 20:09:31 UTC

I agree with Nell as accepting student’s first language means accepting what they have learnt in the past.

Erasmo. Italy

2018-10-17 20:40:59 UTC

I fully agree with Nell. It's a beneficial experience to exchange roles between students and teachers. We should not forget that we can learn a lot from them as well.

Nicoleta,Romania

2018-10-18 06:05:27 UTC

I agree Nell because teachers learn and discover new ways of learning from their students. Changing roles is good for both teacher and student.Agreeing to use student's native language makes a connection between old and new acquisitions of the learner.

Marianna, Italy

2018-10-18 07:52:07 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. I love teaching because you learn something new every day from each student, so for me is super positive to have linguistic diversity in my classrooms. A benefit for both students and teachers is that while facing a different language and culture and trying to be "the student", enhance the capacity of empathy and to better feel my peers' stress and difficulties. It helps to foster group work and cooperation. It could be a challenge because you need time to manage everything and find enough reflection moments, alongside working on "traditional" teaching programm.

Pablo, Spain

2018-10-18 08:41:21 UTC

I fully agree, they should feel their mother tongue or those other languages they use, are a benefits and not a barrier and they could see that it would be a benefits for all of us who share experiences with them. Fostering that learning a language, it will an enrichment experience for te students who teach and for the students who learn.

Marta Tarantino

martatarantino — 2018-10-18 11:29:19 UTC

I totally agree with Nell's analysis. "You transform their ability to develop an idea of competence": well, in my opinion, this is the most impressive benefit. Turning what at a first sight could appear as a problem into a challenge: this is the result of embracing language diversity.

Eleni Tychola

2018-10-18 18:38:32 UTC

There are obviously quite a lot of benefits when embracing linguistic diversity as ss feel more integrated in the school body. They don;t feel that their mother tongue is rejected as roles in the classroom are switched and they can also teach both classmates and the teacher about their own home language.

I agree with Nell's view of the benefits of embracing inguistic diversity. It is important to change the way of teaching and to enlarge our competence in other languages. It is important to respect our students' cultural background and to enhance liguistic diversity

2018-10-19 16:26:14 UTC

Aurelia, Romania

2018-10-19 18:22:04 UTC

I totally agree with Nell. It's always a good idea to change roles between teachers and students because they learn from us and we can definitely learn interesting things from them.

Andrei, Romania

2018-10-19 20:23:03 UTC

Linguistic diversity means new opportunities for both students and teachers to discover language in all its forms

CREATIVITIY AND PROBLEM SOLVING

2018-10-19 20:39:59 UTC

a benefit of bilingualism is greater creative capacity, greater aptitude for mediation through the use of speech and problem solving skills. Those who know more languages know that things can be said in different ways and there is no single way to reach the recipient of the message

Natalie, Malta

natcal126 — 2018-10-19 20:55:17 UTC

Nell's views are great! I agree with the things she mentions. I do believe that students should be left free to use their native language if they wish to. This will also provide positive experiences for the rest of the children in the classroom. It might be difficult at first especially if the other children do not understand the language however through recurrent usage, all participants in the classroom will start getting accustomed to the language. So yes I do believe it is a positive thing that children use their native language in class.

roberta

2018-10-20 15:07:11 UTC

in my school career I have not yet had the opportunity to teach in a multilingual classroom. However, I believe in the potential offered and to be developed in such an opportunity

Luz, USA

2018-10-20 18:58:10 UTC

I have never been in a multilingual classroom, however, I see that contents in class have to be updated and you can compare and learn a lot from the skills students have developed in other school systems, and ultimately enrich the process of teaching and learning that you practice.

Erica, Italy

2018-10-21 07:10:15 UTC

Everyone is a teacher for other and can learn from other. We can understand some aspects of other culture by their languages

Lucia Italy

luciabucc — 2018-10-21 09:14:26 UTC

Yes I agree and specially the fat to give my students the chance to develop a sense of ownership

Natalia. Italy

2018-10-21 10:05:11 UTC

I agree with Nell

To love the language of our pupils means to love their territory and to translate everything into cultural wealth

Natalia Italy

2018-10-21 10:15:08 UTC

In my opinion, Nell is great and has focused very well on all the points in a short video time

rachna pahal,India

2018-10-21 17:00:44 UTC

yes i agree with Nell's analysis because letting the student speak in their language makes them more confident and they learn from other students as well

Giac,Italy

tecnologiasuardo — 2018-10-21 21:35:51 UTC

Students and teacher with linguistic diversity can enrich themselves

Rania, Greece

2018-10-22 12:37:08 UTC

It is easier for children to engage in the languages that are taught at school when their own languages are recognised, because these languages are practised in the family environment and by the children. Placing value on childrens’ different languages and cultural backgrounds boosts the self-confidence and self-esteem necessary for educational and professional success.

Irina Romania,

2018-10-22 13:59:52 UTC

It can be fruitful for both sides, we can learn from each other sometimes

Laura Patregnani, Italy

2018-10-22 18:00:27 UTC

Linguistic diversity in the world today is an issue of growing social importance because a majority of all living languages are threatened in their continued existence. How they can be sustained is a matter of study and debate. Changes in the vitality of a language has important implications for individuals and societies. Multilingualism is a common and increasing phenomenon in present day society which can be studied from different perspectives. The purpose of what I'm saying is to focus on language as a cultural asset and to establish the relationship between linguistic diversity and human welfare.

VALENTINA, ITALYThe problem is that we value the school curriculum too much and we forget the characters trying to play a role in our class

2018-10-22 20:29:12 UTC

Monika, India

2018-10-23 12:09:20 UTC

I totally agree with Nell that multilingualism allows you to assess student’s previous knowledge and these students also feel comfortable or we can say feel freedom to put forth their views. You as a teacher know the ability of your pupils. The other way they get benefitted is, they can access content and develop an identity of competence

Claudya, Romania

claudia_neacsa — 2018-10-23 14:44:22 UTC

It is an interesting opinion about changing roles. In fact, we all learn all the time from our pupils.

2018-10-23 15:01:08 UTC

Mandeep ( India)
I am totally agree with nell’s analysis. To know
And love your mother tongue is like a to love
Your country. Only ur mother language can
Touch ur heart

GEETHU MOHAN, INDIA

2018-10-23 15:35:27 UTC

Language is an emblem of who we are. It is the carrier of our heritage and one of the ways of identifying what we mean by ‘communities’. It is obvious that schools cannot teach all languages to all pupils, but there are pedagogical approaches that allow the different languages present in a classroom to be taken into account.

Daniela, Pavia, Italy

2018-10-23 16:29:04 UTC

Usually, in Italy, subject are required to be taught in Italian, thit means that there aren't opportunities to teach/communicate in another language (clil is another issue: we all are foreign to English). I had a russian student who wasn't able to understand Italian: I was able to communicate with her and speak about everything and about maths! I'm proud of it.

Veronica, Italy

vb_keohane — 2018-10-23 17:09:29 UTC

Nell talks about 'children in our care' and I think that this is an essential aspect which is easy to forget when faced with the difficulties of a multilingual classroom. I would like to understand how I can help pupils newly arrived from other countries who are still learning the language of schooling to illustrate the results of their education under a different system. I am sure this would help all concerned to appreciate the newcomers better and not classify them as people who have some kind of learning difficulties

BHAVIKA

2018-10-23 18:20:59 UTC

BHAVIKA, INDIA

2018-10-23 18:21:03 UTC

YES, i agree with nell ma'am analysis. like this teachers as well as students will be able to gain knowledge about the content in bilingual or multilingual languages.

Ioana Mihaelabenefits:personal development of studentsopportunities for collaboration, communication, problem solving, of the XXIX centuries.disadvantages:lack of ICT in schoolscontent-based, non-pupil-centered

2018-10-23 18:24:32 UTC

Romania

Ernesto

2018-10-23 19:20:55 UTC

It often happens more often to have foreign students from different backgrounds who do not have the same attitude towards foreign languages.
I happen to have French-speaking Arabs who want to teach some words in Arabic to their classmates.
Or even Chinese who speak a few words of English and who agree to teach some grapheme and some Chinese words to others. In the past years I've had Russians etc. and what has emerged is that children have an innate tendency to tension, the need to communicate with everyone.
The obvious benefits of having a good ability to interact in a multiethnic and multiracial society range from improving the ability to interact to the improvement of the ability to collaborate.
The challenge for moi is fascinating, stimulating and ...

laura

2018-10-24 07:33:29 UTC

I thank that Nell's suggestions may be very useful in a multilingual class. often there are pupils that stay apart from the schoolmates because of language troubles. Flipping the classroom , using such pupils to teach some subjects may help them to get out from this situation.

Selvaggia

2018-10-24 08:00:45 UTC

I’m agree with the Nell’s analysis and conclusions . I think that focusing on linguistic diversity helps students to develop cognitive and social experiences and to develop memory and communication skills. Multilingualism also helps to better understand the world around them and to improve their problem solving skills.

Candida Peters, India

2018-10-24 09:01:00 UTC

i agree that switching roles in a classroom acts as a facilitating factor. it gives the students an opportunity to share and teach what they know best hence encouraging students to become receptive by accepting and learning what is being taught in class.

Hi!

2018-10-24 09:44:19 UTC

.

2018-10-24 10:19:57 UTC

yes, i agree with mam analysis like this teachers as well as students will be able to gain knowledge about other languages.

Hi this is Navkiran

2018-10-24 11:03:03 UTC

I totally agreed that we also put efforts to don't forget our mother tongue but we also have an interest to learn a

Sonali, India

2018-10-24 13:47:35 UTC

I totally agree with Nell Ma'am. including different languages built students interest also it prevents boredom.

Ekta

2018-10-24 14:17:54 UTC

It feels the students comfortable to share their views.

DHAIRYA BAJAJ, INDIS

2018-10-24 15:25:11 UTC

The students will participate more actively if the class is multilingual I suppose but at the same time being multilingual is not an easy task. If the majority of the class speaks a particular language and only a handful of students speak some other then it is difficult to maintain a balance.

Roberto, Italia

2018-10-24 15:37:11 UTC

Nell's suggestions can be very useful in a multilingual class. often there are students who remain separated from classmates because of linguistic problems.

MANSI UPPAL, INDIA

2018-10-24 15:57:27 UTC

yes it has many benefits of having a multilingual class as it helps the students to learn and explore more. at the same time some students can face problems with the same.

Multilingual

amita_mahendroo — 2018-10-24 16:27:03 UTC

Amita Mahendroo

amita_mahendroo — 2018-10-24 16:28:58 UTC

If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world."

Amita Mahendroo

amita_mahendroo — 2018-10-24 16:30:35 UTC

The importance of multilingualismis unique to individuals and their circumstances.

Benefits of linguistic diversity- Charanpreet Kaur Walia, India

2018-10-24 17:10:08 UTC

Being multilingual has a great benefit in a class with students from different backgrounds. Though it is difficult to learn more languages and implement them in same class.

ANJALI KOHLI

2018-10-24 18:12:44 UTC

Ibelieve multilinguism is an important aspect as it takes the class out of monotony, makes things interesting and students get so much to explore through it.

Iriny, Ukraine

iryna_danyliuk — 2018-10-24 19:19:36 UTC

I agree with her. But for teacher it is not so easy to work in multilingual classes. Teacher must know not only the language but also culture and traditions of such pupils to help them feel cosy and comfortable among other clasmades.

Marina Stanojlović Mirčić, Serbia

2018-10-24 19:54:45 UTC

Nell's analysis is good, multilingualism is great benefit for the students as well as the teachers.

Benefits of linguistic diversity - Aija, Latvia

2018-10-24 21:04:32 UTC

Nell Foster listed the main benefits very clearly, out of which my favourite was that of switching the roles. The possible challenge would be the authority of a teacher in terms of discipline, I suppose. If a teacher is not confident in embracing linguistic diversity, he/she loses the authority among his/her students.

Nicolina G., Italy

2018-10-25 10:17:30 UTC

Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is really important for promoting integration and inclusion of all students. Students improve their abilities and they give important contribution during the CLIL lessons Everyone can help the other students so they encourage the other to improve English. Students understand they must cooperate and help each other so diversity is a wealth. If we switch roles with our foreign students we will give use new perspectives .They are allowed to teach something to us and to their classmates .In this way they become the protagonist of their learning process. On the other way their classmates see them from another viewpoint and become more respectful of differences and eager to learn much more about their new friends and their linguistic and cultural capital. I believe CLIL methodology implements Nell’s ideas. The integration of content and language puts our students in touch with languages without requiring more hours of lessons and putting all pupils on the same starting level.

Doina

doinacta — 2018-10-25 18:40:03 UTC

I agree with her and I am happy to discover that other teachers in other countries us that switching roles method

Oana

2018-10-25 20:32:23 UTC

When embracing cultural and linguistic diversity you open yourself to new challenges and make your students to feel like they belong to your class. This way, no one may feel excluded.

Vincenzo M. Italy

2018-10-26 12:48:25 UTC

In each class there should be no differences due to language problems.

Caterina Italy

caterina_vitali75 — 2018-10-26 12:50:45 UTC

I'm totally agree wth Nell, multilingualism is the realty, 'to switch the roles' is a powerful strategy to adopt.

Marianthi Arvanitidou -greece

1canislupus22 — 2018-10-26 14:09:39 UTC

I agree and I think that student must feel comfortable.

Jeane de Fatima, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

2018-10-26 14:12:42 UTC

I participated in Webinar 09/26/18
It was a fantastic experience with the exchange of experiences
This creation was very interesting

2018-10-29 13:50:19 UTC

I am totally agree with nell’s analysis

Debora. Italy.

2018-10-29 15:44:09 UTC

I agree with her. Especially when she suggests an effort to belong. I am sure that the process of operating in a multilingual classroom therefore facilitates effective learning practices.

Tamar Georgia

2018-10-29 18:14:59 UTC

Yes I agree with Nell's analysis. Pair studying will be benefit

Jolana

2018-10-30 13:56:29 UTC

I agree.

Nicoleta, I m agree with Nell s analysis...it s a very good ideea to change the roll with your students...

bnicoleta2003 — 2018-10-30 18:51:33 UTC

Marina A., Croati

marina_antolkovic — 2018-10-30 20:26:48 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis. As I already mentioned, and Nell talks about it too, students have the opportunity to become teachers in these situations, and teachers can in their new role show some of their own learning strategies, which can in turn encourage students to develop an interest for a new language, new subject, new field. I hope to find examples of this as this course continues.

Salih Türkiye

2018-11-12 22:13:33 UTC

Absolutely I agree

Azra S

2018-11-13 14:11:18 UTC

I agree with Nell's analysis

Donatella Passiatore, ItalyI teach Design and History of Art in a scientific high school and often I find myself working with foreign students. In some classes I have proposed an activity like "Professor for a day" and I invite some passionate students of the English language, with my guide, to prepare sometimes lessons of History of Art on topics of reduced content in English or Spanish and in collaboration with language teachers. Students participate more enthusiastically and thus develop a greater sense of belonging in the class group and in the "teacher and learner relationship" "of teaching the teacher" new teaching strategies.

2018-11-14 13:48:53 UTC

Adela Gabriela Muresan

muresan_gabriela_adela — 2018-12-05 18:16:23 UTC

Absolutely I agree..

Nurten

mertberil55 — 2018-12-26 20:07:21 UTC

Iagree

Suzzane , Jorda

2019-04-12 22:38:01 UTC

I totally AGREE

Kristina,

jakic_kristina — 2019-06-04 18:12:50 UTC

Kristina, Croatia

jakic_kristina — 2019-06-04 18:12:51 UTC

I totally agree with Nell`s analysis.

Luisa

2019-09-18 16:57:58 UTC

Yes, of course! Who is not agree with her! Teaching Technology and Informatic in First Level of Secondary School, I have to use English as official language of Informatic. My students knows there is no chance! Anyway, they can amuse during "hour code" giving creativity.

2021-02-23 21:25:00 UTC

Embracing cultural and linguistic diversity is really important for promoting integration and inclusion of all students. Students improve their ab