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    Young children's language learning pathways
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    Reflective tools for teachers and educators

Young children’s language learning pathways

Reflective tools for teachers and educators

Introducing reflection on your language experiences, practice, and context

As teachers and educators, we have an important role to play in supporting the language learning pathways of the children in our classroom or setting. We can do this by reflecting on the language or languages we know, our attitudes towards languages, the role of languages in our education setting and our pedagogical approaches. Languages play an important role in and for learning. 

Our societies are increasingly diverse and multilingual – we, as well as the children we work with, may speak languages other than the language(s) of the education system. It is important that we create and promote a language-rich environment where we acknowledge, value, and support the linguistic and cultural diversity of all the children we work with. As educators, we can support diverse language learning pathways by creating safe and inclusive learning environments where children are encouraged to embrace their linguistic and cultural identity and develop their language skills through activities that promote learning and that encourage active engagement.

Do we, as teachers and educators, see language diversity as a strength or a challenge?

Do we consider multilingualism as an asset or a deficit?

Are we aware of the fact that our own knowledge of attitudes towards languages can influence our teaching and the language learning experience of the children?

How can we support and promote language learning in our educational settings and communities?

What opportunities are there for children to use and learn languages other than the language of the education system?

How can we provide opportunities for all the children to engage with different languages and cultures?

And how does this align with our curricular frameworks and local, national, and international policies?

Reflective toolkit

PALINGUI invites you to reflect on different aspects of your professional practice and the educational context in which you work: the classroom, the school or educational setting but also the wider educational framework, and how this can contribute to making children’s language learning pathways visible. This reflective toolkit encourages you to think critically about your own views on language use and the teaching of languages and to help you develop strategies for making language learning pathways visible through observation, assessment, and documentation. 

    A
My languages and Reflecting on languages
   B
The children
in my class
and school
   E
My teaching
approaches
   C
My class-
room and
school
context
   D
My educational
framework

Please click onto an area for details

My languages and Reflecting on languages

Exploring the languages you speak and know and reflecting on beliefs and attitudes towards language use in the classroom.

Download Tool A (1)
Download Tool B (2)
The children in my class and school

Exploring and reflecting on the languages the children in your class or school use or speak, and how these are evaluated.

Download Tool B
My classroom and school context

Exploring and reflecting on the languages used in the classroom and the school context and how these relate to the languages the children use.

Download Tool C
My educational framework

Exploring and reflecting on the role that languages play in your educational framework at local and national level.

Download Tool D
My teaching approaches

Exploring your teaching approaches and how these can be used to support the language learning pathways of all the children in your setting.

Download Tool E