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    Pluriliteracies for global citizenship
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Deepening Learning in the Foreign Language Classroom

Our project explores how foreign language classrooms can actively promote global citizenship. Our goal is to develop practical resources that help teachers apply the pluriliteracies framework—an approach that supports deeper learning. By doing so, we aim to create inclusive classrooms where students engage critically with global issues while developing essential language skills.

Why this project matters:

Foreign language education is evolving, and so are the challenges facing our students. Post-COVID, experts agree that language learning needs go beyond communicative competence. We propose a deeper learning approach that empowers students to navigate today’s world as informed, responsible global citizens.

In an era shaped by artificial intelligence, misinformation, and social division, language teachers play a crucial role in preparing students for these challenges. The language classroom has the potential to become:

  • A space for meaningful discussions—where students explore global issues from multiple perspectives, developing the critical thinking skills needed to understand complex, culturally charged topics.
  • A place for critical literacy—where learners analyze how language shapes discourse and influences audiences, helping them recognize and resist misinformation.
  • An inclusive environment—where all students, regardless of background or ability, feel valued and supported in their learning journey.

This approach opens up exciting new ways to teach both literary and non-fiction texts—including social media, film, and TV shows—to foster empathy and respect. By engaging with diverse viewpoints, students learn to communicate with and understand those who see the world differently, yet with whom they share responsibility.

Our mission is to empower language teachers as change agents and transform the language classroom into a hub for global citizenship—a place where students don’t just learn a language but use it to navigate and shape the world around them.

The 4Rs of the language-as-discipline classroom

In the language-as-discipline classroom, deeper learning becomes a reality when teachers and learners engage in learning partnerships to conceptualise, communicate, and connect with each other in profound ways to understand and argue global issues, translating their insights into local actions that address these imperatives (Graz Group 24).

Pluriliteracies for Global Citizenship focuses on a core methodology known as the '4Rs': Reading, Repositioning, Reflecting, and Responding. This pedagogical approach is designed to engage students with complex and controversial global issues through a multi-faceted lens:

Critical “Reading” serves as the foundation, where students explore a wide range of plurimodal texts and text types (from TikTok-videos to NYTimes-articles) that introduce them to diverse narratives and perspectives.

Repositioning builds on this by contrasting these texts with others that may present conflicting viewpoints, enriching students’ understanding of the subject matter from multiple points of view/angles. This will help learners understand how language is used to shape discourses and how it impacts audiences. This is vital for learners to develop critical literacy skills that will protect them from misinformation and manipulation.

Reflecting is the third phase, where students analyse and evaluate what they have learned, examining their own positions and biases. In this stage, a new culture of arguing for deeper understanding is fostered, where learners explore workable solutions and common ground, which is central to enriching dialogue and broadening perspectives. This stage is crucial for cultivating empathic understanding and compassion, defined as the ability to deeply comprehend and emotionally connect with someone else's experiences and problems.

The final R, Responding, transitions students from global awareness to local action. This stage emphasizes the practical application of their insights, enabling students to see the relevance of global issues in their own lives and communities. By encouraging actions such as counter-texting or community involvement, students are empowered to make a tangible impact, bridging the gap between understanding and action.

Through the 4Rs, we aim to develop critical literacies, cultural consciousness, textual and epistemic fluency. This will not only foster empathy and compassion but also equip students with the skills necessary to contribute positively to their own well-being, their communities and the wider world. This approach ensures that they become proactive participants in their societies, ready to address challenges with both empathy and informed action, thus strengthening the democratic fabric of diverse global societies.