What is plurilingual wellbeing? Are teachers fully aware of their own languages? What relationship do teachers have with their own languages? Does this relationship affect how they then teach languages?
Our project “Fostering the plurilingual wellbeing of language teachers” will help teachers develop their own plurilingual wellbeing which we describe as recognising and valuing the potential of each person’s own language repertoire and how we use our languages to interact positively within our personal and professional contexts. By doing this we shall be generating linguistically and culturally ‘safe’ collaborative spaces which enable language awareness and visibility through recognition and valorisation of all languages. We shall also be contributing towards a more positive plurilingual approach to learning and teaching by understanding that language competence is dynamic and that all languages can be beneficial pedagogical tools for learning languages. By acknowledging and redefining our own emotions with regard to language learning experiences and language teaching, we shall be working on language awakening and sensitivity and ultimately on the teacher’s ability to take action towards developing her own plurilingual repertoire and competence.
And how will we do this?
By designing tools and resources with teachers and for teachers that can help them develop their own plurilingual wellbeing. Our next step is to bring in-service teachers on board and together we shall start working!
Caterina Sugranyes (project coordinator), Kaaren Aaroe, Gerit Jaritz, Mary Latisha
The project "Fostering the plurilingual wellbeing of language teachers" (2024-2026) is one of the eight projects conducted within the framework of the& ECML Programme 2024-2027 "Language education at the heart of democracy". The current programme focuses primarily on activities to support and further develop the wellbeing, resilience and competences of all those working in the field, so that they in turn can empower their learners. In this way, it aims to transform language education into a vibrant force at the core of democratic ideals.