From the awareness on plurilingual competence to one study in Portugal revealing some inclusive achievements

Abstract

In this work, studies devoted to understanding connections between plurilingual competence and cognitive processes (Adescope et al., 2010; EC, 2009) are delineated to provide a theoretical justification for developing an educational approach to foster language learning, student inclusiveness and teacher collaboration. Such an approach is investigated – within socio-constructivist traditions – through an empirical study in one school in Portugal, in which Science is taught/learnt using both English and Portuguese. Plurilingualism has been subjected to misconceptions over time but research highlights that plurilingual competence (an important goal for European citizens and their lifelong learning) might be associated with cognitive, relational, cultural and professional advantages and that teacher awareness on features of learning, student needs and the importance of developing strategies to welcome cognitive styles and promote plurilingual practices is fundamental. To cultivate this, the CLIL approach (Content and Language Integrated Learning, cf. Coyle, Hood and Marsh) seems to be adequate, since it may allow, among others: 1. cross-curricular integration; 2. collaboration between/with teachers; 3. higher exposure to foreign languages (Escobar Urmeneta, 2013); 4. teacher empowerment; 5. awareness of learner linguistic heterogeneity (Wolff, 2012). This work is an exploratory study to later develop a descriptive-explanatory case study – the integration of Science education and English/Portuguese use and learning in a CLIL-type programme provided in one Portuguese middle school and involving Science and English teachers. Aiming to characterize the context whereby the inclusive features described above might be cultivated and to explore participants’ perceptions about languages and subject contextualization/communication, data have been derived from teacher interviews, student questionnaire, non-structured observations of classroom practices and lesson planning. Preliminary results show that students see their participation in this programme as a possibility of internationalization for better chances in the future; moreover, English is voluntarily chosen in performances involving Science discourse development by some learners who perceive it as less complex than the Portuguese language. Teachers report a greater interaction in CLIL classes as opposed to non-CLIL classes, when students are engaged in activities such as debates; similarly, the use of non-conventional strategies functions as an activator for different learning styles. An overall initiative has been observed in the way teachers plan suitable lessons, working collaboratively in team and with experts for scaffolding and fostering the learning process and increasing the communication/collaboration with parents. It is thus a learning process for both teachers and students. As advocated by Beacco et al. (2010), this CLIL-type programme can be developed as a possible plural approach for plurilingual and intercultural education. Further reflections will open up to the role of L1/L2 in these settings and how languages and cultures of Science education can promote Foreign Languages use and learning.