Cross-language Mediation in Foreign Language Teaching and Testing


Book Description

This book contributes to the growing field of foreign language teaching and testing by shedding light on mediation between languages. Focusing on cross-language mediation as translanguaging practice, the book explores what mediation entails, the processes involved and the challenges mediators face.




Cross-Language Mediation in Foreign Language Teaching and Testing


Book Description

This book contributes to the growing field of foreign language teaching and testing by shedding light on mediation between languages. Stathopoulou offers an empirically-grounded definition of mediation as a form of translanguaging and offers tools and methods for further research in multilingual testing. The book explores what cross-language mediation entails, what processes and strategies are involved, and the challenges often faced by mediators. As well as stressing the importance of administering tests which favour cross-language mediation practices, the author encourages the implementation of language programmes which promote the mingling-of-languages idea and target the development of language learners’ effective translanguaging practices. Researchers studying translanguaging, multilingualism, multilingual testing and the use of mother tongue in the foreign language classroom will all find this book of interest.




Mediation as Negotiation of Meanings, Plurilingualism and Language Education


Book Description

Bringing together the voices of a diverse group of scholars and language professionals, this edited collection, concerned with the cultivation of plurilingualism in multilingual educational settings, builds on the theory and practice of linguistic and cultural mediation both as curricular content and social practice. The chapters view mediation as an important aspect of communication which involves dynamic, purposeful interactivity, implicating social agents in the negotiation and construction of socially situated meanings across different languages and within the same language. Theoretically informed chapters present views on mediation as well as contributors’ research and project outcomes in educational interventions. They also describe how mediation has been incorporated in educational practices and how it materialises in social contexts. Ultimately, this book makes the case for why mediation constitutes a key competence to be developed for active global and local citizenry in today’s societies where there is an increased rate of knowledge acquisition and exchange. Presenting research from classrooms and other multilingual environments, this book offers concrete suggestions for the development of language users/learners’ ability to mediate within and across languages. It will appeal to scholars, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of language and education, education policy and politics, bilingualism and plurilingualism more generally. Curriculum designers may also find the volume of use.




Teachers as Mediators in the Foreign Language Classroom


Book Description

This book uses examples of classroom interaction to reveal how teachers of languages act as intercultural mediators and the implications of this for practice. The book offers an account of what teachers are thinking, feeling and doing as they enact an intercultural perspective on language teaching and learning.




Adaptable English Language Teaching


Book Description

In an age of rapid technological transformation and evolving teaching settings, the ELT community must adapt to the needs of emerging situations and a diverse range of learners. Adaptable English Language Teaching addresses this need by bringing together contributions from renowned scholars around the world with insights on all major areas of English language teaching with an emphasis on adaptability—of teaching method, context, skills, and priorities. Organized around an innovative past-present-future structure, chapters offer methods, strategies, and perspectives that are adaptable to any difficult or under-resourced context. It delves into engaging through online applications, understanding emerging trends in computer-assisted language learning and teaching, and the implementation of virtual classroom and multimodality in ELT. Given its multifaceted focus, this book will provide ELT practitioners, trainers, trainees, and researchers with invaluable insights and research findings to effectively navigate and adapt to emerging circumstances.




Migration and Language Education in Southern Europe


Book Description

The entry of migrant populations to Europe, and especially to countries of Southern Europe, is expected to drastically change the make-up of state school classes as learners of various ages, ethnic backgrounds, and mother tongues are going to co-exist within the same educational setting. In Greece, in particular, the landscape of education has already started changing as a significant number of immigrant students have joined mainstream classrooms. This volume maps this new educational reality and its challenges, as Greek teachers are required, with very limited training and resources, to address those students’ educational and socio-emotional needs. All chapters are authored by Greek researchers who are actively involved in the study of refugees’ and immigrants’ education, their needs, and their educational, linguistic and political rights. Despite the fact that education for immigrants and refugees has become the focus of much research on a global level, the ongoing rapid rise of immigrant populations in Southern Europe has not been adequately researched. This book consequently meets the need for further research and empirical studies in this field.







Comparative Studies in Bilingualism and Bilingual Education


Book Description

This volume reports on bilingual practices in contemporary societies in a number of European and non-European countries. The topics discussed here include language use and language learning in a bilingual context, issues in bilingual education, the use of language in the linguistic landscape, language and the media, language perceptions, language use and attitudes, and the use of language as a vantage point for the study of social change. This book captures the various different approaches and viewpoints on bilingualism by researchers who have focused on contexts such as Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden and the USA. Of the 17 chapters here, five deal with aspects of bilingualism in Malta, which, in view of its minuscule size but complex language use, offers itself as an excellent laboratory for the scientific study of bilingualism.




Assessment of Plurilingual Competence and Plurilingual Learners in Educational Settings


Book Description

This book addresses contemporary issues in the assessment of plurilingual competence and plurilingual learners. Offering theoretical and practical lenses, it contributes towards an integrated and holistic assessment of plurilingual competence and plurilingual learners. The book provides both theoretical considerations and empirical approaches around how the specificities of plurilingual learners can be considered when assessing their various competences. It covers topics relating to learners in a variety of plurilingual settings: from the education of adult immigrants, assessment of young refugees and assessment of students in school and university, to the assessment of plurilingual competence in foreign language education. Showcasing a wide range of international authors, the book provides cutting-edge research in the domain of multilingual foreign, second and heritage language assessment, and assessment of content knowledge of plurilingual students. It bridges the gap between the fields of language policies and practices, research on plurilingual competence, and assessment in language education. Providing new insights into a crucial and contentious issue, this volume will be an essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of educational language policies, applied linguistics and multilingualism, in particular those involved in the assessment of plurilingual competence.




Exploring Translation in Language Learning


Book Description

This book provides a historical overview of approaches to translation in language education. It explores the functions and scope of translation in the L2 classroom. Translation, as a valid resource and an indispensable skill in today's multilingual communication, should become an integral element of contemporary foreign language learning.