Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Language Education Through Plurilingualism: Linking the Theory into Practice

Abstract

Linguistic and cultural diversity is inherent in many societies around the world and, despite its importance, this diversity is typically neglected in many educational settings. In the field of language education, the historical prevalence of the monolingual theoretical framework has corroborated with the notion that learners should attain language proficiency based on the native speaker model, which has been mistakenly used as reference for language development. Due to the limitations of this framework, students’ knowledge of languages and cultures have often been underused and devalued. To address issues of diversity in language education, including heritage language programs, plurilingualism is an alternative framework that can be used to teach languages while respecting and encouraging this diversity. The aim of this chapter is to link the theory of plurilingualism to its practice by exploring empirical studies that have followed a plurilingual framework, with focus on the extent to which the theory is represented in practical terms. This chapter also raises fundamental issues – such as the prevalence of monolingual and neoliberal ideologies – that need further exploration in research so that knowledge about plurilingual education in different geographical locations and educational contexts can be advanced.