Multilingual Education and India

Assessment of the progress that children make in learning can be a hot topic. For government officials it can be something they are held accountable to, for parents it can make them evaluate the school and even more important: for teachers it can help them know how well the children are doing. But little is known on how to do assessment in a multilingual classroom. This new publication with guidelines is therefore more than welcome, especially because it is based on real classroom experiences and founded in solid theoretical frameworks. It is a good start as I am sure much more will be learned over the coming years as the reality of multilingual classrooms is more embraced! The UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office have released the document "Guidance for the Classroom-Based Assessment of Multilingual Learners: Assessing Languages, Literacies, and Learning across the Curriculum."   This publication is designed to empower multilingu...

Student assessment is a hot topic in the education world. With multiple languages being used in the classroom, assessment practices need to be adjusted. In a recent webinar Carol Benson challenged us all to design student assessments in a  multilingual way.  As she does not only talk about the theory but also gives practical examples it is definitely worth listening to! The National Consortium on Multilingual Education in India hosted their third talk in their Multilingual Education (MLE) series on the 3rd of December. The topic was “ Assessing Multilingual Learners Multilingually ” by MLE expert Dr. Carol Benson . Dr. Benson is an Associate Professor in Columbia University(Education and Literacy) and also the founder  and Director of MLE International, which works on L1 based Multilingual Education.  The talk primarily focused on innovative approaches to assessing multilingual learners, with a particular emphasis on fostering metalinguistic awareness and assessing m...

When talking about using local languages in the classroom, we usually think of the 3 Rs: Reading, wRiting and aRithmetics, But Dr Vishal Sharma builds a strong case for also teaching Science and Technology in the language the child is most familiar with. This will change the learning from reproducing scientific facts to creative thinking and production based on deep understanding. The article, Learning Science and Technology in Mother Tongue, published in the Daily Excelsior, explains how teaching complex subjects like science and technology in a child's first language improves cognitive development, critical thinking, and cultural rootedness. The article uses global examples, insights from cognitive science, and Indian policy initiatives to make a compelling case for the use of the children's native language. The piece emphasises that learning Science and Technology in one's mother tongue strengthens conceptual understanding and reduces cognitive overload. Studies by exper...