Multilingual approaches in the classroom – a panel discussion

Day two of the British Council’s World Teachers Day conference focused on multilingualism in the classroom. Speakers highlighted that diverse classrooms necessitate multilingual approaches, asserting that rejecting students’ home languages is linguistic injustice. Teachers need a “multilingual mindset” to facilitate learning, not necessarily speak all languages. They can leverage peer support and make informed decisions on when other languages can aid understanding, especially for complex concepts. While challenges exist, like “English-only” policies and teacher discomfort, technology and AI offer significant support through translation tools and making materials accessible, fostering inclusive and effective language learning.