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MuLiPEC: Developing multilingual pedagogies in Early Childhood

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  • Research team: Claudine Kirsch (PI), Katja Andersen, Simone Mortini, Laurence Di Letizia, Gabrijela Aleksić (from September 2017)
  • Duration: May 2016-April 2019 
  • Funding: Fonds National de la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l'Enfance et de la Jeunesse

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MuLiPEC research team (from left): Katja Andersen, Gabrijela Aleksić, Claudine Kirsch, Simone Mortini

 

Project summary

Calls for multilingual pedagogies have reached early childhood education and some multilingual programmes have been implemented in Europe. However, many programmes continue to be based on monolingual ideologies and, therefore, their focus frequently remains on the majority language. The project MuLiPEC addressed the need for the development of multilingual pedagogies in early childhood education in Luxembourg. To this end, the research team offered a professional development (PD) path to preschool teachers (formal education sector) and caretakers working with 2- to 5-year olds in the non-formal education sector (e.g. crèches). The aims of the research project consisted of analysing the influence of the PD on the practitioners’ attitudes, knowledge, and practices; comparing practices across settings; and investigating the influence of multilingual practices on children.

The integrated model of PD included a 15-hour course attended by 46 participants in the summer of 2016 as well as coaching and six network meetings offered to a subset of seven PD participants from September 2016 to September 2017. These seven teachers and educators worked in a preschool, an éducation précoce, a crèche and a maison relais pour enfants (day-care centre), respectively. The PD addressed perspectives of multilingualism, theories of language learning, pedagogical principles, activities with books, rhymes and songs in multiple languages, and language-supporting strategies.

The project used quantitative methods (i.e. a survey done prior to and after the PD) and qualitative ones. The researchers observed the professionals, video-recorded activities, asked the professionals to video-record activities themselves, and regularly interviewed the practitioners. Simone Mortini, the PhD candidate, focused on the children in the four institutions and investigated the languaging practices and the agency of eight children over the course of one academic year. The analysis of the quantitative data drew on content analysis, paired samples t-test and correlational analysis whilst the qualitative data were analysed with thematic analysis and a socio-cultural perspective of conversation analysis.

The findings from the questionnaires completed by 44 participants before and after the PD, show that the course positively influenced the practitioners’ knowledge about multilingualism and language learning, their attitudes towards translanguaging and home languages, as well as their interest in organising activities in children’s home languages. The longitudinal study carried out with seven practitioners provided further details. The findings from the observations, interviews, and the questionnaire (administered at three time points) indicate that these professionals developed a positive stance towards translanguaging, learned to design a child-centred multilingual learning environment, and implemented activities in languages other than the institutional ones. Their languaging practices included translating, ‘home languaging’ and translanguaging, thus, using semiotic resources flexibly and fluidly. The flexible language use facilitated communication and promoted the children’s participation, language learning and well-being. There were differences across the settings. The practitioners in the formal sector as well as in the crèche designed a more holistic multilingual learning environment compared to the caretakers in the day care centre who needed more time to move away from monolingual ideologies and learn how to plan child-centred activities. All practitioners but especially the former, used a range of language-supportive strategies in Luxembourgish, French and home languages, in daily routine activities, storytelling and focused language activities. Furthermore, the practitioners in the formal sector translanguaged more strategically than those in the non-formal sector. These differences are related to the practitioners’ views of multilingualism and their ability to monitor children’s linguistic needs, which are mediated by their own experience of multilingualism and qualification. Finally, the professionals’ translanguaging stance and multilingual practices propelled children’s language-based agency. Their agentic behaviour moved on a continuum from ‘participatory’ to ‘controlling agency’, reflecting both the differing languaging practices and pedagogies, and children’s personal backgrounds.

The project MuLiPEC contributes to knowledge production as it is one of few that demonstrates the positive influence of a PD on ECEC professionals’ multilingual practices and provides insights into translanguaging pedagogies and children’s language-based agentic behaviour in a multilingual context.

 

Videos of language learning practices (original and subtitles in French)

This series of 12 videos illustrates, firstly, the ways in which teachers, educators and children use their multilingual repertoire in daily routines and activities (e.g. play time, breakfast time), and secondly, the ways in which the adults organise activities built on stories and rhymes to develop Luxembourgish, familiarise children with French or German, and build on their home languages. The practices have been filmed in 2017 in a nursery class, a précoce, a crèche and a Maison Relais pour Enfants.

Watch the videos on Youtube: Videos of language learning practices

 
Sproochen am Alldag an engem Précoce
 
Sprooche mat Geschichten a Reimer am Précoce
 
Sproochen am Alldag an engem C1
 
Sprooche mat Geschichten a Reimer am C1
 
Sproochen am Alldag an enger Crèche
 
Les langues au quotidien dans une crèche
 
Sprooche mat Geschichten a Reimer Crèche
 
Développer les langues à l’aide d’histoires et de rimes dans une crèche
 
Sproochen am Dialog mat den Elteren Crèche
 
Les langues et le dialogue avec les parents dans une crèche
 
Sproochen am Alldag an enger Maison Relais
 
Les langues au quotidien dans une Maison Relais

Excerpts of languaging (subtitles in English)

The following 10 short videos are excerpts of the videos on language learning practices. They illustrate promising practice in formal and non-formal early years settings and focus either on adults or on children. All videos illustrate flexible language use across several languages and emphasise the role of interactions.

Watch the videos on Youtue: Excerpts of languaging

 
Flexible language use during the morning circle
 
Multilingual interactions during lunch time
 
Multilingual storytelling
 
Listening to the parents’ recordings on iTEO
 
Peer-teaching
 
Collaborative retelling of a story
 
Dialogic reading in French
 
Recording stories on iTEO
 
Collaborative book reading
 
Storytelling and rhyming

 

 

Multilingualism in the press, on radio and television

  • Reportage: Positiv Etude iwwer Méisprochegkeet an de Crèchen - RTL Journal, 3,6.2019
  • Reportage: Interview Vanessa Schetgen - Claudine Kirsch: Méisproochegkeet  - Zeitschrift école et vie 2018 (1)
  • Reportage: D‘Realitéit an eise Schoulen ass de Beweis dofir, wéi komplex d‘Sproochesituatioun zu Lëtzebuerg wierklech ass. Wéi gestalt sech de fréikandleche Kontakt mat der Méisproochegkeet? - Moien, 12.06.2018
  • Reportage: Éducation : le défi du multilinguisme dès le préscolaire - Le quotidien, 04.05.2018
  • Interview: Staark Kanner – RTL Télé, 08.02.2018
  • Reportage: How plurilingual crèches could impact children's development – Luxemburger Wort, 17.07.2017
  • Reportage: Von Zielen und Methoden – Journal, 27.04.2017
  • Reportage: Nicht nur Luxemburgisch – Revue, 23.11.2016
  • Reportage: Wege aus dem sprachlichen Wildwuchs  –  Luxemburger Wort, 16.11.2016
  • Reportage: Früh übt sich – Revue, 07.03.2016
  • Reportage: Die Wichtigkeit des Vorlesens - RTL Radio, 31.01.2017
  • Reportage: Méisproochegkeet - eng Erausfuerderung fir Crèchen - RTL Télé, 23.01.1017
  • Interview: D'Sproochepolitik iwwerdenken? Ëmmer manner Kanner schwätzen doheem Lëtzebuergesch. D'Resultater vun der Pisa-Etude an den nationale Bildungsmonitoring weisen, dass d'Sproochepolitik am Enseignement muss iwwerduecht ginn. Wéi ginn d'Schoulkanner am Beschten op déi komplex Sproochesituatioun preparéiert? Dëst steet a Riicht eraus zur Debatt. Invité beim Maxi Pesch sinn den Educatiounsminister Claude Meisch (DP), d’Deputéiert Martine Hansen (CSV), d'Neurowëssenschaftlerin Sonja Ugen an d'Sproochfuerscherin Claudine Kirsch - Radio 100,7, 17. Dezember 2016
  • Interview: Méisproochegkeet an der fréier Kandheet mit den Forschern Annick De Houwer, Argyro Panagiotopoulou, Sascha Neumann, Claudine Kirsch und Claudia Seele anlässlich der Konferenz Mehrsprachigkeit in der frühen Kindheit: Ideologien und Praxis (Universität Luxemburg, 13. Oktober 2016) - Radio 100,7, 13. Oktober 2016

Conferences & workshops (2016-2021)

 

  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Opening minds to translanguaging pedagogies: perspectives and practices of professionals in early childhood education and primary school., Keynote. Paper presented at Beyond Multilingualism: Translanguaging in Education, 09.11.2021. Basel, Switzerland.
  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Die Pädagogik des Translanguaging: Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen. Paper presented at 16. Fachtagung Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DAZ) Pädagogische Hochschule Graubünden, 20.3.2021, Pädagogische Hochschule Graubünden, Switzerland.
  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Die Pädagogik des Translanguaging: Weitere Beispiele und Handlungsanweisungen in Vorschulen und Klassen 1 und 2. Workshop. 16. Fachtagung Deutsch als Zweitsprache, 20.3.202, Graubünden, Switzerland.
  • Professional development to promote innovative language teaching: Examples from multilingual Luxembourg – keynote by Claudine Kirsch, at the conference Teachers and teacher educators: Education and professional development for early language learning, University of Basel, Switzerland (Virtual conference), 12.-14.11. 2020, University of Lisbon, Portugal
  • Opening Minds to a Translanguaging Pedagogy: Perspectives from Nursery and Primary Teachers in Luxemburg – keynote by Claudine Kirsch at the conference Beyond Multilingualism Translanguaging in Education, 2.11.2020, University of Basel, Switzerland (Virtual conference)
  • Bildungspartnerschaften in Crèches in Luxemburg: Erfahrungen, Erwartungen und Wünsche – keynote by Claudine Kirsch, Sascha Neumann & Gabrijela Aleksić at the virtual conference Collaboration avec les parents et littéracies plurilingues , 9.10.2020, SNJ and University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Implementing multilingual practices in ECEC: experiences from educators in professional development courses in Luxembourg accepted abstract by Claudine Kirsch, for the conference ECER, 26-28 August 2020, Glasgow, Scotland. (Conference cancelled)
  • Collaboration between Home and Crèches: Perspectives, experiences and expectations of educators in Luxembourg accepted abstract by Claudine Kirsch and Gabrijela Aleksić, for the conference ECER, 26.-28.8.2020, Glasgow, Scotland. (Conference cancelled)
  • From language policy to educational practices: early multilingual education in Luxembourg accepted abstract by Claudia Seele and Claudine Kirsch, for the conference International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA), 9.-14.8.2020, Groningen, the Netherlands. (Conference cancelled)
  • Developing multiliteracies in early years education in Luxembourg abstract by Claudine Kirsch and Claudia Seele, accepted for the conference International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA), 9.-14.8.2020, Groningen, the Netherlands. (Conference cancelled)
  • Die Pädagogik des Translanguaging – Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen – keynote by Claudine Kirsch at the 16. Fachtagung Deutsch als Zweitsprache’. DAZ-Lernende stärken – Möglichkeiten und Chancen durch Mehrsprachigkeitsdidaktik und Translanguaging, 14.3.2020, Pädagogische Hochschule Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland (Conference replaced with online materials)
  • Developing Multilingual Pedagogies in Early Childhood: a review of the project MuLiPEC - paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 27.11.2019 at the conference ‘Multilingualism in early childhood’, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Changes of Early Years Practitioners’ Perspectives on Multilingual Education through Professional Development in Luxembourg - paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 4.9.2019 at the ECER, University of Hamburg, GermanyTranslanguaging as a strategy and pedagogy in a primary and preschool in Luxembourg - paper presented by Claudine Kirsch, Sarah Degano and Simone Mortini, on 1.7.2019 at the conference The various guises of translanguaging, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
  • The Effect of Professional Development on Multilingual Education in Early Childhood in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch, Gabrijela Aleksič, Simone Mortini, Katja Andersen on 15.5.2019 at the conference ‘Multilingual Childhoods: Education, policy and practice’, Hamar, Norway
  • Preschool teachers’ language-supporting strategies in multilingual education in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 16.5.2019 at the conference Multilingual Childhoods: Education, policy and practice, Hamar, Norway
  • The Influence of Professional Development on Early Years Teachers’ and Educators’ Attitudes and Practices in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 9.4.2019 at the conference AERA, Toronto
  • Young children’s developing multilingual repertoires and languaging in a preschool in Luxembourg – paper presented by Simone Mortini, on 25.3.2019, 2nd International Conference on Bilingualism, Malta
  • Developing multilingual pedagogies in early childhood. Ergebnisse des Projekts MuLiPEC: Perspektiven der Fachkräfte und pädagogische Praxis – talk by Claudine Kirsch at the Interkulturelle Bildung. Ringvorlesung on 15.1.2019, University of Hamburg
  • The influence of a professional development on teachers’ and carers’ multilingual practices in early childhood education in Luxembourg  - paper presented by Claudine Kirsch, Gabrijela Aleksić and Katja Andersen on 8.11.2018, LUXERA, University of Luxembourg, 8.-9.11.2018
  • Children’s languaging and peer interactions in non-formal early childhood education in Luxembourg - paper presented  by Simone Mortini on 9.11.2018, LUXERA, University of Luxembourg, 8.-9.11.2018   
  • Reflexionen zu einem dynamischen Sprachgebrauch in formalen und non-formalen Bildungseinrichtungen in Luxemburg: Wie, wann und wieso greifen Erwachsene und Kinder auf Translanguaging zurück? – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch and Claudia Seele on 27.9.2018, International Workshop Inclusion, Education, and Translanguaging: How to Promote Social Justice in (Teacher) Education? Köln, Germany, 27.-28.9.2020
  • Practitioners’ and a Child’s Perspectives on Translanguaging in an Early Years Setting in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch and Simone Mortini on 06.08.2018, ECER, The European Conference on Educational Research, Bolzano, Italy, 4.-7.8.2018
  • Inclusive multilingual pedagogies in a preschool in Luxembourg – paper presented by Simone Mortini on 4.8.2018, ECER, The European Conference on Educational Research, Bolzano, Italy, 4.-7.8.2018
  • Becoming agents of change: how early-years practitioners in Luxembourg transformed a monolingual environment into a multilingual one – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 30.8.2018, EECERA Annual conference ‘Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities’ Budapest, Hungary, 28.-31.8.2018
  • Zusammenarbeit mit den Eltern und Valorisieren der Familiensprachen mit der App iTEO – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 26.6.2018, Conférence sur l'éducation plurilingue de la petite enfance, Forum Geesseknäppchen, Luxembourg
  • Empowering young children through multilingual practices: a case-study of a crèche in Luxembourg – paper presented by Simone Mortini on 2.6.2018 at the conference Crossroads of Languages and Cultures, University of Rethymnon, Crete
  • Developing multilingual pedagogies in the early years in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 2.6.2018 at the conference Crossroads of Languages and Cultures, University of Rethymnon, Crete
  • "Education plurilingue" in Luxemburg: Perspektiven der Fachkräfte und pädagogische Praxis in Vorschulen und einer crèche – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 28.4.2018 at the conference "Lieft Aer Sproochen!" Mehrsprachige LehrerInnen und ErzieherInnen als wichtige Akteure für gelingende mehrsprachige Bildung, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Mehrsprachige Bildung in Luxemburg: Möglichkeiten und Herausforderungen – paper presented by Sascha Neumann and Claudine Kirsch on 26.4.2018 at the conference Mehrsprachige Bildung in formalen und non-formalen Bildungsinstitutionen, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Developing language skills in the Early Years in multilingual Luxembourg: an ethnographic study – paper presented by Simone Mortini and Claudine Kirsch on 12.12.2017 at the conference LICE, Cambridge, England
  • Présentation des vidéos réalisées dans le cadre des projets de recherche MuLiPEC et iTEO, 29.11.2017, University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval
  • Inhalte und Ergebnisse einer Fortbildung zur Mehrsprachigkeitspädagogik in der frühen Kindheit – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 23.9.2017 at the Tagung Mehrsprachigkeit in Kita und Schule, Universität Konstanz, Hegne, Germany
  • Perspectives on translanguaging and its practices in early years in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 23.8.2017 at the conference ECER, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Developing language skills in 3-year-olds in multilingual Luxembourg: a case study – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch and Simone Mortini on 24.8.2017 at the conference ECER, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Perspectives on multilingualism, language learning and literacy practices of early yearspractitioners in Luxembourg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 14.6.2017 at the conference ISB11, Limerick, Ireland
  • Capitalising on children’s linguistic repertoire in diverse contexts: practices and challenges – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 5.5.2017 at the Luxembourgish Studies Colloquium Crossing Languages, Crossing Cultures, Sheffield, England
  • Einblicke in die Sprachideologien und Praktiken von Fachkräften in formalen und non-formalen Einrichtungen in Luxemburg – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch, Katja Andersen, Simone Mortini, Laurence Di Letizia on 13.10.2016 at the conference Mehrsprachigkeit in der frühen Kindheit: Ideologien und Praxis, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxemburg
  • Aufbauen auf den mehrsprachigen Ressourcen der Kinder – paper presented by Claudine Kirsch on 7.12.2016 at the Fachtagung Schule für Alle – interkulturelle Schulentwicklung, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, München, Germany

 

Workshops (2016-2010)

  • Die Pädagogik des Translanguaging: Beispiele und Handlungsan­weisungen in Vorschulen und Klassen 1 und 2, material presented online by Claudine Kirsch on 14.3.2020 at the 16. Fachtagung Deutsch als Zweitsprache. DAZ-Lernende stärken – Möglichkeiten und Chancen durch Mehrsprachigkeitsdidaktik und Translanguaging, Pädagogische Hochschule Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland. (Conference replaced with online materials)
  • Sprachen aus Kindern anhand von Geschichten - workshop led by Claudine Kirsch and Simone Mortini on 26.6.2018, Conférence sur l'éducation plurilingue de la petite enfance, Forum Geesseknäppchen, Luxembourg
  • Sprachfördernde Strategien beim Erzählen von Geschichten und beim dialogischen Vorlesen - workshop led by Claudine Kirsch on 19.6.2018, Conférence sur l'éducation plurilingue de la petite enfance, Forum GeesseknäppchenLuxembourg
  • Language-promoting strategies during storytelling and dialog reading- workshop led by Claudine Kirsch on 19.6.2018, Conférence sur l'éducation plurilingue de la petite enfance, Forum GeesseknäppchenLuxembourg
  • Mehrsprachige Pädagogik und Translanguaging: Theorie und Praxisbeispiele - workshop led by Simone Mortini and Sarah Degano on 26.4.2018, at the conference Mehrsprachige Bildung in formalen und non-formalen Bildungsinstitutionen, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Bilderbücher als Medium zum Valorisieren der Familiensprachen im Précoce - workshop led by Katja Andersen, Claudine Reuland and Jessica Ney on 26.4.2018, at the conference Mehrsprachige Bildung in formalen und non-formalen Bildungsinstitutionen, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Storying in einem C1 - workshop led by Claudine Kirsch and Laurence Di Letizia on 26.4.2018, at the conference Mehrsprachige Bildung in formalen und non-formalen Bildungsinstitutionen, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Erzählförderung in verschiedenen Sprachen anhand von Bilderbüchern und Aktivitäten in einer Crèche - workshop led by Claudine Kirsch and Annick Nagel on 26.4.2018, at the conference Mehrsprachige Bildung in formalen und
    non-formalen Bildungsinstitutionen, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
  • Perspectives on Translanguaging as a pedagogy in Luxembourg – presentation by Claudine Kirsch for the team, workshop organized on 10.4.2018 by Prof. García, City University of New York
  • Translanguaging: Eine innovative Lehr- und Lernstrategie in der frühkindlichen Bildung - workshop led by Sarah Degano and Simone Mortini on 24.10.2017 at the 2. Workshop zur Lehr-Lernforschung, University of Luxemburg, Luxembourg
  • Sprache aus den Kindern herauskitzeln: Erzählen, Kollaborieren und Ko-Konstruieren mit digitalen Medien – workshop led by Claudine Kirsch on 30.3.2017 at the day L’Education Plurilingue, Campus Geesseknäppchen, Luxembourg

Expert voices

Prof. Mila Schwartz, Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel

A ‘multilingual context’ could be defined as an environment in which the individual encounters daily communication needs that require the regular use of three or more languages. Such a situation is true for children in early childhood education in Luxembourg where many come from diverse linguistic environments and do not speak Luxembourgish as a home language and. In this context, the project MuLiPEC presents a timely focus on early childhood education in the multilingual environment of Luxembourg. Focusing on the development of multilingual pedagogies and factors influencing teachers' and children’s agency, the project pays attention to empowering practitioners who meet the daily challenges of negotiating the multiple language use in the classroom and addressing children’s diverse linguistic backgrounds.

What makes this project unique? My answer is that it raises the teachers' awareness of the unique needs of children coming from diverse linguistic background alongside the provision of practical tools for supporting heritage and ethnic languages while also ensuring proficiency in mainstream languages. In addition, the project is outstanding because it is inter-disciplinary and brings together educational linguists, educational psychologists, policy-makers and practitioners. Within a wider international framework, the project contributes to the consolidation of multilingual practices in early education. In this way, its outcomes will benefit researchers and educators who are working in different sociolinguistic contexts in multilingual societies.

 

Prof. Drorit Lengyel, Universität Hamburg

Drorit Lengyel ist Professorin für Erziehung und Bildung in multilingualen Kontexten an der Universität Hamburg. Ihr wissenschaftlicher Schwerpunkt liegt auf dem Umgang mit Sprache und Mehrsprachigkeit in frühkindlichen Bildungseinrichtungen und in der Schule. Zudem forscht sie zur Kooperation und Zusammenarbeit zwischen Fachkräften und Eltern.

Professorin Lengyel erklärt, dass in vielen europäischen Ländern, Kinder mit Migrationshintergrund ihre Familiensprachen und kulturellen Orientierungen wie einen Rucksack vor der Tür abstellen müssen und sie diese Repertoires nicht mit in die Einrichtung nehmen können.

„Wir wissen aber aus der Forschung, dass es insbesondere für ihr Wohlbefinden, aber auch für ihre kognitive, sprachliche und emotionale Entwicklung sehr wichtig ist, wenn die Einrichtung ihre sprachlichen Ressourcen und kulturellen Orientierungen, die sie von zuhause mitbringen, aufgreift, wenn sie diese also in den Einrichtungen wiederfinden können, dass diese Ressourcen wertgeschätzt werden und, dass man mit ihnen auch arbeitet.“

„Da wir nicht davon ausgehen können, dass alle Erzieherinnen und Erzieher, alle Lehrkräfte über all die Sprachen und Orientierungen verfügen, ist einer der vielversprechenden Wege, die Eltern ins Boot zu holen. Das bedeutet also eine Zusammenarbeit, Kooperation mit den Eltern, um diese Wertschätzung und diese Ressourcenorientierung überhaupt leisten zu können. Und ein sehr gelungenes Beispiel aus Luxemburg ist, wie ich finde, und was ich auch gerne meinen Studierenden, zum Beispiel, in Hamburg mitgebe, das iTEO-Projekt, wo wir sehen, wie Claudine Kirsch und ihre Kolleginnen und Kollegen eben durch die Einbeziehung dieser App mit den Eltern zusammenarbeiten, auch wenn diese gar nicht präsent sind. Sie können, zum Beispiel ein Lied einsingen, das dann in der Kita vorgespielt wird und man sieht sehr schön, mit wie viel Freude die Kinder das dann sehen, wie stolz sie sind, dass ihre Eltern sich beteiligen und sozusagen etwas von sich und ihrer Familienkultur und Sprache einbringen.

Professorin Lengyel betont die Wichtigkeit der Kooperation mit den Eltern als Grundlage für die gelingende Erziehungs- und Bildungsarbeit in den Einrichtungen. Es sei eine geteilte Erziehungs- und Bildungsarbeit, die beide Parteien zu leisten haben. Sie erklärt, dass die Kooperation mit den Familien oft dadurch erschwert wird, dass Fachkräfte unsicher sind, wie sie an die Eltern herantreten können und wie sie ihnen den Zugang zur Einrichtung erleichtern können, vor allem wenn sie aus einem anderen, den Fachkräften nicht oder wenig bekannte Umfeld stammen. Professorin Lengyel sieht die Professionalisierung der Fachkräfte als einen Weg, der zur Überwindung dieser Barrieren und zu einer gelingenden Zusammenarbeit mit allen Eltern führen kann. Ein zentraler Baustein der Professionalisierungsmaßnahme sei, so erklärt sie, die Reflexion der eigenen biographischen Erfahrungen, z.B. interkulturellen Erfahrungen und der eigenen Orientierungen gegenüber Mehrsprachigkeit. Diese Reflexion führe dazu, besser an den konkreten Lebenssituationen, der Mehrsprachigkeit und den kulturellen Orientierungen der Familien ansetzen zu können.

„Wenn ich weiß, woher ich komme und wo ich stehe, ist es auch einfacher, den anderen zu verstehen und auf ihn zuzugehen. Insofern ist auch das Projekt MuLiPEC, das hier von Claudine Kirsch an der Uni Luxemburg geleitet wird, ein besonderes Projekt, weil es genau hier ansetzt. Es nimmt die Professionalisierung der Fachkräfte und Lehrkräfte ernst, auch in dieser Hinsicht. Und insofern hoffe ich, dass dieses Projekt, genauso wie andere Maßnahmen, die die Kooperation mit Eltern fördern, im Endeffekt dazu führt, dass die Kinder in den frühkindlichen Bildungseinrichtungen gestärkt werden, dass sie aufgenommen werden, so wie sie sind, mit ihren Sprachen, mit ihren kulturellen Orientierungen und dass sie diesen Rucksack nicht vor der Kita abstellen müssen, sondern ihn mit hineinnehmen und dort auspacken können.“

 

Prof. Ofelia García, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

As more very young multilingual children enter schools, the work of Claudine Kirsch and her colleagues gains importance. The project’s emphasis on oracy development in the early years, and in leveraging oracy to develop literacy is most significant. The collaborative way in which Claudine and her colleagues provide teachers with long-term professional development which is based on inquiry and the realities of their own children is crucial.

Relevant for the world for its focus on multilingualism, the situated ways in which the project works with educators has deep implications for early childhood programmes in Luxembourg. The development of Luxembourgish, the familiarisation with French, and the attention to the children’s home languages are paramount in the project, providing teachers with activities, clips, and videos, and engaging them in reflection about their own practices. The project has resulted in a sea of change in ideologies towards multilingual education by teachers, and acknowledgment of the children’s multilingual practices. In addition, teachers who participate in the project have been able to design better instruction, based on the tools provided by the project and leveraging the children’s multilingual practices.

Newsletters and magazines

To keep our readers updated on the progress of the project, we produce the magazine DIALOG with the company Mindforest as well as two newsletters. 

Articles and book chapters

 

  • Duarte, J. & Kirsch, C. (2020). Multilingual approaches for teaching and learning. In C. Kirsch & J. Duarte (Eds) (2020) Multilingual approaches for teaching and learning. From acknowledging to capitalising on multilingualism in European mainstream education (pp.1–12). Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Heinzel, F., Schüler, L., Kirsch, C., & Panagiotopulou, J. (2021, August 20). „Raum für Mehrsprachigkeit geben!“. Die Grundschulzeitschrift.
  • Kirsch, C., & Mortini, S. (2021, November 17). Engaging in and creatively reproducing translanguaging practices with peers: a longitudinal study with three-year-olds in Luxembourg. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2021.1999387
  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Practitioners’ language-supporting strategies in multilingual ECE institutions in Luxembourg. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29(3). Doi: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1928721
  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Promoting multilingualism and multiliteracies through storytelling: a case-study on the use of the app iTEO in preschools in Luxembourg. In E. Breuer, Lindgren, A., Stavans, & E., Van Steendam, Multilingual Literacy (pp.187–212. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
  • Kirsch, C. (2020a). Opening minds to translanguaging pedagogies. System 92(C), Special issue. Translanguaging as a challenge for language teachers.
  • Kirsch, C. (2020b). Translanguaging as a pedagogy in formal and non-formal education in Luxembourg: theory into practice. In C. Kirsch and J. Duarte (Eds.), Multilingual approaches for teaching and learning. From acknowledging to capitalising on multilingualism in European mainstream education (pp. 15–33). Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Kirsch, C. (2020c). Heranführung an die mehrsprachige Pädagogik durch Filmaufnahmen in der Lehrerausbildung in Luxemburg. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht25(1), 507–528. 
  • Kirsch, C. (2021). Preschool teachers’ language supporting strategies in multilingual education in Luxembourg. EECERJ.  Multilingual Childhoods Special Issue. 
  • Kirsch, C., and Aleksić, G. (2018). The Effect of Professional Development on Multilingual Education in Early Childhood in Luxembourg. Review of European Studies, 10(4), 1–18.
  • Kirsch, C. and Seele, C. (2020a). Flexible language use in multilingual early childhood education in Luxembourg: Reflecting on its nature and functions. In J. A. Panagiotopoulou, L. Rosen and J. Strzykala (Eds.), Inclusion, Education, and Translanguaging: How to Promote Social Justice in (Teacher) Education? Springer.
  • Kirsch, C., & Seele, C. (2020b). Early Language Education in Luxembourg. In M. Schwartz (Ed). International Handbook of Early Language Learning. Springer International.
  • Kirsch, C., Duarte, J., & Palviainen, Å. (2020). Language policy, professional development and sustainability of multilingual approaches. In C. Kirsch & J. Duarte (Eds). Multilingual approaches for teaching and learning. From acknowledging to capitalising on multilingualism in European mainstream education (pp.186–203). Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Kirsch, C., Aleksic, G., Mortini, S. and Andersen, K. N. (2020). Developing multilingual practices in early childhood education through a professional development in Luxembourg. International Multilingual Research Journal. doi: 10.1080/19313152.2020.1730023
  • Schwartz, M., Kirsch, C. & Mortini S. (2020) Young children’s language-based agency in multilingual contexts in Luxembourg and Israel. Applied Linguistic Review.

 

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