Language use and instruction across contexts (LANGUAGES)

• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Haukås, Åsta; Fohr-Prigent, Estelle; Eiene, Sarah Margrethe Øverlie; Cohen, Cathy & Funova, Adéla [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Multiple voices and perspectives: Comparing students’ language resources to actual language use across countries and contexts. Show summary

  It is generally agreed that embracing linguistic diversity in education is a key part of developing inclusive societies that respect diversity and difference (Council of Europe, 2008). However, scholars have expressed concern about the lack of a multilingual pedagogy in the classroom that includes and draws on all students’ existing language resources, whether home languages or additional ones (Cenoz & Gorter, 2017). This paper provides new knowledge by reporting on multiple datasets from an international project, combining a student perspective and an observed perspective on students’ language resources and the actual use of these resources in language lessons in three countries. The project aims to spotlight the role that teaching plays in developing students’ ability to communicate in more than one language. The classes in this project were strategically sampled to include language homogeneous and heterogeneous contexts in the three countries and includes eight French classes and eight English classes in each country (n=48), among students aged 13–15 (n=1440). This paper reports on findings from the first year of the project and includes two strands of data to identify the two most linguistically diverse English and Frech classrooms in the LANGUAGES project: (1) the Ungspråk student survey (Haukås et al., 2021), where the project obtained a quantitative and systematic overview of all students’ reported linguistic repertoires, and (2) a well-proven video observation design in the classroom (Brevik, 2019), where the project systematically recorded four consecutive lessons in each language class (n=192). Adopting a mixed-methods approach (Greene, 2007; Tashakkori et al., 2020), this study focuses on the results specifically relating to similarities and differences between students’ reported language repertoire and the use of languages in the classroom. The contribution relates to trends across the three contexts, showing the extent to which the most linguistically diverse classrooms capitalises on students’ diverse language resources.

• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Eiene, Sarah Margrethe Øverlie; Cohen, Cathy; Molway, Laura & Funova, Adéla (2023). Diversity and inclusion. Comparing students’ reported languages to actual language use in English and French lessons across countries. Show summary

  It is generally agreed that embracing linguistic diversity in education is a key part of developing inclusive societies that respect diversity and difference (Council of Europe, 2008). However, scholars have expressed concern about the lack of a multilingual pedagogy in the classroom that includes and draws on all students’ existing language resources, whether home languages or additional ones (Auger, 2007; Cenoz & Gorter, 2017). This paper provides new knowledge by reporting on multiple datasets from the LANGUAGES project, combining a student perspective and an observed perspective on students’ language resources and the actual use of these resources in language lessons in England, France and Norway. LANGUAGES is a longitudinal project that examines the teaching and use of English and French within and across three national contexts, where these languages have very different statuses and where students’ language resources and proficiency vary extensively (European Commission, 2012). The project aims to spotlight the role that teaching plays in developing students’ ability to communicate in more than one language. The classes in this project were strategically sampled to include language variety in the three countries and include the four most linguistically diverse French and English classes in each country (n=24 classes), among students aged 13–15. This paper reports on findings from the first year of the project and includes two strands of data: (1) a thoroughly validated student survey (Haukås et al., 2021), where the project obtained a quantitative and systematic overview of all students’ reported linguistic repertoires, and (2) a well-proven video observation design in the classroom (Brevik, 2019), where the project systematically recorded four consecutive lessons in each language class (n=96). Adopting a mixed-methods approach (Greene, 2007; Tashakkori et al., 2020), this study focuses on the results specifically relating to similarities and differences between students’ reported language repertoire and the use of languages in the classroom. The contribution relates to trends across the three contexts, exemplifying teacher practices for capitalising on students’ diverse language resources and identities in the language classroom.

• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Haukås, Åsta; Fohr-Prigent, Estelle & Vold, Eva Thue (2023). Languages in the classroom: teachers’ perspectives. Show summary

  Second and foreign language teaching has slowly started to steer away from the monolingual ‘dogma’ (Butzkamm, 2003), by welcoming the first language (L1) and students’ additional language resources in the second and foreign language classroom (De Angelis, 2011; Haukås, 2016; Macaro, 2001; Molway, 2021). Furthermore, governing bodies in countries such as France (MEN, 2020), England (Ofsted, 2021) and Norway (NDET, 2020) encourage teachers to use students’ multilingual repertoire. However, little is known about the connection between teachers’ beliefs about multilingualism and how it actually translates into the multilingual classroom. In this paper, we present findings from the international LANGUAGES project. Drawing on teacher surveys and video-recorded lessons, the presentation will focus on teachers’ perspective on multilingualism; English and French teachers’ attitudes towards multilingualism and their teaching practices in second and foreign language classrooms. We present findings among teachers of English as a second or foreign language in France and Norway, and teachers of French as a foreign language in England and Norway, based on two datasets: (1) the Multiteach survey, where teachers express their attitudes towards and experiences with multilingualism, and (2) video-recorded lessons, to see whether and how they encourage the use of L1 or other languages than the target language in their lessons. Comparing teachers’ perspectives on multilingualism and actual second or foreign language teaching, our analysis provides a unique perspective on two language subjects across three countries revealing traditions within each education system, as well as similarities and differences across contexts related to language policy, recommendations from national curricula, teachers’ beliefs, and actual classroom teaching. The findings provide important insight concerning opportunities and challenges for language teachers, teacher educators and policy-makers across multilingual contexts.

• Myhill, Debra; Dingwall, Nicole; Ghimenton, Anna & Brevik, Lisbeth M. (2023). From talk to text. Ethical representations of participant voice. Show summary

  The choice of interview as a research tool is usually made because of the particular affordances of an in-person conversation, in contrast to a questionnaire or written documentation. Each interview is a unique social interaction, and the goal of interview research tends to be particularity, contextualisation and nuance, rather than simplistic generalisations. Research interviews, therefore, allow for an in-depth exploration of participants’ perspectives on the research issue, offering of ‘an understanding of the world from the subjects’ points of view, to unfold the meaning of peoples’ experiences’ (Kvale,1996, p. 1). The direct interaction between interviewer and interviewee, occurring in real time, generates flexibility, allowing the interviewer to ‘press not only for complete answers but for responses about complex and deep issues’ (Cohen et al., 2018, p. 506). Crucially, interviews give voice to the participants: rather than being obliged to use closed responses, such as a scale or multiple-choice questions, participants respond ‘using their own words’ (Braun & Clarke, 2013, p. 78). So, for researchers keen to understand human situations, contexts and phenomena, interviews seem to be a wholly appropriate choice to fully represent the complexity of human thinking, behaviours and actions. However, it is important to think critically about the ethics of representation when presenting data from interviews. Many articles make claims about their interview data: for example, that they ‘offer a more accurate assessment of the impact of life events on any individual’ (Fallon, 2008, p .387). Whilst this may be true, there is an ethical responsibility on the researcher to ensure that participant voices are represented as accurately as possible, avoiding bias, partial representation or cherry-picking of the data. Drawing on interview data from an international comparative study funded by the Norwegian Research Council, which is comparing language use and instruction across contexts (‘LANGUAGES’), this presentation will examine the ethics of representation when using interview data among teachers and students in secondary school in three different countries: Norway, England and France. It will do this in two ways. Firstly, we will consider how the design of the interview schedule and the data collection process is intrinsically linked to ensuring the integrity of representation – particularly in relation to interviewing technique, transcription decisions, and methods of data analysis. Secondly, we will address how participants’ voices should be represented in publications, notably the clarity of the link between data analysis processes and form of data presentation; how quotations will be used and the contextualisation of quotations; and direct attention to contradictions in individual participants’ data, plural and sometimes contrasting voices, and alternative perspectives between participants (e.g. teachers and students in the same class).

• Molway, Laura; Funova, Adéla; Fohr-Prigent, Estelle; Haukås, Åsta & Brevik, Lisbeth M. (2023). Unpacking student perspectives. Comparing multilingual attitudes and experiences with foreign language teaching . Show summary

  Second and foreign language education is key to fostering global citizens able to comprehend and appreciate linguistic and cultural diversity (Haukås et al., 2021). However, in some European countries, the number of students wanting to study additional languages in secondary school has seen a sharp drop (Norwegian National Centre for Foreign Languages in Education, 2021; Tinsley, 2019). Despite governing bodies’ efforts to encourage student enrolment in such classes, some students do not consider it necessary to study an additional language (Tinsley, 2019). Moreover, when students choose to study additional languages, there is a concern that the teaching is decontextualized and rarely authentic (Storch & Sato, 2020; Vold, 2022). These studies indicate a need for research focusing on students’ own perspectives on multilingualism to understand how to bring about change. In this paper, we present findings from the large-scale European LANGUAGES project. Drawing on student surveys, the presentation focussed on unpacking the student perspective on multilingualism; secondary school students’ attitudes towards multilingualism and their experiences with language lessons. We present findings among students who study English as a second or foreign language in France and Norway, and students who study French as a foreign language in England and Norway. The findings are based on analyses from two internationally validated student surveys: (1) the Ungspråk survey, where students express their attitudes towards multilingualism and views of their current multilingual selves (Haukås et al., 2021), and (2) the Tripod 7C’s survey where the same students report their experiences with curricular support in language lessons, in terms of how these lessons spark and maintain their interest in learning English or French, and the extent to which they find that their language teachers have designed stimulating lessons that facilitate active student participation (Ferguson, 2012; Molway, 2021). By comparing students’ perspectives on multilingualism and language education in widely different countries and contexts, we are able to highlight trends across two language subjects and identifying key factors for students’ attitudes and experiences with multilingualism. These findings will help identify what it might take to change learners’ perspectives towards multilingual education across very different school settings.

• Vold, Eva Thue; Grung, Simen; Wold, Stephanie Hazel Grønstad & Brevik, Lisbeth M. (2023). Comparing students’ proficiency levels in English and French across contexts. Show summary

  The large-scale empirical research project LANGUAGES aims to compare language teaching policies, methodologies and outcomes for secondary school learners (aged 13-15) of English and French in three European countries: England, France and Norway. English and French have different statuses in these countries: depending on the context, they are first, second or foreign languages. In addition, students’ language proficiency in second and foreign languages is known to vary extensively across contexts (European Commission, 2012). In order to conduct meaningful cross-context comparisons, the LANGUAGES research team needed valid and reliable measures of language proficiency. Altogether, the selected tests needed to offer comparable data and be appropriate for adolescent learners of French and English in each country at different levels. In terms of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels, we expected proficiency to vary from the pre-A1 level (Norwegian and English learners of French), via A, B and possibly C-levels (Norwegian and French learners of English), to native speaker competence. For feasibility reasons, the tests also needed to be relatively quick and easy to conduct. This paper discusses the challenges with selecting and using standardised tests developed for specific languages and contexts, and combining them into a battery of tests that would allow for cross-context comparisons. We will discuss how and why we decided to use standardised reading comprehension tests that were aligned with the CEFR levels (the Evalang tests for English) in combination with a new vocabulary test that we developed specifically for the LANGUAGES project in order to cover the pre-A1 level, building on existing resources and tests (Cobb, n.d.; Meara & Milton, 2003). In the paper, we present findings from the first year of the project, with data gathered from students (aged 13-15) in French and English classes. The contribution outlines key characteristics of each national context and presents a comparison of the estimated proficiency levels achieved in French and English by students in each country. Implications for the refinement of language attainment comparisons across national contexts are discussed, alongside the potential for such tests to inform language teaching policy and practice.

• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Vold, Eva Thue & Myhill, Debra (2022). Å forske på språkundervisning – verdien av å sammenligne undervisning i ulike språkfag på tvers av land . Bedre Skole. ISSN 0802-183X. 3, p. 14–17. Show summary

  Ved å se på språkbruk, språkidentitet og språkundervisning i engelsk- og franskklasserom i Norge, England og Frankrike ønsker LANGUAGES-prosjektet å finne svar på hva som kjennetegner god språkundervisning på tvers av fag og kontekster.

• Bjermeland, Monica; Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Blikstad-Balas, Marte & Jordheim, Helge (2022). Språk er livsviktig - ferdig snakka. [Internet]. Podcast Universitetsplassen.
• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Myhill, Debra; Vold, Eva Thue & Bjermeland, Monica (2022). To be or not to be multilingual. [Internet]. Podcast Læring.
• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Myhill, Debra; Cohen, Cathy & Jemsek, Misha (2021). What makes good language instruction? The LANGUAGES project will study classrooms in France, England and Norway to find answers. [Internet]. Faculty of Educational Sciences.
• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Jemsek, Misha; Myhill, Debra & Cohen, Cathy (2021). Hva er god språkundervisning? LANGUAGES-prosjektet skal undersøke klasseromsundervisning i Frankrike, England og Norge for å finne svar. [Internet]. Institutt for lærerutdanning og skoleforskning.
• Brevik, Lisbeth M.; Cohen, Cathy; Myhill, Debra & Jemsek, Misha (2021). Quelles sont les caractéristiques d’un bon enseignement des langues? Le projet LANGUAGES étudiera des classes en France, en Angleterre et en Norvège pour y répondre. [Internet]. Faculty of Educational Sciences.
• Brevik, Lisbeth M. & Vold, Eva Thue (2021). Forskere i Norge, Frankrike og England skal finne svar på hva som er god språkundervisning. [Internet]. Universitetet i Oslo.

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