Teaching and Learning in the Multilingual Classroom

The multilingual nature of the University of Luxembourg is not only apparent amongst teachers and students but also finds reflection in the institution's multilingualism policy. However, navigating the complexities of teaching and learning in multilingual classrooms often poses challenges for both teachers and students. This raises the question of how multilingualism can be harnessed in university classrooms. Researchers have addressed this issue over recent decades focusing on the advantages and challenges of multilingualism in higher education, as well as its impact on the teaching and learning process (Cummins, 2007; Moore, 2015; Van der Walt, 2015).

We will start our presentation by sharing experiences and practices from colleagues and students as part of an ongoing research project on linguistic diversity in teaching and learning at the university. We will illustrate our presentation with practical examples and provide ideas on how to address linguistic diversity in the classroom, while also supporting students. Following the presentation, we will invite you to exchange ideas among colleagues and reflect on how to implement some of these practices in your own teaching.