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1. Language Centre, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; anna.kyppo@jyu.fi; teija.natri@jyu.fi; margarita.pietarinen@jyu.fi; pekka.c.saaristo@jyu.fi How to cite this chapter: Kyppö, A., Natri, T., Pietarinen, M., & Saaristo, P. (2015). Use your languages! From monolingual to multilingual interaction in a language class. In J. Jalkanen, E. Jokinen, & P. Taalas (Eds), Voices of pedagogical developmentExpanding, enhancing and exploring higher education language learning (pp. 319-335). Dublin: Research-publishing.net. doi:10.14705/rpnet.2015.000297 Chapter 14 320 IntroductionThis study introduces a pilot course aimed at the enhancement of students' skills in multilingual and multicultural communication. The course Multilingual Interaction: Use Your Languages was offered by the University of Jyväskylä Language Centre in the spring of 2014. Teachers' interest in multilingual and multicultural issues and a concern for the increase of multilingualism and multiculturalism in workplace communication were important motivations for implementing such a course. However, the project Modularising Multilingual and Multicultural Academic Communication Competence for BA and MA levels (MAGICC 2011(MAGICC -2014; see Natri & Räsänen in this volume) served as a major source of inspiration. The project is part of the European Union Lifelong Learning Programme and aims to conceptualise multilingual and multicultural communication competences for higher education and thus to complement the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The MAGICC project emphasises the role of languages and communication as part of academic expertise. The project, in the underlying principles and concepts of its conceptual framework, says that multilingual and multicultural academic communication competence"is an individual's communicative and interactive repertoire, made up of several languages and language varieties including first language(s) at different levels of proficiency, and various types of competence, which are all interrelated. The repertoire in its entirety represents a resource enabling action in diverse use situations. It evolves across time and experience throughout life, and includes growth in intercultural awareness and ability to cope with, and participate in, multicultural contexts of academic study and working life" (Räsänen, Natri & Foster Vosicki 2013: 5).The pilot course was implemented as part of the Language Centre's institutional action research. The main focus was on the development of multilingual and multicultural competences, which involve not only a good command of an individual's L1 and L2, but also efficient use of one's overall language repertoire, that is, one's partial competences in various languages. When competences are Context of the studyThis section introduces the concepts that supported the development and implementation of the course. A brief introduction of translanguaging and transculturation is followed by a presentation of the course's main objectives: raising the awareness o...

T his paper offers insight into learning Slovak in an e-learning environment. The need to reach distance-learners of Slovak led to the implementation of a web-based course on Slovak language and culture in [2008][2009][2010]. The pedagogical basis of the course, called Virtual Slovak, is the socioconstructivist approach to teaching and learning, in which the focus is on the development of learners' communicative competence. This teaching experiment led to a study in which the focus was on learners' beliefs and experiences regarding learning Slovak in an e-learning environment. The results showed that this particular learning environment had a positive impact on the development of learners' agency. This impact was demonstrated by an evident increase in motivation and language learning awareness as well as in a conscious approach to learning. At the centre of this investigation is the evaluation of the e-learning environment, especially its appropriateness at the beginners' level for the acquisition of a less commonly taught language, as well as of the teacher's role in the learning process. Furthermore, the results revealed that learners' attitudes towards learning in technologyenhanced learning environments pose challenges to the instruction of less commonly taught languages. Even though current digital technology offers multiple opportunities for the integration of new media modes into learning activities, the choice of relevant media for the learning context and learners' competences seems to remain one of the teacher's main responsibilities.Keywords: e-learning, learning environment, Slovak, less commonly taught languages, LCTL, communicative competence.1. Language Centre, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; anna.kyppo@jyu.fi How to cite this chapter: Kyppö, A. (2015). Virtual Slovak: insight into learning Slovak in an e-learning environment. In J. Jalkanen, E. Jokinen, & P. Taalas (Eds), Voices of pedagogical development -Expanding, enhancing and exploring higher education language learning (pp. 57-84). Dublin: Research-publishing.net. doi:10.14705/rpnet.2015.000287 Chapter 4 58 1. Context of the studyThis study offers insight into learning Slovak in an e-learning environment. One of the challenges for teaching in the last decade or so has been the design of new learning environments for language learning and the efficient employment of versatile ICT 2 -enhanced approaches and resources. The development of new course content and learner training modules, as well as of collaborative practices between teachers and students within distance learning programmes focusing on the efficiency and multimodality of learning materials, generated the idea of a new learning environment designed specifically for learning Slovak. The Slovak e-learning course Virtual Slovak was designed and piloted in [2008][2009][2010]. The pedagogical basis of the course is the socioconstructivist approach to teaching and learning. The main focus is on the development of learners' communicative competence, which is perceived as the...

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The complexity of language learning may be expanded to learning the languages belonging to the same language family, for example, Slavic languages. This paper reports on the reflection-on action research aimed at the increase of learners’ multicultural competence and enhancement of critical thinking at the interdisciplinary, blended course of Slavic languages and cultures. The course organized in modules is implemented in Moodle. Course content is designed by the teacher; however, Slavic languages are presented by native speakers of these languages. Learners have an opportunity to get familiar with Slavic languages, history, and culture from the presenters’ perspective, what generally results in the increase of learners’ multicultural competence and enhancement of critical thinking. Learning experience is intensified through reflective learner logs, which serve as a knowledge-sharing medium and cognitive learning.