Evolving 50–50% bilingual pedagogy in Alberta: what does the research say?

Abstract

This paper outlines the provincial frameworks that define the Spanish bilingual program in Alberta, Canada, provides an historical overview of its pedagogic constraints and evolution, and proposes a framework for bilingual pedagogy. The framework is conceptualized from the research evidence of three local case studies, and is based on the centrality of cross-linguistic transfer, in relation to linguistic interdependence and bilingual learning.

Understanding multilingualism and its implications

“…All of the papers that focus on classroom situations (Cummins, 2014 ; Manterola, 2014 ; Naqvi et al, 2014 ; Ntelioglou et al, 2014 ) point to the need to both value and draw on the linguistic resources of bilingual students. This is in spite of the fact that students' languages are traditionally separated in bilingual and immersion schools.…”

“…This is in spite of the fact that students' languages are traditionally separated in bilingual and immersion schools. Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) describe the results of three case studies that investigate translanguaging within Spanish bilingual programs in Alberta. Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) made use of a variety of tasks including dual language books, videos, and inquiry-based learning tasks with a range of students as a means of encouraging them to engage with the schools' two languages.…”

“…Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) describe the results of three case studies that investigate translanguaging within Spanish bilingual programs in Alberta. Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) made use of a variety of tasks including dual language books, videos, and inquiry-based learning tasks with a range of students as a means of encouraging them to engage with the schools' two languages. In response to Naqvi et al ( 2014 ), Manterola ( 2014 ) discusses possibilities for integrating learners' languages in Basque-Spanish and Basque-French bilingual schools in the Basque Country.…”

Bilingual education searching for promising didactic proposals

“…In our opinion, the paper by Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) can be included in this trend toward bilingual and multilingual didactics. By offering a compact synthesis of diverse types of data (video observations, questionnaires, students' responses etc.…”

“…The main goals of bilingual and multilingual education include three fundamental aspects of linguistic education (Idiazabal et al, 2015 ): the promotion of multilingual competence to use languages in diverse communicative contexts, the development of metalinguistic skills and the development of positive attitudes toward linguistic diversity in general and toward minority languages in particular. As it is argued by Naqvi et al ( 2014 ) it is necessary to go beyond the monolingual assumption in bilingual education and precisely their research shows that bilingual instructional strategies can be successful in promoting bilingual competence and metalinguistic awareness. Along the same line, research carried out in the field of integrated didactics of languages shows that the coordination and combination between languages is also possible at the curriculum level.…”