Plurilingual and pluricultural competence

Abstract

Since the late 1990s the notion of a plurilingual and pluricultural competence as elaborated by Coste, Moore and Zarate (1997) has had a strong impact on the didactics of languages. Several plural approaches have been developed which aim at developing competences in several languages and/or cultures (Melo-Pfeifer & Reimann, 2018; Reissner, 2010; Tost Planet, 2010), with intercomprehension didactics being one of them. However, existing frameworks (e.g. the Cadre de référence pour les approches plurielles des langues et des cultures (CARAP)/Framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures (FREPA) (Candelier et al., 2007, 2010), or the Companion volume of the Common European framework of reference for languages (Council of Europe, 2018)) do not adequately describe the specific competences that underly intercomprehensive activities. In our contribution, we will present the framework of reference for intercomprehension (= IC) developed within the European project EVAL-IC (Evaluation des compétences en intercompréhension, Erasmus+). The framework is based on a dynamic and complex competence model, comprising of six levels of competence which can be regrouped into three larger levels (basic, advanced, expert). It provides descriptors for the following intercomprehensive activities: written and oral receptive IC; written and oral interproduction; and written and oral interactive IC as well as a global description of each level. The work carried out might also help to apply or further develop plurilingual and pluricultural approaches in higher education.

Trans/plurilingual Pedagogies: A Multiethnography

“…Anyway, let's proceed with a general explanation of the identity text project. First, drawing on their plurilingual and pluricultural competence (Coste et al, 2009), students produce a multilingual, multimodal "text" -i.e., a text that uses available semiotic resources, including audio, video, image-where they reflect on their linguistic and cultural identities via digital storytelling (Corcoran, 2017). The result of this project is two main artifacts that promote critical reflection on identity construction and negotiation, including an audio-recorded digital "text", as well as a multimodal poster that highlights their struggles and achievements in a new cultural context.…”

“…Considering recent assertions that there are ontological and epistemological differences between multilingualism, plurilingualism and translingualism (e.g., García & Otheguy, 2020;Marshall, 2021), this article looks to highlight how (or even if) these differences manifest in the pedagogical practices of diverse faculty within the same language education context. For example, though often confused or conflated, multilingualism is generally conceived of as language policy and practice aimed at groups whereas plurilingualism is better understood at the level of individual actors, highlighting the value of accessing and utilizing multiple linguistic resources for intercultural communication (Coste et al, 2009;Marshall & Moore, 2018;Piccardo et al, 2021). Translingualism, the newest -ism to the table, like plurilingualism, is oriented towards language use of individuals, but, unlike plurilingualism, explicitly challenges static cognitive and social (and socially-constructed) boundaries between languages, often proclaiming a more overtly critical orientation based on theoretical / conceptual criteria (García & Lin, 2017;Wei, 2018).…”

Plurilingual STEAM and School Lunches for Learning?

“…Within the language arts, specifically, the wholistic view of STEAM learning resonates with plurilingualism (Coste, Moore & Zarate, 2009[1997; Marshall & Moore, 2018), which, in contrast to traditional language teaching that treats individual languages in isolation (or, linguistic silos), defines plurilingual (and pluricultural) competence as follows:…”

“…This is not seen as the superposition or juxtaposition of distinct competences, but rather as the existence of a complex or even composite competence on which the social actor may draw. (Coste, Moore & Zarate, 2009[1997 While plurilingualism is gaining increasing attention in Japan, few studies have yet specifically focused on the interconnectivity between plurilingual/pluricultural approaches and other subject learning (although see Moore, Oyama, Pearce, Irisawa, & Kitano, 2020;.…”