TE: Developing Plurilingualism Awareness, Translanguaging and Critical Citizenship in ELT

Presented by Eugenia Carrion Canton
Plurilingualism Awareness, Translanguaging and Critical Citizenship as pedagogical approaches share some principles like rejecting to see students simply as language learners.
Plurilingual Awareness refers to a person's ability to use their knowledge of different languages. This knowledge can help them communicate and learn. Students add English to the language(s) they already speak and use. As they develop proficiency in English, their plurilingual awareness develops too. Plurilingual awareness influences the student’s learning of English. It is also part of the student’s learning. Teachers play a key role in helping their students develop skills in these areas.
Besides, Translanguaging as defined by Garcia, O (2014) refers to actions and practices, and not as a simple system of structures and discreet sets of skills. That´s why translanguaging uses an -ing form, emphasising the action and practice of languaging bilingually.
Along the same idea, Lankshear &Knobel (2006) refer to the idea of being critical as one that must be based on a reflection that is consciously guided by the intention to change understanding of the world and in the same process to change that world we inhabit.
This presentation aimed at working and reflecting on the importance of Plurilingual Awareness, Translanguaging and Critical Citizenship development in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. It discussed these concepts as well as reasons to make educators aware of these concepts. Then, it explored how plurilingualism, and critical citizenship and foreign languages learning are related and will provide ways to incorporate them in English classes.
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