In-service teachers’ multilingual language teaching and learning approaches: insights from the Basque Country

Abstract

This study investigates the beliefs of primary school teachers about multilingual language teaching and learning approaches and examines the relationship between these beliefs and the current ideas on multilingualism. This paper reports key elements of the multilingual educational reality in the Basque Country, where a minority language (Basque), a majority language (Spanish), and an international language (English) share space in the curriculum. The study adopts a mixed methods approach combining a specifically designed online questionnaire regarding beliefs (N = 418), and four focus groups (N = 20). The findings indicate that teachers believe fluency is essential in the language learning process, prioritize the non-native multilingual teacher model, and show awareness of the influence parents’ linguistic attitudes have on students’ language learning outcomes. Teachers hold welcoming beliefs toward multilingual language teaching approaches and regard translanguaging as suitable for upper levels of Primary education. A major implication of this study is that teachers have a positive point of departure from which to develop and promote multilingual teaching approaches; however, the provision of valuable and applicable training plans based on the current school of thought on multilingualism should be considered in the near future.