Please note: These definitions relate to this specific project. The same terms may be defined differently elsewhere.
additional language(s)
An additional language refers to any language the language learner learns besides his or her mother tongue(s). From a teaching perspective, the term encompasses all the languages used in the learning process, as this formulation “underscores the belief that additional languages are not necessarily inferior or superior nor a replacement for a student’s first language” (Jud, Tan & Walberg, 2011, p. 6).
Judd E., Tan L., Walberg H. (2001), Teaching additional languages, Brussels, International Academy of Education, Belgium.
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agency
Agency is defined as the realised capacity of people to act upon their world and not only to know or give personal intersubjective significance to it and also as the way teachers use power, influence and science to make decisions that affect positive social change (Moore, 2016).
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cross-lingual transfer
The term cross-lingual transfer refers to a situation that occurs when, in order to meet their needs for comprehension or expression, speakers draw on the linguistic resources available to them. In doing so, they sometimes resort to lexical knowledge or syntactic skills associated with another language. These transfers can be of great assistance: the closeness between two linguistic systems makes it possible to overcome difficulties, save valuable time and progress in the acquisition of a language. The ability to make such transfers needs to be developed. It plays a part in learning strategies. In some specific cases it may of course happen that a transfer made does not work or results in the use of an incorrect expression.
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diglossia
The term diglossia refers to a situation in which two varieties of the same language co-exist in a language community. Each variety is used for quite distinct functions. In many contexts, diglossia involves a standard and non-standard variety of a language, and language choice is determined by register and/or a feeling of emotional closeness respectively distance (Kyriakou, 2019).
Kyriakou M. (2019), “A critical review of the theory of diglossia: A call to action”, International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation (IJLLT), pp. 334-340, DOI: 10.32996/ijllt.2019.2.5.38.
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diversity
Linguistic diversity is the coexistence of different languages within the same geographical area. While the PLURIWELL project is chiefly concerned with diversity in terms of languages, it is worth defining diversity in broader terms. In the classroom, teachers encounter students with a wide range of social identities. Differences can be found in terms of students’ abilities, learning styles, gender and sexual identities, ethnicities and countries of origin, religions, socioeconomic status, etc. Schools should seek to harness all the potential of diversity, as research has shown that attending schools with classmates from diverse backgrounds is beneficial for all students. It should be noted that diversity should be viewed as both a reality on the ground (classrooms around the world are becoming increasingly diverse) and as a subject to be embraced and explored with students (as learning about diversity can help them become more thoughtful, respectful and empathetic).
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home languages
This term refers to language(s) or varieties of languages spoken at home with parents and family/community. There is an emphasis on the social space, the home, and the fact that this language differs from the language(s) used in other social spaces such as schools. (Mary et al. 2021)
Young A. and Mary L. (2021), “Blurring the borders between research and practice: video as a tool to develop knowledge about language and empower (student) teachers in multilingual pre-school classrooms”, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:3, pp. 351-362.
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identity
In a language learning context, identity is defined as the complex negotiating process between the learner and his or her environment, as the identity of the speaker is context-based, plural and dynamic and is portrayed through the languages the speaker uses (Soler & Sugranyes, 2022).
Soler D. & Sugranyes C. (2022), “Understanding the plurilingual researcher in context”, Fremdsprachen Lehren und Lernen, 51 (2), pp. 53-67.
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intercultural competency
The term is defined as the ability to communicate and interact effectively and appropriately with people of other national, regional or social cultures.
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language awakening
language awakening
The term language awakening refers to teaching practices wherein part of the activities concern languages that the school does not intend to teach (which may or may not be the mother tongues of some pupils) (Candelier 2017).
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language awareness
The term language awareness refers to explicit knowledge about language, and conscious perception and sensitivity with regard to language learning, language teaching and language use.
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language sensitivity
Language sensitivity involves a range of skills and competencies related to understanding, interpreting, and using language effectively in various contexts, while also being aware of the impact of this use on individuals and groups. It “refers to acknowledging and understanding the role of languages in learning, identity growth, and well-being at both individual and collective levels. Among the various perspectives of learning languages, learning through languages, and learning about languages” (Dražnik et al., 2022: 14).
Dražnik T., Llompart-Esbert J. & Bergroth M. (2022), “Student teachers expressions of ‘fear’ in handling linguistically diverse classrooms”,
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, pp. 1-16, available at
https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2086258.
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language visibility
The concept of language visibility refers to the prominence and perceptibility of languages in public spaces, particularly through signs and displays. This is related to the idea of linguistic landscapes, or the visibility and salience of languages in public in a given territory or region. This can serve as a rich source of data for understanding language dynamics, power relations, and identity negotiation within a given locale. It offers glimpses into the complex interplay between languages, social hierarchies, and urban environments.
López Vera M. & Dooly M. (2023), “Languages around us: (In)visibility matters”, in
Linguistic landscapes in language and teacher education: Multilingual teaching and learning inside and beyond the classroom, Multilingual Education, Springer Science and Business Media B.V., Vol. 43, pp. 21-37,
available at
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22867-4_2.
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linguistic prestige
Linguistic prestige is the degree of esteem and social value attached by members of a speech community to certain languages, dialects, or features of a language variety.
Pearce M. (2007), The Routledge dictionary of English language studies, Routledge.
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plurilingual approach
The plurilingual approach is a way of teaching and learning that values and draws upon learners’ linguistic trajectories and funds of knowledge to boost their capacity to learn the target language and to develop their attitude of linguistic sensitivity and curiosity. The plurilingual approach allows and encourages a conscious and targeted use of multiple languages in the class.
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plurilingual repertoire
A person’s plurilingual repertoire is made up of all the interrelated language skills he or she is able to call upon and activate to communicate effectively in multilingual contexts. This notion of the repertoire takes for granted that an individual’s language knowledge and abilities are interconnected, not compartmentalised. In other words, while a person may have varying degrees of proficiency in different languages, all of the languages at his or her disposal are part of this repertoire, and they are in constant communication with each other. All these languages can serve as resources, whether the individual is attempting to communicate in a plurilingual context or working to acquire competences in a new language.
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plurilingual wellbeing
The term plurilingual wellbeing refers to the state of being aware, understanding and feeling at ease with the languages one uses and with how these languages allow one to relate to one’s own environment. The concept encompasses valuing the potential of the speaker’s plurilingual repertoire and how he or she uses it to interact positively and comfortably within personal and professional contexts.
Sugranyes C. et al. (2024), “Understanding the plurilingual user in context”, APAC ELT News, Issue 94, pp. 8-13.
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regional language
This term denotes a language traditionally spoken in a region and contributing to its cultural identity, even if, in some cases, the number of people speaking it may have decreased gradually under the influence of a national language. The importance of taking care to preserve and promote the use of any regional language is emphasised in the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
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societal language(s)
The term societal language(s) refers to the majority or dominant language(s) of a given country or region.
Van Dijk C. et al. (2021), “Cross-linguistic influence in simultaneous and early sequential bilingual children: A meta-analysis”,
Journal of Child Language, 49, pp. 1-33, available at
doi.org/10.1017/S0305000921000337.
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translanguaging
The term translanguaging refers to an act that is part of the language practices of plurilingual individuals and communities. It is defined by Canagarajah (2011) as the “ability of multilingual speakers to shuttle between languages, treating the diverse languages that form their repertoires as an integrated system” (p. 401).
Canagarajah S. (2011), “Codemeshing in academic writing: Identifying teachable strategies of translanguaging”,
The Modern Language Journal, 95(3), pp. 401-417, available at
doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01207.x.
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