Parents, Educators and Healthcare Professionals promoting Multilingualism (ProMulti)

More and more children are growing up in multilingual environments and learning multiple languages from a young age on account of globalization and migration. At the same time, parents of migration background as well as education and healthcare professionals are found to be unsure of how to support children’s multilingual development. Language learning is influenced by exposure to and use of several languages. This learning environment, in turn, is informed by adults’ language choices, practices and beliefs. To foster language learning, it is therefore important to understand the beliefs of parents and professionals, the advice they seek and give, and the ways in which families apply this advice. The supportive and concerted efforts of parents and professionals have positive implications for children’s multilingual development which affects their identity, well-being, academic achievement, future employment and health prospects. In addition, language proficiency eases integration and strengthens social cohesion. There is, however, little research on parents’ and education and healthcare professionals’ language beliefs, management and practices and the ways in which these interact. In this interdisciplinary research project, a team of researchers from the University of Luxembourg, supported by the Luxembourg Institute of Health, will examine factors that influence multilingual development and support structures of parents and professionals. The project aims to investigate the language beliefs, management and practices of multilingual families and education and healthcare professionals, identify similarities and differences, explore the interplay of these factors and identify promising practices reported in multilingual resources for parents and professionals. The participants are families of migration background, children, education professionals (i.e., educators, teachers, SEN teachers) and healthcare professionals (i.e., midwives, pediatricians, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists). Using surveys, observations, interviews and focus groups, the team investigates the ways in which these actors experience, describe and support children’s multilingual development. Quantitative data will be analysed with correlation analyses, while qualitative data will undergo discourse, content and interaction analysis. The project findings will deepen our understanding of language beliefs, advice and practices that promote or hinder language development, of multilingual development per se, and of the efforts of various actors and sectors to support multilingualism. This knowledge enables parents and professionals to identify children’s specific needs and patterns of effective (or ineffective) support at an early stage. These adults learn to adjust language choices, approaches and materials (at home and in education and healthcare settings that further language development in an efficient and effective manner. The opportunities for language exposure and meaningful interactions they provide and suggest, shape children’s learning trajectories and language outcomes. Findings will, therefore, have significant implications for young children’s language development; professionals’ understanding of factors influencing this development; the tailored and evidence-based support provided to parents; contextualized policies and training opportunities. Disseminated through publications, conferences and outreach activities, findings will impact society by improving cross-sector communication which addresses existing educational and health inequalities.