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Education Sciences
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Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice
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Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Language and Literacy Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 18783

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Tzu-Bin Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: language policy; bilingual education; media literacy; comparative education; multicultural education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the spread of bi/multilingualism and bi/multilingual education has become a significant phenomenon worldwide. Although the ideas hidden behind the promotion of bi/multilingual education vary from country to country, related policies and educational practices have increased substantially. The EU, Canada, and Singapore are frequently mentioned examples of countries providing bilingual education. In addition, there are bottom-up practices of bilingual schools in Australia and a top-down policy of initiating bilingual education in all levels of schooling in Taiwan. Under this circumstance, learning from other countries is common so that policy-borrowing or policy transfer occurs often. Meanwhile, due to different social and cultural contexts, diverse practices in bilingual education can be expected.

In this Special Issue, original research articles related to bi/multilingual education are welcome. The topics may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Policy analysis of bi/multilingual education.
  • Development of bi/multilingual education in a region or in a country.
  • Implementation of bi/multilingual education at the central government or local authority level.
  • Practices of bi/multilingual education in pre-university education.
  • Practices of bi/multilingual education in higher education.
  • Pedagogy of bi/multilingual education.
  • Assessment or evaluation of bi/multilingual teaching.
  • Bi/multilingual teacher training.
  • Professional development of bi/multilingual teachers.
  • Teaching material of bi/multilingual teachers.
  • Technology-enhanced bi/multilingual teaching.
  • Attitudes of children, adolescents, and adults to bi/multilingual education.
  • Comparative study of bi/multilingual education.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Tzu-Bin Lin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bilingual education
  • multilingual education
  • language policy
  • bi/multilingual instruction

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 1486 KiB  
Article
Pedagogical Translanguaging in L2 Teaching for Adult Migrants: Assessing Feasibility and Emotional Impact
by Julie Franck and Despina Papadopoulou
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14121308 - 29 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1227
Abstract
Pedagogical translanguaging (PTL) refers to the use of educational techniques that incorporate learners’ entire linguistic repertoire. Recent studies indicate that PTL is efficient in the teaching of morphological awareness to bilingual children. The question remains whether it can be successfully applied in the [...] Read more.
Pedagogical translanguaging (PTL) refers to the use of educational techniques that incorporate learners’ entire linguistic repertoire. Recent studies indicate that PTL is efficient in the teaching of morphological awareness to bilingual children. The question remains whether it can be successfully applied in the highly specific context of adult forced migrants’ classrooms. This study describes a new protocol developed within the framework of PTL to teach derivational morphology to L2 French and Greek adults. We used questionnaires to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the feasibility of the protocol, teachers’ and learners’ attitudes, and learners’ emotions in the PTL lesson. A total of 141 migrant learners (79 forced migrants) and 13 teachers were involved in 23 2 h lessons. Teachers and learners gave high overall evaluations of the feasibility of the PTL protocol and of their pleasure from teaching and learning using PTL tools. Learners’ ease of learning and learning benefits were positively influenced by their perception of the proximity between their L1 and L2. Learners reported higher positive emotions and lower negative emotions during the PTL lesson, while forced migrants showed more hope and shame overall than voluntary migrants, as well as gained more benefits from PTL due to enjoyment. These findings suggest that the use of pedagogical translanguaging in migrants’ classrooms is feasible and develops positive attitudes and emotions, which are more pronounced in forced migrants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
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21 pages, 1590 KiB  
Article
Examining the Home Learning Environment Practices for Emergent Bilinguals: Insights from Parental Survey
by Héctor H. Rivera, Heesun Chang, Yiming Zhu, David D. Jimenez, Mohsen Bemani and Mohammad Taheri
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111152 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1807
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the general practices of bilingual students’ home learning environments and to compare the variation in practices as a function of parents’ length of stay in the USA, educational levels, and household income by analyzing the results of a [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate the general practices of bilingual students’ home learning environments and to compare the variation in practices as a function of parents’ length of stay in the USA, educational levels, and household income by analyzing the results of a large-scale parental survey in an urban area in the southwestern United States, serving a predominantly Hispanic student population. The data consisted of 959 parents’ responses. The findings show that parents’ practices of engagement in students’ learning, discussions for students’ future, emotional support, students’ media consumption, disciplinary practice, and support for students’ autonomy vary in multifold ways as a function of their backgrounds. For example, while most parents, regardless of their background, were not prone to supporting children’s autonomy when deciding children’s routines at home, those with higher educational and income levels tend to more frequently participate in children’s classrooms or discuss children’s college entrance and career paths. The study discusses the implications of the findings and limitations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
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14 pages, 506 KiB  
Article
Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Understand Students’ Perceptions of Bilingual Education in Taiwan
by Chee-Peng Mason Seng, Chia-Kai Huang and Tzu-Bin Lin
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101126 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1350
Abstract
This study employed a localized bilingual education model developed in Taiwan to design a questionnaire targeted at junior high school students. The questionnaire was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Reliability testing indicated Cronbach’s alpha values for subscales ranging from 0.88 to 0.95, with [...] Read more.
This study employed a localized bilingual education model developed in Taiwan to design a questionnaire targeted at junior high school students. The questionnaire was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Reliability testing indicated Cronbach’s alpha values for subscales ranging from 0.88 to 0.95, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98. A total of 760 junior high school students in Taipei City who have received bilingual instruction completed the questionnaire. The results demonstrate that the questionnaire has high construct validity and internal consistency, making it a practical tool to evaluate students’ perceptions of bilingual education. Future studies should focus on qualitative research such as in-depth interviews, extend the survey to students at the university and primary school levels, and verify the questionnaire’s structure through confirmatory factor analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
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16 pages, 246 KiB  
Article
Digital Stories and Inclusive Cultures at School: A Research Study in an Italian Primary Multicultural Classroom
by Flavio Manganello and Mara Baldacci
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101108 - 13 Oct 2024
Viewed by 2638
Abstract
This study explores the effectiveness of digital storytelling in enhancing communicative competence—encompassing both linguistic and narrative skills—and fostering inclusivity in a multicultural primary classroom in Genoa, Italy. The quasi-experimental intervention spanned four months and involved eight lessons designed to engage students from diverse [...] Read more.
This study explores the effectiveness of digital storytelling in enhancing communicative competence—encompassing both linguistic and narrative skills—and fostering inclusivity in a multicultural primary classroom in Genoa, Italy. The quasi-experimental intervention spanned four months and involved eight lessons designed to engage students from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly those with migratory backgrounds. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted to evaluate linguistic proficiency, narrative competence, and educational inclusion. The results from the Italian language proficiency test demonstrated that second-generation students typically performed at the B1 level, while students with more recent migratory backgrounds scored lower. However, narrative competence showed notable improvements among A2+ level students, who outperformed their peers in certain dimensions despite linguistic challenges. Observational rubrics used throughout the intervention revealed increased classroom inclusivity, active participation, and cultural exchange. Despite limitations related to the sample size and intervention duration, the findings suggest that digital storytelling can significantly enhance communicative competence and promote a more inclusive classroom environment. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of digital storytelling on multilingual classrooms and its broader applicability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
14 pages, 231 KiB  
Article
An Examination on the Planning and Practice of Bilingual Education in Primary and Secondary Schools in Taiwan
by Li-Yi Wang
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1095; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101095 - 8 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1713
Abstract
Over the past few years, several reforms in language education have been outlined to implement the full-scale bilingualization of the education system in Taiwan. Among the 3392 public primary and secondary schools, nearly one-third of them have been implementing bilingual education in certain [...] Read more.
Over the past few years, several reforms in language education have been outlined to implement the full-scale bilingualization of the education system in Taiwan. Among the 3392 public primary and secondary schools, nearly one-third of them have been implementing bilingual education in certain subjects. The vast majority of these schools have adopted Immersion, CLIL, or EMI as models for bilingual education. It has been argued that these exotic models cannot be “transplanted” to the education context of Taiwan, and he proposes the FERTILE model. Adopting this model as the theoretical framework, this qualitative study aims to examine how school practitioners plan and practice bilingual education in Taiwan. Data were collected through the document analysis of the progress reports from thirty-five primary and secondary schools and three focus group discussions (FGDs) with nine subject teachers. The findings show that the participants made considerable efforts to construct a bilingual environment and have an identical understanding about the strategies for bilingual instruction that emphasize subject knowledge and students’ comprehension. However, the participants experienced a diverse ecology of bilingual teacher learning communities and received differential support from the principals. Qualified and stable teaching manpower was identified as the key to sustain bilingual education. Implications to different education stakeholders are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
11 pages, 200 KiB  
Article
The Implementation of Bilingual Education in Taiwan: A Case Study of Two Junior High Schools with a Bilingual Curriculum in Taipei City Using the FERTILE Model
by Po Tsai
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 887; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080887 - 14 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2265
Abstract
The development of bilingual education has rapidly grown in the past few decades, with v and ying implementations reflecting each country’s political, social and cultural contexts. In response, the Taiwanese government launched the Bilingual 2030 policy in Taiwan to improve international competitiveness and [...] Read more.
The development of bilingual education has rapidly grown in the past few decades, with v and ying implementations reflecting each country’s political, social and cultural contexts. In response, the Taiwanese government launched the Bilingual 2030 policy in Taiwan to improve international competitiveness and communication. Employing the FERTILE model as the theoretical framework, this case study focuses on (1) comprehending the role of the administrative team in implementing bilingual education within schools and (2) exploring the function of bilingual teacher professional learning communities. The results indicate that the involvement of school administrative teams, along with the support from BPLCs, are essential for implementing bilingual education in schools. More importantly, this research highlights the importance of administrative teams in providing a supportive environment. Also, the support from administrative teams is significant for enhancing the function of BPLCs, which play a key role in improving teachers’ instructional strategies. The findings of this study can generate both theoretical and practical contributions to bilingual education in Taiwan. First, the findings provide schools and policy makers in Taiwan with valuable insights for fostering bilingual teacher professional learning communities. Second, the findings from the two case studies, which utilised the FERTILE model to implement bilingual education, can serve as references for its nationwide promotion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
19 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Teaching Bilingually: Unlocking the Academic and Cognitive Potential—Teachers’ Insights
by Emma Creed, Roberto Filippi and Andrew Holliman
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040406 - 13 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4707
Abstract
Recent quantitative research on bilingual education suggests beneficial academic outcomes for pupils regardless of socio-economic status (SES). Bilingual education in England, a relatively novel phenomenon, may be better understood from teachers’ perspectives; however, there is a paucity of qualitative research in this area. [...] Read more.
Recent quantitative research on bilingual education suggests beneficial academic outcomes for pupils regardless of socio-economic status (SES). Bilingual education in England, a relatively novel phenomenon, may be better understood from teachers’ perspectives; however, there is a paucity of qualitative research in this area. To fill the gap, the present study explores the unique perspective of a sample of bilingual schoolteachers regarding the children who attend bilingual schools and the effects of bilingual education on children’s academic and non-academic development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six bilingual schoolteachers, and thematic analysis was adopted to interpret their experiences in greater depth. A thematic analysis revealed four superordinate themes: Academic and Socio-Cultural Effects, Privilege in Bilingual Education, Bilingual Education Takes Time, and Special Educational Needs. These results highlight academic, socio-cultural, and linguistic benefits with important implications for promoting equity in bilingual education. Further research should focus on schools with a higher proportion of students from lower socio-economic status backgrounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bilingual Education in a Challenging World: From Policy to Practice)
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