Post by Stellenbosch University

For many universities, multilingualism is treated as a challenge to manage. Stellenbosch University is encouraging educators to think differently, recognising students' existing linguistic repertoires as assets that can deepen learning, participation and belonging. A workshop presented by SU's Language Centre at the University's inaugural Teaching-Learning-Assessment Day offered a practical framework for doing exactly that. Three strategies anchored the discussion: multilingual terminology, to deepen access to complex academic concepts; translanguaging, which acknowledges that multilingual students naturally draw on multiple languages to process and communicate; and educational interpreting, as a tool for additive bilingualism and broader participation. The central insight is worth sitting with: multilingualism is fundamentally relational. It shapes who feels recognised in academic spaces, who feels able to participate and whose knowledge is valued. As South African universities continue to grapple with access, equity and transformation, that reframe matters. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eRNeGuYi