What educational practices support Ukrainian language learning in multilingual classrooms

Educational practices supporting Ukrainian language learning in multilingual classrooms involve several effective strategies tailored to diverse linguistic backgrounds:

Multilingual and Translanguaging Approaches

• Teachers use students’ full linguistic repertoires, including their native languages, alongside Ukrainian to make meaning and improve engagement and understanding through translanguaging practices. This counters monolingual ideologies and creates an inclusive learning environment where multilingualism is valued. ^{1, 2}

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

• Integrating language learning within content subjects helps students develop Ukrainian language skills alongside academic knowledge, supported by visuals, discussions, and collaboration between language and content teachers. This approach enhances communicative and academic language proficiency. ³

Differentiated and Individualized Support

• Providing extra tutoring and language support tailored to different proficiency levels in multilingual classrooms is crucial. Using intermediary languages like English can facilitate understanding and instruction when learners have varying language proficiencies. ⁴

Competency and Communicative Approaches

• Models emphasizing competency-based and communicative teaching focus on activating students’ communicative competence, including speaking, listening, and cultural understanding, rather than rote memorization. ^{5, 6}

Use of Technology and Blended Learning

• Incorporating information technologies into Ukrainian language learning, such as IT tools for phraseology and blended learning combining online and face-to-face instruction, supports engagement and contextualizes language use. ^{7, 8}

Teacher Identity and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

• Teachers’ awareness of their own multilingual identities and culturally responsive practices positively impact student engagement and anxiety levels, fostering inclusive classrooms where students’ multilingual backgrounds are respected and leveraged. ⁹

Multilingual Education Policies in Ukraine

• Ukrainian educational policy supports multilingualism with the principle of Ukrainian plus foreign languages, consistent with European directives encouraging the teaching of multiple languages to address linguistic and cultural diversity effectively. ^{10, 11}

Together, these practices address linguistic diversity and support Ukrainian language acquisition by recognizing and integrating students’ native languages, adapting instruction to various proficiency levels, and fostering inclusive, communicative, and technology-enhanced learning environments in multilingual classrooms. ^{2, 6, 8, 3, 4, 9, 10}

References

• Standard Ukrainian in the multilingual context: language ideologies and current educational practices

• Translanguaging practices in multilingual English language classrooms: Pedagogical implications and learner outcomes

• Integrating Content and Language Instruction for Multilingual Learners: A Systematic Review Across Program Types

• Challenges of teaching multilingual students in tertiary education

• The Ukrainian language communicative competence formation of foreign students based on the student-centered approach (in the process of teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language)

• Innovations and traditions in Ukrainian language teaching at the educational establishments of Ukraine: cases, models of the future

• Navigating Multilingualism and Blended Learning: Challenges and Strategies in Trilingual Child Development and Modern Educational Practices

• USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN STUDYING PHRASEOLOGY IN THE COURSE OF UKRAINIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

• Exploring the role of teacher identity in shaping pedagogical practices in multilingual classrooms

• Multilingual education development in Ukraine

• Development of multilingual education in Ukraine

• TEACHER MULTILINGUAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN THE ENGLISH CLASSROOM: IMPLICATIONS FOR COURSE DEVELOPMENT

• A Review of Language Curriculum Development in Multilingual Classrooms

• Integrating Critical Thinking and Technology in Saudi EFL Classrooms: A Framework for Culturally Responsive Language Learning

• Successful teaching practices for english language learners in multilingual mathematics classrooms: a meta-analysis

• IMPLEMENTING AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD TO TEACHING UKRAINIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT THE INITIAL STAGE

• Formation of Communication Skills in Primary School Students in Foreign Language Lessons in the New Ukrainian School

• SPECIFIC FEATURES OF STUDYING CROSS-CULTURAL TEXTS IN CLASSES OF UKRAINIAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE