Early language learning in a rural multilingual Montessori school in Málaga (Spain): a case study.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This paper explores language learning and communication strategies of Early Childhood Education pupils with different linguistic backgrounds, as well as their language biographies and language attitudes. In particular, a qualitative analysis was conducted at the Children’s House (3 to 6 years of age) of a rural international Montessori school (La Casa Verde) in Málaga, a province with one of the largest foreign populations in Spain (INE, 2022). The classroom has 24 students of mixed ages (3-6), two guides or main teachers, as well as other specialised teachers (arts, gardening), and additional teachers when needed. The languages taught at school are Spanish and English, but the children’s backgrounds and L1s are very diverse: Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Arabic, Italian, French, and Spanish (with parents from Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, and Spain –including different regions and therefore different dialectal varieties: Andalusian and Castilian). The main tools for data collection were observations (6-7 months) and activities undertaken with the children, based on multilingual pedagogies (Martínez-León, Andúgar & Cortina-Pérez, 2024), such as the language portrait and the river of reading. Some of the main outcomes of this research and collaboration (university-school) include the following: 1) fostering real awareness of multilingualism and curiosity for learning and using differente languages, 2) making the most of multilingualism by introducing a more regular use of children’s L1s, 3) using children’s different L1s to create links.

References INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) (2022). Demografía y población. https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177095&menu=ultiDatos&idp=1254735572981

Martínez-León, N., Andúgar, A. & Cortina-Pérez, B. (Eds.) (2024). Multilingual Pedagogies for Early Years. Theoretical Insights and Innovative Approaches. Peter Lang.