Research Presentation

Study of the Implementation of Multilingual education in linguistically

diverse classrooms at Srujan Prathamik Vidhyalaya
Rationale
NSSO 2007-08 estimates the 28.5% (326
million) of India’s population are Internal
Migrants

12% of total migrants are children in the age

group 0-14. (UNESCO, 2013)

Srujan Prathamik Vidhyalaya is a school that

actively addresses this language diversity,
and has successfully been able to integrate
the non-marathi students in their school
Research Question

How is multilingual education implemented in a classroom with language

diversity?

i. What are the systems available / used by the school for MLE?
ii. How are the systems being utilised for the implementation of MLE?
iii. What are the pros and cons of the form of MLE as implemented in this school?
Literature Review

In Language Disadvantage, Jhingran explores theories and research findings on language and its
implications for schools and learning. On entering a new and unfamiliar environment like a school,
being taught in the familiar home language will help make the transition from home, less traumatic. In
the second language (L2), the child needs to learn the language from scratch before developing
literacy.
Jhingran, D. (2005). Language Disadvantage, The Learning Challenge in Primary Education.
Cummins provides a framework to illustrate the relationship between literacy
engagement and literacy attainment.

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Building new Provide scaffolding Affirming the The final stage

knowledge on or support for the student’s identity requires the student
the basis of new knowledge to requires their to extend his
what the be assimilated. language and language through
child already culture to be extensive exposure
knows. affirmed. to the languages.

Cummins, J. (2009). Fundamental Psycholinguistic and Sociological Principles underlying Educational Success for
Linguistic Minority Students
Methodology
Site: Srujan Prathamik Vidhyalaya located in Kurul village, near Alibaug, Maharashtra
Participants
1. Head Teacher
2. Teachers who have been conducting multilingual classes
3. Students who have completed their school education from this school through multilingual
classes
4. Students who are currently in the multilingual classes and their parents

Method
1. Classroom observations
2. Interviews with Headteacher, teachers, students and parents
Research Findings Organisation

“Every child who comes to the

school should learn”

1 Accepting the child’s linguistic

and cultural background
Teachers
Methodology has evolved
Teacher Attitude - Compassion through practice

Pedagogy - Using the Mother

2
Tongue/Hindi to teach Marathi
Peer and Parent Support
Curriculum - Flexibility in pacing Mobilising older students and
of content based on the needs of classmates for language
the class. development.
3

Utilise parent support where

required.
Pros and Cons of the form of MLE as implemented in this
school
● Positive attitude of Non-Marathi parents
and students towards the school
● Marathi Language proficiency by class 4
● Success Indicator - Non-marathi students
are passing grade 10 state board exams
in Marathi.
● Focus on Marathi to the exclusion of all
other languages.
● Can pose a challenge to students when
they return to their home state
● The demand for English is resulting in
students taking admission in other
English-medium schools
Conclusion
1. The school has an advantage of utilizing Hindi as a bridge language to increase
proficiency in Marathi, as the script and the root language are the same.
2. The solution developed by the school has evolved based on need, common sense and
intuition.
3. Need for sustained and structured dialogue on dealing with linguistic diversity in
schools. However the solution needs to be contextual to the school.