SH

IL
PI
DW
IV
ED
I
Home language/ Regional language/ first language/ local language/ vernacular language/
Mother tongue

The importance of home languages

I
ED
It is important to keep using home languages both in the Early Years

IV
Foundation Stage setting and at home. “Bilingualism is an asset and the

DW
first or home language has a continuing and significant role in identity,

PI
learning and the acquisition of additional languages.”

IL
SH
1. Home languages make the curriculum more accessible for pupils new to English.
2. What is learned in one language is easily transferred to another language.

I
ED
3. Supporting children’s home language enhances their cognitive and language
development.

IV
DW
4. Time spent on the home language will not damage the development of
proficiency in English.

PI
5. There is a positive effect on learner’s identity, self – concept and self-esteem

IL
which increases their chances of successful learning
SH
6. Children need to hear their parents or carers speaking their home language.
7. Encouraging use of home languages will be a positive experience for other
pupils.
 Role of multilingualism
• Multilingualism is the ability to use more than two languages. Multilingualism is
constitutive of the identity of a child and a typical feature of the Indian linguistic
landscape, must be used as a resource, classroom strategy, and a goal by a teacher.

I
• Benefits of Multilingual Classroom:

ED
IV
1. It emphasizes on the significance of a smooth transition between the home and

DW
school language.
2. Multilingualism encourages children to believe in themselves.

PI
3. It shows a greater number of independent cognitive strategies at their disposal

IL
and exhibits greater flexibility in the use of these strategies to solve problems.
SH
4. It is also a way of ensuring that every child feels secure and accepted and that no
one is left behind on account of his / her linguistic background.
5. Multilingual children are capable of greater cognitive flexibility and creativity and
perform better academically than monolinguals.
SH
IL
PI
DW
IV
ED
I
Some Important multilingualism strategies

• Code-Switching
• Alternating between two or more languages or language varieties/dialects

I
ED
in the context of a single conversation.

IV
DW
PI
IL
Examples:
SH
(code switching from English to Marathi)
•Exams are coming nearer, khoop abhyas karaycha ahe aur bahot ank lane hai.
•chalo yar! we are getting late. Nitin waat baghtoy. (from English to Turkish)
• Code mixing:
• Code mixing refers to the transfer of linguistic elements or
words from one language to another or mixed together.

I
ED
IV
DW
PI
For example:
•I querer to leave now . Don’t make me stay here. I am getting tarde. ( code mixing between

IL
English and spanish)
SH
•Yesterday I went to market and bought some vegetables, and aalu, Gobi etc. (English +
Hindi)
 Translanguaging
• García (2009, p. 45) defines translanguaging as ‘multiple discursive practices in which bilinguals
engage in order to make sense of their bilingual worlds.’ This definition refers to natural
practices that have not been designed as a teaching strategy and that could take place inside or

I
outside the classroom.

ED
IV
DW
Translanguaging is considered to be different from code-switching and code-mixing
because it is not just a shift between languages but ‘the speakers’ construction and use

PI
of original and complex interrelated discursive practices’

IL
SH
refer to a pedagogical practice where students in bilingual Welsh/English classrooms are asked
to alternate languages for the purposes of receptive or productive use,
TOP 40 Practice Questions

I
ED
IV
DW
PI
IL
SH
Q-1
• Which of these may be the benefit of multilingualism?

I
1. Increase vocabulary in effective speech

ED
2. Tolerance and respect towards other cultures.

IV
DW
3. Restricted employment opportunities.

PI
4. Metalinguistic awareness

IL
A)1,2,3 SH
B)2,3
C) 1,2
D)1,2,4
Q2 multilingualism as a resource education aims at

I
A) Making use of languages of learners for teaching learning.

ED
B) Making learners learn as many languages as possible.

IV
DW
C) Using classical languages for teaching learning.

PI
D) Enabling to learn English language for jobs and mother tongue for culture

IL
SH
Q-3
• Which language is recommended by National curriculum framework
ncf 2005 for the instruction medium at the primary level?!

I
A) Mother tongue

ED
IV
B) Regional language

DW
C) Any language included in 8th schedule.

PI
D) English

IL
SH
Q-4
• Mother tongue based multilingualism refer to

I
A) Learners begin their schooling in mother tongue and move on to add many more

ED
( at least two language) in school.

IV
B) Learners begin their scholarship in home language and move on to add English

DW
and Hindi.

PI
C) Learners begin their schooling in English and moon want to add three more

IL
languages.
SH
D) Learners learning through mother tongue in primary school and add English later.
Q-5
__________discursive practices in which multilinguals/ bilinguals
engage in order to make sense of their bilingual/multilingual worlds.

I
ED
A) Translanguaging

IV
B) Semilingualism

DW
C) Code mixing

PI
IL
D) Code switching
SH
Q-6
• Forbidding a child to use their mother tongue at school is determinantal to
their learning because

I
A) Using home language negatively affect learning

ED
IV
B) It is violation of their right

DW
C) It is illegal to prohibited the use of home language in school

PI
D) It may make students feel marginalized and feeling lost in the class.

IL
SH
Q-7
society, multilingualism is a

I
A) challenge to teachers ability to teach students.

ED
B) a process that that makes language learning complicated.

IV
DW
C) resource for learning and understanding a concept easily.

PI
D) a hindrance in learning process for students.

IL
SH
Q-8
• While teaching in a multilingual classroom, how can a teacher address
the issue of diversity?

I
A) By mandating the cumpulsory use of school language in the classroom.

ED
IV
B) By discouraging students to not speak in their mother tongue.

DW
C) Recognising the mother tongue of the student.

PI
D) By Ignoring the use of mother tongue

IL
SH
Q-9
• Translanguaging :
A) Reinforces the traditionally defined language boundaries.

I
ED
B) Challenges the traditional culturally defined language boundaries.

IV
DW
C) Views different languages are separate systems.
D) Is a new term for bilingualism

PI
IL
SH
Q-10
• Multilingualism affects our brain positively and enhances cognitive skills.
This view of bilingualism is very different from the attitude towards

I
bilingualism during most part of the twentieth century.second language

ED
was seen as__________earlier.

IV
DW
A) An added asset, a motivational factor

PI
B) An interference, hindrance

IL
C) A happy coincidence
SH
D) A cause of Failure in life
Q-11
• Mother tongue based multilingualism is
A) Every learner begin their schooling in her mother tongue and move on to study in

I
English medium in school.

ED
B) All schools teacher teach through the medium of the mother tongue or home

IV
language.

DW
C) Every learner begins her schooling in her mother tongue and moves on to add

PI
many more languages in school.

IL
D) All school teacher through the medium of English to cater the demands of parents
SH
Q-12
Which of the following is a multilingual practice in classroom?

I
A) Code switching

ED
IV
B) Translanguaging

DW
C) Code mixing

PI
D) All of these

IL
SH
Q-13
• National education policy NEP 2020 recommends the study of_______
A) Mother tongue, Modern Indian languages, foreign languages.

I
ED
B) Mother tongue or home language, modern Indian languages, sanskrit, classical

IV
languages, foreign languages

DW
C) Mother tongue of home languages modern Indian languages Sanskrit foreign
languages

PI
IL
D) Mother tongue, English, modern Indian languages, classical languages
SH
Q-14
• Consider the statement and statement b regarding translanguaging.
1. Translanguaging is a flexible form of multilingualism.

I
ED
2. Translanguaging is switching between the languages one known in

IV
order to maximize communicative potential.

DW
A) A is true b is false.

PI
B) A Is false b is true.

IL
C) Both a & b are true
SH
D) Both A and B are false
Q-15

• a student whose home language and school language are different,

how can you, as a teacher, help As a resource?

I
ED
A) By giving him extra attention in class.

IV
B) Using multilingualism as resource in the classroom.

DW
C) By giving him flexibility in homework related work.

PI
IL
D) By teaching in the class in his mother tongue
SH
 Q-16
• What is translanguaging?

I
ED
A) Teaching many languages in language classroom.

IV
B) Moving from one language to another for teaching learning of content subjects.

DW
C) Using many languages while speaking and in teaching learning of language.

PI
D) Teaching all contents as well as languages in one language

IL
SH
Q-17
• What is mother tongue based multilingualism?

I
ED
A) Starting one’s schooling in the mother tongue and move on to add many languages.

IV
B) Starting one’s schooling in the mother tongue and move to English as the medium.

DW
C) Learning in mother tongue medium and learning English as a language.

PI
D) Learning as many languages as possible during the primary years of schooling

IL
SH
Q-18
• In the primary classes, it is recommended that children should be taught
in their mother tongue because;

I
ED
A) It enables children to comprehend well.

IV
B) It promotes regional language

DW
C) It is easy to teach in

PI
D) It helps to manage the class well

IL
SH
Q-19
• In a classroom a student was talking with peers in Hindi.
• When her teacher called she immediately replied in her in English. This

I
is an example of

ED
IV
A) Code switching

DW
B) Code mixing

PI
C) D- code

IL
D) Code expansion
SH
 Q-20
• A teacher should use the learners mother tongue while teaching in the classroom because :

I
A) Each child will learn at the same pace if they are taught in their mother tongue.

ED
B) Learners will answer all the questions if they are learning in their mother tongue.

IV
DW
C) Learners will understand the new concepts easily and feel accepted in the classroom.
D) There will be least distraction in the class

PI
IL
SH
Q-21
• Multilingualism as a strategy means
A) Teaching of many languages in school

I
ED
B) Teaching learning of mother tongue of all learners

IV
DW
C) Making use of the languages of learners
D) Enabling learners to learn foreign languages

PI
IL
SH
Q-22
• Which of the following principles does National curriculum framework 2005
expect a teacher to keep in mind while teaching in a multilingual classroom?

I
ED
A) children’s English proficiency greatly improve through exposure.

IV
B) Linguistic diversity in class constants English language teaching.

DW
C) Children learn better through drills and rigorous practice.

PI
D) Language is constitutive of a child’s cultural and social identity

IL
SH
Q-23
• Mother tongue influence can be made as a support in English classroom by
A) Conversing in mother tongue more often than in english.

I
ED
B) Giving examples from the mother tongue only.

IV
C) Laying emphasis on exposure to the target language only.

DW
D) Giving meaningful inputs from the target language and using the

PI
languages of learners

IL
SH
Q-24
• In primary classes the student should be taught in their mother tongue
because

I
ED
A) It will enable students to comprehend better.

IV
B) It will create a formal environment for the students.

DW
C) Teacher will develop self confidence.

PI
D) It will promote the regional language of student

IL
SH
Q-25
Which of the following statements are true regarding multilingualism?
I. Multilingualism can be a hindrance to personal development.

I
II. Multilingualism can be seen as an expression of cultural prosperity.

ED
III. Multilingualism makes a person more tolerant.

IV
DW
IV. The prevalence of multilingualism in India has stunted its economic
development.

PI
II and III

IL
I and II
I, II and IV
SH
II, III and IV
Q-26
• Linguistic variability or multilingualism is a _______ to acquire
the knowledge of a foreign language.

I
ED
IV
• boon

DW
• hardship

PI
• tool

IL
• ladder SH
 Q-27
• Most classrooms in India are multilingual and this needs to

I
be seen as ______by the teacher.

ED
IV
DW
• a problem

PI
• a resource

IL
• an obstacle
• a bother
SH
Q-28
• Which of the following can be considered as the positive features of
multilingualism in India?

I
ED
A) It encourages the acceptance of many languages in Indian communities.

IV
B) Multilingulism tends to influence a person towards only Hindi.

DW
C) It encourages children to avoid various different regional languages and focus
on English.

PI
IL
a) a& C only
b) Only a SH
c) Only c
d) B & c
 Q-29
• Which of the following is not the benefit of multilingualism?

I
A) Understanding and tolerance towards different cultures.

ED
IV
B) Scientific curiosity

DW
C) Greater cognitive development

PI
D) Enhance problem solving abilities

IL
SH
Q-30
• According to the national curriculum framework 2005, “English in India
is________ in a multilingual country.”

I
ED
A) A foreign language

IV
B) A global language

DW
C) An associate language

PI
IL
D) A first language
SH
Q-31
• The multilingual Nature of the Indian classroom must be used as a
resource so that

I
ED
A) Every child feels secure and accepted.

IV
B) Every child learns at the same pace

DW
C) Children can learn many languages.

PI
IL
D) The teacher develops language proficiency
SH
Q-32
• Which of the following statements are true regarding multilingualism?
1. Multilingualism Can be a hindrance to personal development.

I
ED
2. Multilingualism can be seen as an expression of cultural prosperity.

IV
3. Multilingualism makes a person polyglot

DW
4. The prevalence of multilingualism in India has stunted its economic development.

PI
IL
A) 2nd & 3rd
B) 1st& 2nd
SH
C) 1st,2nd, 3rd
D) 2nd, 3rd, 4th
 Q-33
• Sometimes people combine elements of different languages in the same
sentence, this is an example of

I
A) social linguistics

ED
IV
B) Code Switching

DW
C) Code mixing

PI
D) dialects

IL
SH
 Q-34
• In teaching class multilingualism arise

I
A) When all the learners share a cultural language

ED
IV
B) When all the learners are able to speak several languages fluently

DW
C) When all the learners share no cultural language

PI
D) When all the learners share multicultural languages

IL
SH
Q-35
• Which of the following is the advantage of multilingualism?
A) Accessibility to the knowledge of other cultures.

I
ED
B) High cognitive development of child

IV
DW
C) Broder worldviews

PI
D) All of these

IL
SH
Q-36
• The term Multilingualism refers to
A) An individual’s ability to communicate in several different languages.

I
ED
B) The Co- existence of different language communities in one geographical

IV
or political area.

DW
C) Use of Three or more languages by individual group of society

PI
D) All of these

IL
SH
Q-37
• Multilingualism have a strong positive correlation with
1. Divergent thinking

I
ED
2. Social interaction

IV
3. Cognitive growth

DW
4. Physiological change

PI
IL
A) 1,3,4
B) 2,3,4
SH
C) 1,2,3
D) 1 & 3 only
Q-38
• Which among the following are the importance of multilingual approach?

I
ED
A) It reinforces the phonological aspect and vocabulary

IV
B) It Builds the awareness of sound

DW
C) It developd oral language pattern

PI
D) All of these

IL
SH
Q-39
A speech community refers to a community which :
A. Speaks different dialects

I
ED
B. uses different languages

IV
DW
C. speaks the same language
D. connects by virtue of a link language

PI
IL
SH
Q-40
According to the language teaching experts the early education
of a child should be in _______.

I
ED
IV
First language

DW
second language

PI
foreign language

IL
multi language SH
Answer key
1. D 16. B 31. A
2. A 17. A 32. A
3. Both a & b 18. A 33. C

I
4. A 19. A 34. D

ED
5. A 20. C 35. D

IV
6. D 21. C 36. D
22. A

DW
7. C 37. C
8. C. 23. D 38. D
24. A

PI
9. D 39. C
10. A
25. A 40. A

IL
26. C
11. C
27. B
12.
13.
D.
B
SH
28. B
29. B
14. C
30. B
15. B