ELINET Webinar series Multilingual Literacies Across Learning Contexts

In May 2025 Elinet organized successfully the second series of webinars.  We kindly ask you to share this information with any academics, teachers, teacher educators and others interested in educating students for multilingual literacies. We hope to see you at the events!

See and download the flyer here.

Seminar 1 Presenter: Aoife Ahern

Reading to Learn, Learning to Write, genre pedagogy in multilingual school contexts
Date: Thursday 29th May 2025
Time: 18:00–19:00 CET

Video

The webinar was recorded and is available here. 

Abstract

This talk will explain recent extensions, for second / additional language
learning contexts, of Rose & Martin’s (2012) approach to literacy education,
Reading to Learn. The approach is based on a carefully designed, scaffolded
teaching and learning cycle. Applying a set of strategies for reading and writing
across the genres that are required in different school curriculum areas,
teachers orally mediate students’ access to both the relevant knowledge,
language and visual resources from reading, and guide them to apply these to
composing their own texts. The approach is directly linked, therefore, to the
development of disciplinary literacies and to the needs of the large number of
students who currently study in Content and Language Integrated Learning
(CLIL) programmes. The talk will start with a brief introduction to Reading to
Learn in L2s, and an overview of the teachers’ role in selecting texts and
planning to apply the strategies. Next we will discuss its potential to uphold the
central place of literacies in the school curriculum, one of the EU key
competences, while ensuring students acquire both the content and languages
of the school curriculum.

Summary Webinar 1 

The meeting focused on organizing a presentation about multilingual literacies, featuring Aoife Ahern as the main speaker discussing genre pedagogy, reading-to-learn approaches, and language learning strategies in multilingual school contexts. Participants discussed logistical aspects of the presentation, including slide management and introductions, as well as personal anecdotes about children’s birthdays. The session concluded with a discussion on implementing reading-to-learn pedagogy in challenging educational contexts and the integration of technology in literacy strategies.

Multilingual Literacies Webinar Overview

The meeting began with introductions and welcome remarks for a webinar on multilingual literacies, hosted by Angela and featuring Aoife Ahern as the main speaker. Winnie Karangira from ELINET provided an overview of the organization’s mission to promote literacy across Europe. Aoife Ahern, a professor at Madrid Complutense University, introduced her presentation on “Reading to Learn, Learning to Write: Genre Pedagogy in Multilingual School Contexts,” which will cover three main sections and is part of a series of webinars aimed at supporting educators in understanding and exploring multilingual literacy practices.

Bilingual Education and Literacy Challenges

Aoife presented on multilingual education programs, particularly content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in Spain, where a large percentage of schools offer bilingual education through a foreign language, often English. She highlighted that while students develop strong English language skills, there are concerns about overall educational achievement and literacy, with recent PISA and PEARLS reports showing a decline in reading proficiency since the pandemic. Aoife also discussed the need for more research on literacy interventions in Spanish contexts and emphasized that teaching foundational literacy skills in Spanish before introducing them in English is more effective for bilingual learners.

Enhancing Multilingual Learning Approaches

Aoife presented on genre pedagogies and reading-to-learn approaches, explaining how these methods support multilingual students by focusing on language resources needed for specific curriculum tasks across different subjects. She shared examples from a project in Prague where 7-year-old students developed their English language skills through hands-on experiences before reading and writing about the water cycle, demonstrating how the reading-to-learn pedagogy involves building field experiences, close reading, and scaffolded writing activities. Aoife also discussed assessment approaches that focus on meaningful language use rather than basic skills, and highlighted a service learning project in Madrid where student teachers developed more inclusive teaching practices after working with challenged students.

Contextual Language Learning Insights

Aoife presented on language learning and storytelling, emphasizing the importance of context and embodiment in language acquisition. She highlighted the benefits of learning through real-world experiences and immersion. Felix asked about learning additional languages, to which Aoife suggested online resources like Duolingo and emphasized the value of context-specific language learning. Angela noted the relevance of Aoife’s insights for language learners, particularly in finding creative ways to immerse themselves in new languages.

Reading-to-Learn in Resource-Limited Contexts

The meeting focused on discussing the implementation of reading-to-learn pedagogy in challenging educational contexts, particularly in areas with large numbers of students and limited resources. Aoife shared insights from a recent publication edited by Claire, highlighting successful strategies used in South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, such as creating makeshift materials from cardboard and rice bags. The discussion also covered the integration of technology in reading-to-learn strategies, with Aoife suggesting the use of social annotation tools for older students and emphasizing the importance of not letting technology detract from literacy skills. The session concluded with a brief overview of the next webinar, which will focus on cross-language transfer and multilingual learners.

Seminar 2 Presenter: Aydin Durgunoglu

Cross-language transfer and building on the existing skills of multilingual learners
Date: Wednesday, June 4th 2025
Time: 18:00–19:00 CET

Video

The webinar was recorded and is available here. 

Abstract

This webinar will explore how children’s language skills interact as they learn to read and write in two or more languages. The key idea is that cross-linguistic transfer can be viewed as a metalinguistic and metacognitive skill. Cross-linguistic transfer occurs under two specific conditions: (a) When there is a strong foundation in the first language (L1). Such a foundation is influenced by factors including formal education, individual aptitude, and a supportive sociocultural environment. (b) When resources in the new language(s) are limited or insufficient, thus making the L1 a valuable and relevant linguistic asset. These dynamics have important implications for designing educational programs that leverage L1 as a foundation for literacy development in the new language(s).

Summary

Multilingual Literacy and Cross-Language Transfer

The webinar, hosted by Angela and organized by the European Literacy Policy Network, focused on multilingual literacy practices and cross-language transfer. Aiden, a distinguished global professor, presented on the cognitive foundations of language and literacy development, emphasizing the potential of multilingual learners’ existing skills in educational contexts. The session was structured into two parts: a presentation on cross-language transfer and its implications for teaching and learning, followed by a Q&A session. Participants were encouraged to engage in discussions and share their experiences, with the aim of fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange among educators.

Cross-Language Transfer in Language Proficiencies

Aydin presented on cross-language transfer, explaining that language proficiencies across languages are interrelated strands and multilingualism should be viewed as a resource rather than a deficit. He reviewed research findings showing strong correlations between first and second language phonological awareness (r=0.60) and word recognition skills (r=0.54), while noting limited transfer in spelling and mixed results for vocabulary. Aydin highlighted that metacognitive and metalinguistic skills, such as narrative structure, formal definitions, and academic language, show significant cross-language transfer, demonstrating how children can build on existing language knowledge in multiple languages.

Bilingual Language Transfer Research

Aydin presented research findings on bilingual language development, focusing on studies involving Spanish-English speaking children. He discussed path analysis models that demonstrated cross-language transfer effects, particularly showing that phonological awareness and academic language skills in one language correlated with reading comprehension in the other language. The research highlighted that while children received more English instruction, transfer effects were stronger from English to Spanish rather than vice versa, with academic language skills in both languages predicting English reading comprehension equally.

Cross-Language Writing Proficiency Research

Aydin presented research on cross-language transfer, focusing on how children’s higher-order skills in inference, theory of mind, and comprehension monitoring relate to writing proficiency across languages. He demonstrated that while there are language-independent metalinguistic and metacognitive skills, writing proficiency shows a single construct that is consistent across genres and languages. Aydin emphasized that strong first-language foundations, educational experiences, and sociocultural support are crucial for successful cross-language transfer, supported by data showing how limited formal education in Romanian affected children’s academic language skills compared to Italian.

Seminar 3 Presenter: Uta Woiwod

Inclusive Settings for Learning English in Adult Education
Date: Tuesday June 10 2025
Time: 18:00 – 19:00 CET

Video

The webinar was recorded and is available here. 

Abstract

Compared to corresponding discussions in inclusive primary- and secondary-school settings, teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to adult persons with learning difficulties has as yet received little attention both academically and in practice. This webinar presents an inclusive EFL course held at a centre of adult education in Germany (Volkshochschule). The course concept, tailored to a small group of participants, was primarily activity-oriented and based upon considerations from cognitive linguistics. Classes were focused on English words and phrases commonly used in German in everyday contexts or at work (‘anglicisms’), as, for the group, these formed major obstacles in understanding and contributing to conversation. The talk is meant to show that academic evaluation will be needed to develop approaches of didactic differentiation as well as teaching materials in order to establish sustainable inclusive EFL scenarios in adult education.

Quick recap

The webinar focused on multilingual literacies in learning contexts, featuring Dr. Uta Woiwod’s presentation on inclusive settings for teaching English as a lingua franca to adults with learning difficulties or cognitive disabilities. The discussion covered various approaches to inclusive English language teaching, including Universal Design for Learning and English as a Lingua Franca, while addressing challenges in implementing these practices in adult education settings. The presentation concluded with examples of kinesthetic learning methods and multi-sensory teaching approaches, highlighting the importance of emotional engagement and accessibility in language learning for diverse learners.

Summary

Multilingual Literacies in Adult Education

The webinar focused on multilingual literacies in learning contexts, featuring Dr. Uta Woiwod’s presentation on inclusive settings for learning English in adult education. Uta discussed the academic aspects of teaching English as a lingua franca to adults with learning difficulties or cognitive disabilities, followed by insights into an inclusive English course called “Denglish” that she taught at a German adult education center. The session was structured into a 60-minute presentation and Q&A format, with participants encouraged to post questions in the chat.

Global English Impact and Inclusion

The speaker discussed the spread of English as a global lingua franca and its impact on other languages, highlighting the challenges faced by non-English speakers. They then addressed the importance of inclusive education and empowerment for individuals with disabilities, referencing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The discussion concluded with a comparison of inclusive education approaches in schools and adult education settings, noting that while some principles are transferable, there are still challenges to fully implementing inclusive practices in adult English language teaching.

Inclusive Teaching Methods in Adult Ed

The speaker discussed inclusive teaching methods in adult education, highlighting the use of multisensory storytelling techniques and the visual thesaurus for learning English. They introduced two approaches: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and a specified method for English as a foreign language (ELF) by Felix Schmidt and Muller, which focuses on changing structures to accommodate diverse learners. The speaker emphasized the importance of empowerment and team teaching in inclusive settings, and provided examples of using sign language, icons, and multi-sensory approaches to accommodate different learning needs.

Abilities Project: Accessible Language Learning

The speaker discussed the “Abilities” project, a European Union-funded initiative from 2017-2020 that developed tools for adult learners with special educational needs, focusing on accessible language learning through a virtual learning environment. They highlighted that while online learning can improve accessibility, it may not be suitable for all learners with learning difficulties, particularly those who benefit from a multisensory approach. The speaker also criticized an exercise from the project’s Level A1 materials for containing ambiguous questions, noting that while “has he got a cold” was intended as the correct answer, “really, he has got a cold” could also be considered correct, which they viewed as problematic for learners with special needs.

Inclusive English Language Teaching Approaches

The discussion focused on inclusive English language teaching, particularly for adult learners with cognitive disabilities. The speakers reviewed various approaches including ELF (English as a Lingua Franca) and the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) stage model, which divides English language proficiency into levels A1 to C2. They also discussed plain English and easy read formats, which are simplified versions of English used in Australia and the USA to improve comprehension. The conversation concluded with a case study of a German Denglish course that was taught at a center for adult education, highlighting the importance of collaboration with institutions supporting learners with cognitive disabilities.

Inclusive English Language Course Overview

The course aimed to provide inclusive English language learning for participants with varying abilities, using a multi-sensory structured language education (MSLE) approach. The instructor discussed challenges faced, including the need for assisted participation and the use of sign language interpreters for a deaf participant, which led to technical difficulties in a hybrid teaching setting. The course content covered topics such as Danglish, workplace vocabulary, and holiday-related phrases, with a focus on plain English and visual aids to support learning. The instructor acknowledged that the amount of content was too extensive for a single course and planned for a follow-up session to ensure more sustainable learning.

Kinesthetic Learning Strategies for Engagement

Uta presented on kinesthetic learning methods, demonstrating how to engage students through multiple senses including visual, tactile, and emotional approaches. She shared examples from her teaching practice, including activities where students connected icons with English words, formed sentences, and created a collaborative word art. The presentation highlighted the importance of internal motivation and emotional engagement in learning, with specific examples like using active boards and physical movements to enhance memory and connection among students.

 

 

Best regards,
The ELINET Webinar Task Group