Research summary
When we learn a language, we also learn about the cultures, traditions and beliefs associated with it. Plurilingual education encourages the use of students’ plurilingual and pluricultural resources for teaching and learning in the classroom to develop openness, respect and intercultural competencies in all learners. It also promotes social integration.
As Canada Research Chair in Integrated Plurilingual Teaching and Learning, Dr. Sunny Man Chu Lau aims to bring plurilingual teaching and learning to Canada’s classrooms. To do this, she and her research team are collaborating with ESL and French teachers to generate plurilingual teaching methods. They are also developing assessment frameworks and methods that embrace the use of different languages in the classroom as well as the use of technologies for both physical and virtual learning. In addition, Lau and her team are creating culturally responsive teacher education that will help educators to better meet the needs of students in today’s connected, diverse classrooms.