Multilingual Education

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Multilingual Education

Beginning with children’s first language for better learning.

We emphasise leveraging children’s first language as a foundation for improved learning outcomes. Multilingual Education promotes not only better learning but also fosters equity and social inclusion. Collaborating with state governments, we design and implement bi/multilingual education programmes, bridging the gap between home and school languages

5 States

Technical support at the state-level

3 States

Demonstration programmes

10 Districts

95,000

Children impacted

10

Home Languages

India's Linguistic Diversity
  • 19,659 mother tongues recorded (Census of India 2011)
  • 1,369 languages have over 10,000 speakers
  • Spread across 640 districts in 28 states and 7 union territories
  • 30 languages used for primary education

MLE = Home Language + Language 2 + Language 3

Valuing children’s home language(s) and cultural knowledge; used in the teaching-learning process

Languages are not seen in water-tight compartments; keeping a fluid and mixed use of languages

Taking support of children’s home language to teach additional languages

Intervention strategies

Demonstration Programs

  • LLF’s MLE demonstration programs have evolved during the years and have developed an appropriate environment for children to learn in their most familiar language(s).
  • Key Objectives of demonstration  – 
    • Strengthen children’s higher order thinking abilities and oral expression in L1, children’s most familiar language.
    • Develop basic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in L2 (Language of Instruction – LoI).
  • LF is currently working with 9 non-dominant languages – Halbi, Bhatri, Gondi, Wagdi, Ho, Kudukh, Khadiya, Mundari, and Santhali
  • LLF’s MLE  programs are in 5 States – Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Assam, and Odisha impacting 95000+ students directly.
  • Key Strategies of MLE in Demonstration Programs – 
    • Teaching and learning in the beginning months of school should be conducted in children’s home languages alone.
    • Balanced and strategic use of L1 and L2, as per children’s level. L1 for new or difficult concepts, higher order thinking and expression, and L2 for simple discussions, familiar content or concepts.
    • Accept and encourage mixed use of home language and school language for greater understanding and learning.
    • Take the help of children’s home languages in teaching how to read and write.
    • Include children’s cultural and contextual knowledge in teaching-learning materials and processes.
  • Community engagement is a vital component of LLF’s MLE program, fostered through initiatives like Storytelling Festivals and School-Cultural Museums.
    • These activities tap into the rich cultural and linguistic knowledge of the community, enhancing children’s learning experiences and empowering them to express themselves with confidence.

Awareness Generation and Professional Development

  • 1.5 million teachers across India have completed the MLE course, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).   
  • Raising awareness on Multilingual Education (MLE) at the state level.
  • Building the capacity of education officials from the state to cluster level through online training programs.

Research and Advocacy

  • Partnering with national and state governments to shape the policies on MLE.
  • Conducting research and documenting best practices on MLE.
  • Conducting Language Mapping Exercise.
  • Conducting Webinar and Seminars to spread awareness on MLE.
  • Partnering with different organizations to establish a National Consortium for MLE – India

Different Language Use in a Multilingual Classroom:

1


Home Language (L1)

  • Primarily for academic and formal interactions in the first few months of school. 
  • Focused use for improving understanding, higher-order thinking, critical analysis, and original expression in oral language development.
2
 

Mixed Language (L1 + L2)

  • Natural, purposeful blending according to the developmental level of children.
  • Initial decoding and reading facilitated through the inclusion of L1 words.
  • Acceptance of mixed language words in writing at beginning level.
3
 

Second Language (L2)

  • Focus on orality first in L2 through poems, stories, and language games at the beginning. 
  • Introducing new concepts in L2 concepts using gestures, level appropriate language, pictures, and first language. 
  • Vocabulary development in L2 is supported by Total Physical Response (TPR), songs, poems, expressive techniques, and interactive games.

Programme outcomes:

  • Focus on orality first in L2 through poems, stories, and language games at the beginning. 
  • Introducing new concepts in L2 concepts using gestures, level appropriate language, pictures, and first language. 
  • Vocabulary development in L2 is supported by Total Physical Response (TPR), songs, poems, expressive techniques, and interactive games.

Read our reports, newsletters, notes to know more

2030 MISSION

By 2030, we will reach 35 million children by influencing classroom practices of more than 2 million teachers and teacher educators

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Your support can help us achieve this mission