Abstract Summary
Thanks to plurilingual and multimodal inputs in plurilingual TBLL, the use of all languages present in the plurilingual repertoire of learners are activated during the taks-solving processes. They are involved in real-world discourse, which, triggers translanguaging practices and mediation and, by doing so, fosters inclusive attitudes and coopertive communicative practices.
Abstract :
TBLL enables the learner to tackle authentic everyday situations and problem solving processes in a foreign language. The provided real life input is relevant and meaningful, thus facilitating the active acquisition of new knowledge and deeper understanding of contents, alongside the acquisition of the pragmatic and linguistic functions needed for task completion. The outcome oriented learning setting promotes autonomous learning and forms of authentic communication (Ellis 2003; Hallet 2006).
In this particular form of TBLT the students are given plurilingual and multimodal inputs (Burwitz Melzer 2002), thanks to which they are induced to use all languages of their linguistic repertoire in the task solving process. This way transfer between languages and cultures is promoted on many levels (Cummins 2009: Hufeisen 2010). The plurilingual inputs next to additional languages of schooling such as French, include also minority languages and languages of migration (Byram 1997). Students with plurilingual and migration backgrounds are given the opportunity to integrate their prior acquired languages in school learning. Translanguaging practices are triggered, as the learners are given the opportunity to mediate between different cultural and linguistic reference systems as well as their personal plurilingualism and the world of schooling (Garcia & Wei 2014). In the process the psychotypological perception of the languages is changed, and the plurilingual repertoire is activated and expanded (Grosjean 2001; Bono 2011). In the meantime hidden language hierarchies are uncovered and critically reflected, while inclusive linguistic practices are fostered. (Böttinger 2016)
The case study was carried out in a secondary school in Bolzano where the South Tyrolean Framework for Mutilingualism is being implementet. Audio and video registration of the negotiation processes, alongside with stimulated recalls and semi-structured interviews allowed to identify the learning processes the students underwent in the competence area of inclusion in this form of plurilingual TBLT (Bonnet 2012).
