Developing Multilingual Education Policies

Multilingual policies are increasingly important and required in educational settings worldwide, yet a solid experimental body of theory, research, and practice providing guidance for the development of policies is lacking. The Israeli context presented in this book serves as a case study or a model that could be used by bodies or entities seeking to devise a multilingual policy. The authors begin by addressing the general notion of a multilingual education policy with specific reference to the Israeli context. The book then focuses on specific challenges confronting the new policy that have been explored in empirical studies, and concludes with a proposed framework for a new multilingual education policy related to the core theoretical topics and empirical findings discussed in the previous chapters. This framework includes principles and strategies for implementing the process described in the book in other contexts, ensuring wide applicability and relevance. Developing Multilingual Education Policies: Theory, Research, Practice is an essential read for all involved in language policy and planning within applied linguistics and education.

Michal Tannenbaum is currently the chair of the Program for Multilingual Education at Tel Aviv University. She researches and writes about multiple perspectives of language policy, including family and education systems, emotional aspects of immigration and language sustainability, multilingualism, and art. She edited the book Challenges for Language Education and Policy: Making Space for People (with B. Spolsky & O. Inbar-Lourie; 2014, Routledge). Elana Shohamy is a professor of multilingual education at Tel Aviv University where she researches and writes about multiple dimensions of language policy, language rights, immigration, language testing, and linguistic landscape. Her books include Language Policy: Hidden Agendas and New Approaches (2006, Routledge), and Linguistic Landscape: Expanding the Scenery (edited with D. Gorter; 2009, Routledge).

Acknowledgements Introduction A journey towards a new multilingual policy PART One - Language policy, multilingualism, and education Chapter 1 A new approach to language education policy Chapter 2 Languages and policy in Israel: History and the present Chapter 3 Advocating for a new multilingual education policy in Israel PART Two - From policy challenges to research: Major issues Chapter 4 Stakeholder's attitudes and perceptions regarding multilingual education policies Chapter 5 Testing and assessment of minority students: Language and content Chapter 6 Incorporating L1 in the context of teaching English as an additional language Chapter 7 Connecting Jewish and Arab students via Shared Education Chapter 8 The role of heritage languages in multilingual education policies Chapter 9 The linguistic landscape as multilingual awareness PART Three - Conclusions, implementations, and challenges Chapter 10 Principles of the new multilingual education policy Chapter 11 Conclusions, challenges, and future directions References Appendices