JoLIE 18:3/2025

 

Back to issue page

 

 

 

RAISING AWARENESS IN DEVELOPING THE PLURILINGUAL REPERTOIRE

 

 

Jana BérešováTitle: A green circle with white letters AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Trnava University, Slovakia

 

 

 

Abstract

 

This study examines building awareness of the plurilingual repertoire and the use of plurilingual competence among university students majoring in English who are preparing to become future English teachers or professionals in fields where English plays a central role, such as interpreting, translation, or cultural studies related to English-speaking countries. The paper investigates cognate recognition in an intercomprehension setting, where university students do not know the text’s language directly but are familiar with a closely related language they study as a major.

The research addressed two main problematic areas: (a) the impact of interlingual correspondences on cognate recognition in English-French intercomprehension on mediating a text from French into English (an experimental group) and (b) the effect of guided instructions on students’ cognate recognition (an experimental group) in comparison with the cognate recognition of those who were not specifically instructed (a control group).

The results show that meaningful context improves the likelihood of cognate recognition. In the first research, the main objective – comprehending a sufficient amount of information to mediate a written French text orally in English – was achieved; however, the results were dependent on the text. The text with fewer cognates prompted students in the experimental group to activate prior knowledge, draw on personal linguistic experience, and consciously mobilise their plurilingual resources to transfer meaning from one language to another. Students’ performances were evaluated against the rating scale for transmitting the message and using the mediation descriptors in the CEFR CV. In the second research, data from two groups: experimental (with an intervention) and control groups are presented and analysed.

 

Keywords: Plurilingualism; Mediation; Interlingual correspondences; Cognate recognition; Intercomprehension.

 

 

References

 

Bérešová, J. (2021). Is it possible to develop mediation strategies in conventionally taught English classes? In Proceedings of EDULEARN21 Conference (pp. 678–683). INTED.

 

Bérešová, J. (forthcoming, 2026). Abstract quality and cross-linguistic interference: A comparative study of technically oriented student writing. In Proceedings of the 28th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (in press). Springer.

 

Bérešová, J., & Ševčík, R. (2024). The impact of the plurilingual approach to language teaching on learners’ competence in interlinguistic mediation. Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, AD ALTA, 14(1), 183–189. www.doi.org/10.33543/1401

 

Candelier, M., Camilieri-Grima, A., Castellotti, V., de Pietro, J., Lőrincz, I., Meißner, F., Noguerol, A., & Schröder-Sura, A. (2012). FREPA – A framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures. Council of Europe.

 

Coste, D., Moore, D., & Zarate, G. (2009). Plurilingual and pluricultural competence: Studies towards a Common European Framework of Reference for language learning and teaching. Council of Europe.

 

Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Council of Europe.

 

Council of Europe. (2006). Plurilingual education in Europe: 50 years of international cooperation. Council of Europe.

 

Council of Europe. (2020). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume. Council of Europe.

 

Dendrinos, B. (2024). Mediation as negotiation of meanings, plurilingualism and language education. Routledge.

 

Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.

 

European Commission. (2012). Studies on translation and multilingualism: Intercomprehension. Publications Office of the European Union.

 

Ferrari, G. (2015). Steps towards intercultural education and the role of language learning. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 8, 104–120. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2015.8.6

 

Galante, A. (2020). The moment I realized I am plurilingual: Plurilingual tasks for creative representations in EAP at a Canadian university. Applied Linguistics Review, 11(4), 551–580. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2018-0016

 

García, O., & Wei, L. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Palgrave Macmillan.

 

Grosjean, F. (2010). Bilingual: Life and reality. Harvard University Press.

 

Hunter, D., Cousineau, D., Collins, G., & Hook, G. (2019). Action-oriented approach handbook. Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers. https://www.caslt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/sample-aoa-handbook-en.pdf

 

Koda, K. (2005). Insights into second language reading: A cross-linguistic approach. Cambridge University Press.

 

Kolb, E. (2016). Sprachmittlung: Studien zur Modellierung einer komplexen Kompetenz [Linguistic mediation: Studies on modeling a complex competence]. Waxmann.

 

Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching. Oxford University Press.

 

Lantolf, J. P., & Thorne, S. L. (2006). Sociocultural theory and the genesis of second language development. Oxford University Press.

 

Mirici, I. H., Sari Yildirim, Ş., & Gürhan, T. (2023). The effect of an action-oriented approach on low-performing students’ achievements. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education (BUEFAD), 12(4), 762–775.

 

Nadrah, Y. A., & Harwati, H. (2021). Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): A review on teachers’ perception and plurilingualism. Creative Education, 12, 727–736. https://www.scirp.org/journal/ce

 

Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press.

 

Neuer, G. (2004). The concept of plurilingualism and tertiary language didactics. In B. Hufeisen & G. Neuer (Eds.), The plurilingualism project: Tertiary language learning – German after English. Council of Europe.

 

North, B. (2014). The CEFR in practice. Cambridge University Press.

 

Piccardo, E. (2014). From communicative to action-oriented: A research pathway. https://transformingfsl.ca/en/components/from-communicative-to-action-oriented-a-ressearch-pathway

 

Piccardo, E., & North, B. (2019). The action-oriented approach: A dynamic vision of language education. Multilingual Matters.

 

Piccardo, E., & North, B. (2022). Enriching the scope of language education – The CEFR companion volume. In B. North, E. Piccardo, T. Goodier, D. Fasoglio, R. Margonis-Pasinetti, & B. Rüschoff (Eds.), Enriching 21st century language education: The CEFR companion volume, examples from practice. Council of Europe.

 

Puren, C. (2009). La nouvelle perspective actionnelle et ses implications sur la conception des manuels de langue [The new action-oriented perspective and its implications for the conceptualisation of language teaching course books]. In M.-L. Lions-Olivieri & P. Liria (Eds.), L’approche actionnelle dans l’enseignement des langues: Douze articles pour mieux comprendre et faire le point (pp. 119–137). Difusión-Maison des Langues.

 

Savski, K. (2019). Putting the plurilingual/pluricultural back into CEFR: Reflecting on policy reform in Thailand and Malaysia. Journal of Asia TEFL, 16(2), 644–652. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2019.16.2.14.644

 

 

How to cite this article: Bérešová, J. (2025). Raising awareness in developing the plurilingual repertoire. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 18(3), 7–24. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2025.18.3.1

 

For details on subscription, go to: http://jolie.uab.ro/index.php?pagina=-&id=19&l=en