Advancing Teacher Knowledge to Foster Plurilingual Competence in the Irish Primary School Classroom: A Systematic Review

In an increasingly interconnected world, the cultivation of plurilingual competence has emerged as a global educational priority. Within this global context, Ireland has undertaken significant steps to enhance Modern Foreign Language (MFL) education in primary schools. Offered by the Department of Education (DE), all primary schools in Ireland now have the opportunity to participate voluntarily in the ‘Say Yes to Languages Programme' (SYLP) from the Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026 developed in the context of the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. Targeting students from third to sixth class (8-12-year-olds), this sampler module aims to generate awareness among students of a range of languages (including Irish Sign Language [ISL]) to help support the inclusion and appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity in schools, communities and wider society. While investigating teacher knowledge (TK) as a key factor in successful language teaching, this research explores the central question: How can we enhance TK and plurilingual competencies in contemporary Irish primary classrooms? Through a systematic review (PRISMA, 2009), this study emphasizes the need for equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills to navigate plurilingual classrooms effectively. It also underscores the role of implicit TK in fostering students' linguistic development. Consequently, the ‘MEGA TEACHER Framework’ was developed, identifying nine essential dimensions of TK and practice crucial for MFL instruction. The elements of this framework align closely with the objectives of the SYLP and the redeveloped Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) by highlighting the importance of empowering teachers as leaders of linguistic and cultural diversity in the primary classroom. It is hoped that the MEGA TEACHER Framework will help provide a roadmap to support teachers in delivering MFL instruction in primary settings.  

Keywords: teacher knowledge; plurilingual competencies; modern foreign language (MFL); primary education