A Service-Learning Program for Multilingual Education at an Early Age: Tandem Teaching Experiences

Introduction

Development of multilingualism from early educational stages is recognized as an important task in many countries where different models of multilingual education are being introduced, evaluated, and (re)invented (e.g., Abelio-Contesse et al., 2013; Cenoz & Gorter 2015; Wernicke et al. 2021). Together with the evidence from the relevant scientific research, social, cultural, economic, ideological, and other concerns directly affect language education policies in all its aspects, from the choices of which languages are being learned and taught and at what age, to the ways in which this should be done (Filipović, 2018; Zein & Coady, 2021). While there is ample theoretical and practical evidence to support that languages are efficiently used to teach other content subjects (Mehisto et al., 2008; Naharro, 2019; Nikula et al., 2016), traditional perception of the foreign language as a separate subject is still alive in the mind of many language teachers, parents, educational authorities, and other interested parties who influence and define the educational process. Consequently, there is a risk that, when confronted with this traditional approach in the professional environment, beginning teachers will be “less likely to challenge the inherent conservatism in teaching or to advance social reform and social justice agendas” (Hobson et al., 2009, p. 211). Teacher education programs, thus, need to provide adequate support and sufficient positive experience that will empower young professionals to critically evaluate school practices and introduce changes in an informed and creative way while promoting collaboration and professional solidarity.

Programs for initial language teacher education typically include a number of courses that develop professional competences in the field of linguistics, language teaching methodologies, pedagogy, psychology, intercultural studies, etc. Teacher practicum is, additionally, a crucial curricular activity that provides opportunities for experiential learning. While it directly promotes the development of knowledge and skills of pre-service teachers under the guidance of more experienced colleagues, it also facilitates critical practice of self-reflection. Consequently, in those instances where teacher practicum is underrepresented within teacher education programs, alternative modalities for teaching practice must be created, implemented, and continuously evaluated. This is precisely the goal of the service-learning program explored in the present study – to provide necessary additional practice to students, prospective Spanish language teachers, in the realm of early multilingual education.

In order to understand the development of professional knowledge from the perspective of the participants (students-teachers), this research clearly aligns with the qualitative inquiry as epistemological orientation that strives “to better encompass the complexities of human existence and social action” (Filipović, 2015, p. 14; see also Denzin, 2009). It is at the same time an educational activity, based on the need to create learning opportunities for all participants – young language learners, students-teachers, and teacher educators – and guided by the need “to inform action in concrete situations” (Argyris et al., 1985, p. 5) of language teaching while testing general theory on knowledge creation. More specifically, our interest is drawn to the professional knowledge creation from the perspective of the participants themselves. In an attempt to understand the point of view of the students-teachers and their interpretations of the tandem teaching experiences, this research relies on interpretative phenomenological analysis. By providing rich analysis of a limited number of cases, this research method may offer insights into how the participants make meaning of significant occurrences that, in this case, refer to teaching Spanish to young learners. It is assumed that these interpretations will ultimately influence the development of the participants’ professional knowledge.