English Language Teaching in Multilingual Classrooms: Strategies for Inclusive Learning

Abstract

India is a linguistically diverse country with a contemporary education system featuring multilingual classrooms. Teachers of English language face special challenges in such classrooms, which are learner inhibition, linguistic interference, and the level of competence of learners. However, if the appropriate pedagogy is selected, multilingual classes can provide opportunities for inclusive learning. This paper discusses efficient ways of English Language Teaching (ELT) that can be used to improve inclusive learning in multilingual classrooms. This qualitative and conceptual study is based on the previous literature available on inclusive learning in ELT classes and teachers’ experiences of how inclusive strategies in class may enhance ELT. It reported the effectiveness of collaborative activities and the use of TBL, culture-based teaching, and code switching in the classroom classes as an effort to accommodate linguistic diversity in English Language classes. The study argues that multilingualism must be accepted as an opportunity or a teaching resource to enhance inclusive learning and not as a barrier to learning English. Finally, the paper points to the need for teachers’ training to make their pedagogies in line with the aims of inclusive education.