Policy in practice

Primary school English teachers learning about plurilingual and intercultural education

Abstract

In an era in which the English language has assumed a preponderant role in education systems, particularly at primary school, it is important to understand in what ways English can contribute to plurilingual education and intercultural communication. But, what is the understanding of primary school teachers of English about plurilingual and intercultural education? What constraints do they face when they try to reconcile the English language syllabus with an awakening to languages and cultures approach as a step towards plurilingual and intercultural education? This article describes the representations of a group of English language teachers about the aims of English teaching at primary school; the development of professional knowledge regarding plurilingual and intercultural education, and the constraints and difficulties felt by these teachers as they manage the English curriculum and try to develop plurilingual and intercultural teaching. We conclude with a reflection on the implications of our findings for curriculum development and teacher education.