Dispelling MYTHS
Intro
about Plurilingual Pedagogies
Assessment & standards
Learning & cognition
See more
Click any area to visit
Classroom management & feasibility
Return
Ideology & policy
Click any area to visit
Exit
Back to lobby
Intro
Myths & Facts
Canada’s English language classrooms are increasingly multilingual, reflecting global mobility and diverse migration histories. Many learners bring rich linguistic repertoires that include English, French, and a wide range of heritage and community languages. These students use their full language resources to make meaning, solve problems, and develop academic English proficiency. Dispelling Myths about Plurilingual Pedagogies invites you to rethink assumptions about language separation and to view multilingualism as an asset for learning rather than a barrier. Each entry identifies a common myth, explores why it persists, summarizes what research shows, and offers a practical classroom move that supports equitable, evidence-based teaching for Canada’s multilingual realities.
Back to lobby
01
Learning & Cognition
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
MYTH: Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 2
Plurilingual activities reduce exposure to English and therefore lower proficiency gains.
Myth 2
MYTH: Plurilingual activities reduce exposure to English and therefore lower proficiency gains.
Learning effectiveness depends on quality of engagement rather than exposure alone. Short L1 scaffolds increase comprehensibility and enable richer, longer English production.
Quantity-of-input assumptions overvalue raw exposure minutes and undervalue meaningful engagement.
Use a bilingual concept map to plan ideas, then compose the final paragraph in English. Collect the plan as a process artefact.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 3
Only beginner learners benefit from cross-linguistic scaffolds.
Myth 3
MYTH: Only beginner learners benefit from cross-linguistic scaffolds.
Advanced learners use cross-language resources for genre control, stance, and terminology management. Bilingual planning and contrastive analysis improve cohesion and rhetorical choice in final English texts.
L1 support is often framed as remedial and reserved for early proficiency levels.
Ask advanced students to compare stance markers across languages and then craft an English paragraph using appropriate hedging and boosters.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
02
Assessment & standards
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
Myth 4
Plurilingual pedagogy lowers academic standards.
Myth 4
MYTH: Plurilingual pedagogy lowers academic standards.
Standards are upheld by valid criteria and alignment to outcomes rather than by banning languages during learning. Plurilingual processes can coexist with clear English performance targets and transparent rubrics.
Rigor is equated with English-only processes, and teachers worry that allowing other languages undermines fairness.
Specify English performance criteria in the rubric and allow plurilingual planning notes as ungraded evidence of process.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 5
Allowing other languages invites academic integrity problems.
Myth 5
MYTH: Allowing other languages invites academic integrity problems.
Integrity is strengthened by staged drafting, process artefacts, and brief rationales about language use. These practices make learning visible and verifiable more effectively than blanket prohibitions.
Teachers fear unverifiable sources and worry about translation or GenAI tools being misused.
Require a short process log where students explain how other languages and tools supported their English draft. Sample and spot-check logs rather than policing language use.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 6
Because high-stakes tests are English-only, instruction must also be English-only.
Myth 6
MYTH: Because high-stakes tests are English-only, instruction must also be English-only.
Plurilingual scaffolds build conceptual mastery and test language during learning. Targeted rehearsal under English-only conditions prepares students for exam requirements and supports positive washback.
Teach with plurilingual scaffolds during learning, then run a timed English-only rehearsal that mirrors the test rubric.
Programs often back-map from test conditions to all teaching activities.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
03
Classroom management & feasibility
Myth 7
Teachers must know students’ languages to implement plurilingual pedagogy.
Myth 7
MYTH: Teachers must know students’ languages to implement plurilingual pedagogy.
Many effective routines are language-agnostic. Students generate cross-linguistic content while teachers design tasks, criteria, and English syntheses to keep the class inclusive.
Use a translate–compare–explain routine: students propose terms in their languages, compare with English, and write an English explanation of the best choice for the task.
It is assumed that teacher proficiency is needed to monitor or evaluate cross-linguistic work.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 8
Plurilingual activities are too time-consuming for crowded syllabi.
Myth 8
MYTH: Plurilingual activities are too time-consuming for crowded syllabi.
Short, well-structured interventions are time-neutral or time-saving because they prevent confusion and re-teaching
Adopt a three-minute L1 clarification window followed by an English exit slip that targets the lesson objective.
Teachers anticipate that additional steps will displace core content.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 9
Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Myth 9
MYTH: Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Inclusive protocols maintain access for all. Rotating roles, English summaries, and shared-language products sustain participation while leveraging diverse repertoires
Require groups to submit a brief English synthesis that names any non-English sources used and explains their contribution.
Equity is conflated with identical treatment for all students.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 9
MYTH: Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Inclusive protocols maintain access for all. Rotating roles, English summaries, and shared-language products sustain participation while leveraging diverse repertoires
Require groups to submit a brief English synthesis that names any non-English sources used and explains their contribution.
Equity is conflated with identical treatment for all students.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
04
Ideology & policy
Expetenda tincidunt in sed, ex partem placerat sea, porro commodo ex eam. His putant aeterno interesset at. Usu ea mundi tincidunt, omnium virtute aliquando ius ex. Ea aperiri sententiae duo. Usu nullam dolorum quaestio ei, sit vidit facilisis ea.
+ Info
Myth 10
University policy requires English-only instruction in all classroom processes.
Myth 10
MYTH: University policy requires English-only instruction in all classroom processes.
Most policies govern the language of assessment or program outcomes, not learning processes. Plurilingual scaffolding aligns with policy when the graded product meets English requirements and the pedagogical rationale is documented.
Informal norms are mistaken for written policy or are over-generalised from assessment rules.
Keep graded outputs in English where required. Add a one-sentence policy note on the syllabus explaining the role of plurilingual scaffolds in learning.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 11
Plurilingualism is cultural celebration rather than a route to better academic writing.
Myth 11
MYTH: Plurilingualism is cultural celebration rather than a route to better academic writing.
Use a cross-linguistic register audit: collect equivalents of key terms across languages, discuss audience expectations, then draft the English paragraph with appropriate register.
Plurilingual strategies directly support audience design, register control, genre awareness, and source integration in English writing.
Diversity is framed as enrichment rather than as an epistemic resource for disciplinary writing.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 12
Allowing other languages privileges some students and undermines fairness.
Myth 12
MYTH: Allowing other languages privileges some students and undermines fairness.
Fairness is preserved when all students can select scaffolds that match their repertoire and when evaluation uses the same transparent criteria for the English product.
Provide a menu of scaffolds that include dialectal or prior-disciplinary resources; assess only the English product with a shared rubric.
Support is misread as advantage, and fairness is reduced to identical treatment.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
Exit
Thank you!
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
your knowledge
Try our quiz to see what you've learned
TEST
Bibliography
See the research behind the findings
VIEW
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
MYTH: Text
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 1
MYTH: Text
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
(Kunnan, 2018; Cummins, 2007; Council of Europe, 2020)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014; Lin, 2013)
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
- Generate experiences with your content.
- It’s got the Wow effect. Very Wow.
- Make sure your audience remembers the message.
(Bretag, 2013; Hyland, 2016; Kunnan, 2018)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Gass & Mackey, 2014; Macaro, 2009; Lin, 2013)
(Cummins, 2007; Hyland, 2016; Council of Europe, 2020, 2023)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Shohamy, 2011; Council of Europe, 2020)
(Lin, 2013; Macaro, 2009; Lewis et al., 2012)
(Manchón, 2011; Hyland, 2016; Lewis, Jones, & Baker, 2012)
(Council of Europe, 2023; Shohamy, 2011)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Hyland, 2016; García & Li Wei, 2014; Manchón, 2011)
Dispelling Myths
Eugenia Vasilopoulos
Created on October 24, 2025
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Transcript
Dispelling MYTHS
Intro
about Plurilingual Pedagogies
Assessment & standards
Learning & cognition
See more
Click any area to visit
Classroom management & feasibility
Return
Ideology & policy
Click any area to visit
Exit
Back to lobby
Intro
Myths & Facts
Canada’s English language classrooms are increasingly multilingual, reflecting global mobility and diverse migration histories. Many learners bring rich linguistic repertoires that include English, French, and a wide range of heritage and community languages. These students use their full language resources to make meaning, solve problems, and develop academic English proficiency. Dispelling Myths about Plurilingual Pedagogies invites you to rethink assumptions about language separation and to view multilingualism as an asset for learning rather than a barrier. Each entry identifies a common myth, explores why it persists, summarizes what research shows, and offers a practical classroom move that supports equitable, evidence-based teaching for Canada’s multilingual realities.
Back to lobby
01
Learning & Cognition
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
MYTH: Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 2
Plurilingual activities reduce exposure to English and therefore lower proficiency gains.
Myth 2
MYTH: Plurilingual activities reduce exposure to English and therefore lower proficiency gains.
Learning effectiveness depends on quality of engagement rather than exposure alone. Short L1 scaffolds increase comprehensibility and enable richer, longer English production.
Quantity-of-input assumptions overvalue raw exposure minutes and undervalue meaningful engagement.
Use a bilingual concept map to plan ideas, then compose the final paragraph in English. Collect the plan as a process artefact.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 3
Only beginner learners benefit from cross-linguistic scaffolds.
Myth 3
MYTH: Only beginner learners benefit from cross-linguistic scaffolds.
Advanced learners use cross-language resources for genre control, stance, and terminology management. Bilingual planning and contrastive analysis improve cohesion and rhetorical choice in final English texts.
L1 support is often framed as remedial and reserved for early proficiency levels.
Ask advanced students to compare stance markers across languages and then craft an English paragraph using appropriate hedging and boosters.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
02
Assessment & standards
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
Myth 4
Plurilingual pedagogy lowers academic standards.
Myth 4
MYTH: Plurilingual pedagogy lowers academic standards.
Standards are upheld by valid criteria and alignment to outcomes rather than by banning languages during learning. Plurilingual processes can coexist with clear English performance targets and transparent rubrics.
Rigor is equated with English-only processes, and teachers worry that allowing other languages undermines fairness.
Specify English performance criteria in the rubric and allow plurilingual planning notes as ungraded evidence of process.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 5
Allowing other languages invites academic integrity problems.
Myth 5
MYTH: Allowing other languages invites academic integrity problems.
Integrity is strengthened by staged drafting, process artefacts, and brief rationales about language use. These practices make learning visible and verifiable more effectively than blanket prohibitions.
Teachers fear unverifiable sources and worry about translation or GenAI tools being misused.
Require a short process log where students explain how other languages and tools supported their English draft. Sample and spot-check logs rather than policing language use.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 6
Because high-stakes tests are English-only, instruction must also be English-only.
Myth 6
MYTH: Because high-stakes tests are English-only, instruction must also be English-only.
Plurilingual scaffolds build conceptual mastery and test language during learning. Targeted rehearsal under English-only conditions prepares students for exam requirements and supports positive washback.
Teach with plurilingual scaffolds during learning, then run a timed English-only rehearsal that mirrors the test rubric.
Programs often back-map from test conditions to all teaching activities.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
03
Classroom management & feasibility
Myth 7
Teachers must know students’ languages to implement plurilingual pedagogy.
Myth 7
MYTH: Teachers must know students’ languages to implement plurilingual pedagogy.
Many effective routines are language-agnostic. Students generate cross-linguistic content while teachers design tasks, criteria, and English syntheses to keep the class inclusive.
Use a translate–compare–explain routine: students propose terms in their languages, compare with English, and write an English explanation of the best choice for the task.
It is assumed that teacher proficiency is needed to monitor or evaluate cross-linguistic work.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 8
Plurilingual activities are too time-consuming for crowded syllabi.
Myth 8
MYTH: Plurilingual activities are too time-consuming for crowded syllabi.
Short, well-structured interventions are time-neutral or time-saving because they prevent confusion and re-teaching
Adopt a three-minute L1 clarification window followed by an English exit slip that targets the lesson objective.
Teachers anticipate that additional steps will displace core content.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 9
Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Myth 9
MYTH: Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Inclusive protocols maintain access for all. Rotating roles, English summaries, and shared-language products sustain participation while leveraging diverse repertoires
Require groups to submit a brief English synthesis that names any non-English sources used and explains their contribution.
Equity is conflated with identical treatment for all students.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 9
MYTH: Mixed-language talk excludes peers who do not share that language.
Inclusive protocols maintain access for all. Rotating roles, English summaries, and shared-language products sustain participation while leveraging diverse repertoires
Require groups to submit a brief English synthesis that names any non-English sources used and explains their contribution.
Equity is conflated with identical treatment for all students.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
04
Ideology & policy
Expetenda tincidunt in sed, ex partem placerat sea, porro commodo ex eam. His putant aeterno interesset at. Usu ea mundi tincidunt, omnium virtute aliquando ius ex. Ea aperiri sententiae duo. Usu nullam dolorum quaestio ei, sit vidit facilisis ea.
+ Info
Myth 10
University policy requires English-only instruction in all classroom processes.
Myth 10
MYTH: University policy requires English-only instruction in all classroom processes.
Most policies govern the language of assessment or program outcomes, not learning processes. Plurilingual scaffolding aligns with policy when the graded product meets English requirements and the pedagogical rationale is documented.
Informal norms are mistaken for written policy or are over-generalised from assessment rules.
Keep graded outputs in English where required. Add a one-sentence policy note on the syllabus explaining the role of plurilingual scaffolds in learning.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 11
Plurilingualism is cultural celebration rather than a route to better academic writing.
Myth 11
MYTH: Plurilingualism is cultural celebration rather than a route to better academic writing.
Use a cross-linguistic register audit: collect equivalents of key terms across languages, discuss audience expectations, then draft the English paragraph with appropriate register.
Plurilingual strategies directly support audience design, register control, genre awareness, and source integration in English writing.
Diversity is framed as enrichment rather than as an epistemic resource for disciplinary writing.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 12
Allowing other languages privileges some students and undermines fairness.
Myth 12
MYTH: Allowing other languages privileges some students and undermines fairness.
Fairness is preserved when all students can select scaffolds that match their repertoire and when evaluation uses the same transparent criteria for the English product.
Provide a menu of scaffolds that include dialectal or prior-disciplinary resources; assess only the English product with a shared rubric.
Support is misread as advantage, and fairness is reduced to identical treatment.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Back to lobby
Exit
Thank you!
Dicunt percipit deserunt ut usu. Aliquip delenit an eam, vocent vituperata vim ea. Ei mollis audire interpretaris cum, ei impedit fierent sea. Ius at homero noster prompta, ea sit dignissim vituperata efficiendi. Natum placerat ad mei.
your knowledge
Try our quiz to see what you've learned
TEST
Bibliography
See the research behind the findings
VIEW
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
Using students’ other languages confuses them and slows English acquisition.
Myth 1
MYTH: Text
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
Myth 1
MYTH: Text
Brief, strategic use of students’ other languages increases comprehensibility and metalinguistic awareness, which supports transfer to English. Learners often solve complex problems in L1 and then produce more accurate English output.
A separationist view treats languages as competing systems and assumes that additional languages interfere with English learning.
Learning strategy based on small content units that are consumed quickly. Ideal for reinforcing concepts or learning in a flexible way.
Why this myth persists
What the research says
Classroom Moves
NEXT
Sources
(Kunnan, 2018; Cummins, 2007; Council of Europe, 2020)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014; Lin, 2013)
Got an idea?
Let the communication flow!
With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to wow your audience. You can also highlight a particular sentence or piece of information so that it sticks in your audience’s minds, or even embed external content to surprise them: Whatever you like! Do you need more reasons to create dynamic content? No problem! 90% of the information we assimilate is received through sight and, what’s more, we retain 42% more information when the content moves.
(Bretag, 2013; Hyland, 2016; Kunnan, 2018)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Gass & Mackey, 2014; Macaro, 2009; Lin, 2013)
(Cummins, 2007; Hyland, 2016; Council of Europe, 2020, 2023)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Shohamy, 2011; Council of Europe, 2020)
(Lin, 2013; Macaro, 2009; Lewis et al., 2012)
(Manchón, 2011; Hyland, 2016; Lewis, Jones, & Baker, 2012)
(Council of Europe, 2023; Shohamy, 2011)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014)
(Creese & Blackledge, 2010; García & Li Wei, 2014)
(García & Li Wei, 2014; Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Storch & Wigglesworth, 2003; Brooks & Donato, 1994).
(Hyland, 2016; García & Li Wei, 2014; Manchón, 2011)