Multilingual and multicultural events for children: university students' and primary school pupils' perspectives

Abstract

Language education is a lifelong journey that aims to provide learners with the linguistic and cultural skills needed and develop their plurilingual and global competencies. This study investigates two main areas: 1) the perceptions of university students regarding multilingual and multicultural events designed for children, and 2) the experiences of pupils aged 9-11 who participated in events organized by these students. The data were collected as part of the "Multilingual and Multicultural Events for Children" course. The data consists of posters created by students who participated in the course, student interviews, and feedback from pupils participating in the events. Qualitative content analysis revealed that when planning linguistically and culturally diverse events, it is essential to consider the event's goals, contents, activities, materials, and environments. The students' conceptions of the goals of the events are supported by the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education 2014. Findings benefit teachers planning multilingual and multicultural events as well as their pupils.