Multilingual Education: Benefits and Challenges
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Many parents in rural areas believe that learning English will improve their children's career prospects and social standing. This is why more and more people are turning to English-medium schooling.
A report from the Indian Express in 2024 shows that parents in Rajasthan are choosing to send their children to English-medium schools more often. Numbers from the Rajasthan Education Department back up this trend showing a big drop in Hindi-medium schools from 37,000 to just 13,780 over the last ten years. To meet this growing need, the state government has set up 2,000 more English-medium schools.
However, the true purpose of education in India should be to make learning effective and more accessible for every child. A multilingual education could help maintain this balance, ensuring children understand concepts clearly while preparing them for future opportunities.
Why is Multilingual Education Important?
India's linguistic diversity is remarkable, with 780 languages as per the 2024 People’s Linguistic Survey, making it the second-most linguistically diverse nation. Among them, 22 are officially recognized by the Constitution. This diversity should be embraced to expand multilingual education, even in remote areas.
A 2024 UNESCO report highlights that in higher-income countries, teaching children in their native language improves reading comprehension by 14% by the end of primary school. It also reduces dropout rates and keeps students motivated.
Multilingual education enhances career opportunities, fosters empathy, and deepens cultural understanding.
Benefits of Multilingual Education
Multilingual education provides cognitive, intellectual, and social benefits. It fosters development, strengthens community unity, and helps students confidently navigate today's interconnected world.
1) Cognitive Benefits
Multilingual education enhances problem-solving, memory, and cognitive flexibility. The ability to switch between languages, known as code-switching, strengthens executive functions like decision-making and multitasking, helping students tackle complex problems from different perspectives.
2) Academic Benefits
Multilingual education boosts academic performance, deepens understanding, and promotes cultural awareness, preparing students for a globalized world. It also enhances emotional intelligence and strengthens relationships within and beyond the classroom.
3) Social Benefits
Multilingual education promotes cultural understanding, reduces prejudice, and strengthens social bonds, fostering inclusive communities. It also boosts career opportunities, with high demand for multilingual professionals in sectors like commerce, tourism, and international trade.
Multilingual Education: Challenges and Solutions
Despite its benefits, multilingual education in India faces challenges such as limited resources and educational and social barriers, requiring careful evaluation and practical solutions.
(A) Resource constraints
A key challenge is the shortage of qualified teachers, with 42.3% of third-grade students in rural India unable to read basic texts, as per the 2023 ASER study. Schools face financial constraints that limit hiring qualified language teachers and developing effective programs.
Solution: Online training modules, teacher certification programs, and expanding initiatives like NMEICT could help address these challenges by better-equipping teachers for multilingual education.
(B) Linguistic challenges
Teaching multiple languages is complex, and students often struggle with linguistic structures. Language attrition can occur when new languages hinder proficiency in the native one. Standard assessments also fail to accurately measure proficiency across languages.
Solution: Schools can use visual tools, apps, and e-learning platforms to simplify language learning. Teachers should be trained in multilingual methods, and strategies should be in place to preserve native languages. Assessments should evaluate proficiency in all languages, not just through exams.
(C) Cultural challenges
A major challenge in multilingual education is maintaining cultural identity. As students learn new languages, they may struggle to preserve their local culture, and one language may overshadow others, creating imbalance and affecting students' sense of belonging.
Solution: Schools should incorporate both local and foreign languages equally, and offer programs that expose students to diverse cultures, fostering understanding while preserving their cultural identity.
Role of Parents and Community Involvement
By encouraging their children to speak various languages at home, parents can support their learning at school. Providing resources such as books, language games, and classes can help to fill linguistic gaps. Community leaders, local organizations, and volunteers can help schools by organizing language workshops, cultural exchanges, and practice spaces.
Conclusion
Multilingual education offers cognitive, intellectual and social benefits that make it a valuable asset for students. However, challenges like limited educational resources and outdated teaching methods often hinder its implementation. With the right support, schools can overcome these barriers. Organizations like Varthana, which advocate for affordable education in both rural and urban areas through diverse educational mediums, are making a significant impact by providing financial support to school leaders.
With a Varthana loan, schools can invest in hiring talented teachers who can deliver quality multilingual education and create a more inclusive and effective learning environment. This not only promotes access to quality education but also helps foster a more equitable and connected world where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
Topics : Indian education
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First Published: Feb 19 2025 | 4:50 PM IST
