fide: Learning in Scenarios | Teacher Cognition

Abstract

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Overview:
Babylonia 1/2013 explores the intersections between multilingualism, literary texts, and language education. It considers how literature—often overlooked in communicative and competence-based language teaching—can become a powerful resource for developing linguistic, cultural, and intercultural competencies.

Key Contributions:
The issue features a range of articles examining the didactic potential of literature in language learning contexts, especially in multilingual classrooms. It opens with a reflection on how multilingualism and literature are interconnected: literature offers authentic, rich linguistic material and serves as a bridge across languages and cultures.

Authors like Schmidlin and Krumm discuss literature’s role in supporting plurilingual identities and present literature as a medium where language learners can explore not only new vocabularies but also new cultural experiences. Other contributors analyze practical classroom applications, such as how reading literary texts can foster critical thinking, language awareness, and empathy. Projects from Swiss schools and teacher education programs are shared, revealing strategies for integrating literature that respects students’ diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Some articles focus on specific texts or authors, demonstrating how these works can stimulate interlinguistic reflection. For instance, texts in multiple languages or with code-switching elements challenge students to think beyond linguistic silos. The issue also examines teacher training, emphasizing the need for educators to be equipped to manage and value linguistic diversity when teaching literature.

The issue pays close attention to pedagogical methods that empower students to draw on their entire linguistic repertoires. The authors argue for a plurilingual turn in language education, where literature becomes not just a tool for learning one language, but for nurturing transversal linguistic competencies.

Conclusion:
Babylonia 1/2013 strongly advocates for literature as a multilingual educational tool, challenging traditional notions of monolingual literary instruction. It calls for inclusive pedagogy that uses literature to embrace linguistic plurality, fostering not only language skills but also intercultural sensitivity and social cohesion. By doing so, it positions literature at the heart of a plurilingual, culturally responsive language education.