Exploring language beyond the classroom: a journey from the streets to school

Abstract

This article explores the use of the linguistic landscape (LL) as a tool for language education. LL reflects the cultural and social dynamics of a community, providing an accessible way for learners to engage with language diversity and communication. The article highlights LL’s pedagogical benefits, such as enhancing multilingual awareness, fostering literacy, and supporting language acquisition. It presents a practical activity that begins with classroom discussions about signs and languages, followed by a local field trip to observe and document signs in the community. Back in the classroom, students reflect on their findings and create posters showcasing the linguistic systems they encountered. This activity not only cultivates students’ curiosity about language but also promotes respect for linguistic diversity. Adaptable for both young and older learners, it leverages the linguistic diversity outside the classroom to transform school surroundings into a rich educational resource.