Projects

Pitfalls and Merits of Metalanguage in a (Potentially) Multilingual Workplace
The study highlights the importance of promoting meta talk in multicultural workplaces and suggests that organizations should encourage employees to openly discuss communication challenges and find ways to address them.
Digital Media as Language and Literacy Learning Spaces in Multilingual Families
How do digital media help multiligual families learn language and literacy skills?
TRANSLA: Program for preschool teachers working with language minority children
Translanguaging project helping teachers involve multilingual children and their parents and improve home-school collaboration. Check out for resources and more information!
COMPARE Project: Collaboration with parents and multiliteracy in early childhood education
The COMPARE project (2020 – 2023) aims to develop, support and explore collaboration and multiliteracy activities in day-care centres in Luxembourg.
ITEO project: An app to promote narration, language development and multilingualism in schools
The iPad App iTEO is a learning and teaching tool that records and edits oral language. Children use the app to tell stories in multiple languages, record documentaries, create bilingual dictionaries with pictures, and practise language skills.
MuLiPEC project: Developing multilingual pedagogies in Early Childhood
A successful professional development track enabled 46 teachers and educators to better understand multilingualism and language learning, and move from monolingual to multilingual practices.
Promising multilingual practices from Luxembourg
Developing literacy with young children as well as collaboration between educators and parents: promising multilingual practices from Luxembourg
Student Ambassadors of the Multilingual Experience
Blog posts by MA program students who reflected on their multilingual experiences in Luxembourg and around the world.

Events

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Your experience matters!

If you are an early childhood educator, teacher, and/or professional working with young children, we are looking for you.

Call for papers - Multilingual Childhoods 2025

Call for papers - Multilingual Childhoods 2025

New event for families on the 23rd of November in Maison des Sciences Humaines, Black Box.

New event for families on the 23rd of November in Maison des Sciences Humaines, Black Box

Thérapie à Medias Artistiques et Santé Mentale

Participate in our interview study!

What songs do you like? Music and Music Therapy practices to support multilingualism at home

Event for families. Conference about the current research-based knowledge on the use of music and music therapy practices to support multilingualism in the form of a joyful workshop. Parents and children of all ages are welcome!

Upcoming talk - Multilingualism in neurotypical and autistic families

Hybrid event about supporting multilingualism at home

Symposium: Living Multilingualism in Education

Symposium followed by a Panel discussion: Conditions for promoting multilingualism in ECEC

Multilingualism and Multiliteracies at home and in educational settings

Collaboration avec les parents et littéracies plurilingues

Lusophone migrants’ interactions: solidarities and tensions in postcolonial contexts

Reading to young children, but how and why?

Reading regularly to children supports their language development, awakens their desire to read, and promotes their imagination.

Babylonische Sprachverwirrung? Aufwachsen in Vielsprachigkeit

Die beiden Forscherinnen stellen gemeinsame Literacy Aktivitäten von Eltern und ErzieherInnen sowie ein individuelles Beratungskonzept aus der Praxis für die Praxis vor.

“Lusófonos” no Luxemburgo: a língua e a história impactam as suas interações no trabalho e na vida social?

A Lusofonia abrange diversos grupos e indivíduos, se partilham a língua portuguesa não partilham as mesmas posições históricas. No Luxemburgo, os “lusófonos” constituem o maior grupo de migrantes, mais de 15,6 % da população (Statec 2020). Esta discussão visa refletir sobre como a língua e a história podem impactar a interação dos indivíduos dos países de língua oficial portuguesa no Luxemburgo. Os participantes são convidados a reflectir e partilhar sobre as suas vivências individuais e colectivas.

Kleinkindern vorlesen: Warum? Wie?

In einem kurzen Vortrag werden Prof. Dr. Claudine Kirsch und Prof. Dr. Elke Montanari Ihnen zeigen, wie Sie mit ein- bis dreijährigen Kindern Bücher lesen können. Wir werden die Wichtigkeit des Lesens für die Sprachentwicklung erklären und auf diese Weise einige Mythen zerlegen. Anschließend werden wir Ihre Fragen beantworten. Für Getränke und Snacks ist gesorgt.

Multilingual Development in Children and teenagers in Persian-speaking families

Do you have questions about using Persian and other languages at home in Luxembourg? Join us at this event!

Intervention studies with linguistically diverse children in Luxembourg

Assoc.-Prof. Pascale Engel de Abreu will present two intervention studies with linguistically diverse children in Luxembourg at the Slovenian national project Jeziki štejejo - Languages Matter, a project whose main goal is to determine which factors support and which hinder the creation of a supportive learning environment

Criando crianças multilingues: o que é bi/ multilingualismo e o papel dos pais

Nessa conversa online, as palestrantes vão falar sobre a importância da língua materna, além de compartilhar materiais elaborados em Português e dicas de como criar um ambiente rico em linguagem que favorecerá o desenvolvimento da linguagem das crianças.

Soirée d’Information de BilingualismMatters @Luxembourg

Beaucoup d’entre nous sont multilingues et se demandent comment soutenir au mieux leurs enfants dans leur parcours plurilingue. Cette séance d’information démystifie certains des mythes sur le multilinguisme et présente des principes, méthodes et stratégies pour promouvoir le multilinguisme.

The many faces of multilingualism: Myths, emotions, and the pandemic

Guest talk by Dr. Michał Paradowski , University of Warsaw, basing on survey data from nearly 9,000 respondents from 118 countries.

Informatiounsowend vu BilingualismMatters @Luxembourg

Vill vun eis si méisproocheg a froen sech, wéi si hir Kanner am beschte beim Sproocheléieren ënnerstëtze kënnen. Dësen Informatiounsowend analyséiert e puer vun de Mythen ronderëm Méisproochegkeet a presentéiert Prinzippien, Methoden a Strategië fir Méisproochegkeet ze fërderen.

Discussion on the benefits of bilingualism in children and adults

Join us for an evening of information and interaction as we meet in person* for a presentation on the benefits of bilingualism in children and adults!

Belgian minister of Multilingualism visiting the University of Luxembourg

Can Luxembourg be a model for the Brussels region? Sven Gatz (Minister of Multilingualism in Belgium), Philippe Van Parijs (President of the Brussels Chair of Multilingualism), Thomas Lambert (Ambassador of Belgium in Luxembourg) and their team visit the University of Luxembourg to find out how multilingualism is promoted in education.

UniTalks: Multilingual Children Today and Tomorrow

Prof. Claudine Kirsch, Associate Professor in languages at the University of Luxembourg will talk about myths on multilingualism, her research studies in formal and non-formal education, and the Bilingualism Matters branch in Luxembourg.

CALIDIE Lectures in Multilingualism and Learning

Sharon Avni, City University of New York (CUNY): "American Jewish Summer Camps as Translanguaging Thirdspaces"

Minister Claude Meisch opens the launch of BM Luxembourg

The Minister of national Education, Early Childhood and Youth of Luxembourg

Congratulations from all over the world

9 experts on multilingualism congratulate to the launch of BM Luxembourg branch

News

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Move, Play, Learn: Connecting through Movement and Culture - Event Report

Report of the event for families on the 23rd of November, 2024 at the University of Luxembourg

Music and Music Therapy practices to support multilingualism at home - Event Report

Event for families about music and music therapy practices to support multilingualism at home - 22nd June.

Multilingualism in neurotypical and autistic families - The importance of the mother tongue - Event Report

Report on the Talk by Ms. Franco on June 11th, 2024

Linguistic authority in a multilingual workplace

Does your employer care about your wish to work multilingually? And does it matter what your co-workers think about your multilingual aspirations? A recently published sociolinguistic study explored the wish (and empty promise) of élite multilingualism in the context of EU workforce mobility.

Symposium Living Multilingualism in Education – Event Report - 24th May 2024

On May 24th, the University of Luxembourg hosted the symposium "Living Multilingualism in Education", a hybrid event that was jointly organised by BilingualismMatters@Luxembourg and the Multilingual Childhood SIG. Nineteen senior and emerging researchers shared their expertise throughout the day.

Scent of an accent in multilingual settings

Have you ever caught yourself ascribing a nationality to someone based on the way his/her language sounds? You are clearly not alone. We all have different notions of what a language ideally sounds like. How do these notions come about? Is it possible to minimize or eliminate them?

French and language ideologies in a multilingual workplace

Discover how (non-) negotiation of language choices shapes workplace dynamics in a multilingual EU institution. Our latest report is a read for those who personally experience the resulting tension and disappointment in communication, as well as for managers who care for linguistic well-being (>> talent retention) in their international teams.

So here I am, but I was certainly not hier hier!?

If you decided to read on, you probably wonder: “Okay, how does this question make any sense?!”. And no worries, you are not wrong, if you said to yourself that “this cannot be right”, right?

Luxembourg's Financial Center Bubble: Choices Beyond Borders

A recent master’s project, conducted at the University of Luxembourg, delved into the dynamics of integration within the country’s financial center, exploring its multicultural international bubble. It examined the reasons for relocation, integration experiences, and identity construction. Specifically, the study focused on language choices and their role in shaping narratives of integration within Luxembourg's financial landscape.

From the fear of mistakes to the joy of understanding

What do young graduates from all over Europe learn about communication during their EU traineeship? That mutual understanding across linguistic and geopolitical borders is as important as ever. However, this does not come without effort...

What are social scripts and how do they work in a multilingual environment?

Do you know what social scripts are? Did you know they can differ from culture to culture? How do you think they are portrayed in a multilingual setting?

Guide on Dialogic Reading for Parents and Professionals

Frequent and high-quality shared reading promotes language and early literacy skills in one or two languages and predicts children’s later literacy skills and academic achievement. While reading, adults may focus on letters or sounds and encourage children to read. These code-based interactions help develop letter knowledge, phonological awareness and word recognition Others may talk about the meaning of the book, connect it to the child’s experiences and clarify vocabulary. These meaning-based interactions promote the development of oral language and comprehension skills. Dialogic reading is one type of shared reading where adults encourage children to talk about pictured materials and give them feedback. The method has been successfully used in classrooms in many countries, although mainly in English-speaking countries with monolingual speakers or with children learning English. Based on research carried out on shared reading in the project COMPARE in Luxembourg, we produced guides on dialogic reading in English, German, French, Portuguese and Luxembourgish for parents and educators.

Promote Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Europe

All EU languages are equally important. Languages should be learned early! These declarations come from the European Parliament which has ratified a multilingual language policy (European Parliament, 2013), and the Council of Europe which aims to support multilingualism. This endeavour is also reflected in the educational policies of the European states, though to a different extent.

Three Myths about Multilingualism

Multilingualism - the ability to speak, understand, and function in more than one language - is an increasingly common phenomenon in our modern, globalized world. However, there are still many myths surrounding multilingualism, which often lead to misunderstandings and misconceptions. In this article, we present three common myths about multilingualism that frighten and confuse some parents and educators.

How can Luxembourgers speak so many languages?

An inspiring PhD thesis research that examined the diverse support given by teachers and parents to three young Brazilian children at preschool and at home.
New Luxembourg study paints the multilingual scenery encountered by young migrants, showing the very beginning of their multilingual lives and possible elements influencing their multilingualism.

Childhood - the country of mother language

Mother tongue is the language caregivers talk, sing, and teach it to their new-born. We go to school; we learn to read and write, and we refine our mother tongue through hours of study. It is part of our identity and our belonging to the community.
How about living in a country where you have three official languages?

English zooms past the French boom

A kick-off for a reshuffling of the language hierarchy has been launched: French and German, who used to dominate the Luxembourgish administrative and educational world are facing the English language, a strong competitor brought on by globalisation and the rise of the internet.

Luxembourg’s Linguistic Paradox

Luxembourg’s linguistic situation is an example of successful multilingualism, Luxembourgish, French and German are the official languages of the country. Other tongues also find their home here, e.g. English in the financial sector and Portuguese, the idiom spoken by the largest foreign community in the nation.
However, it is important to note the relationship between power and languages, its resulting hierarchy, consistently reinforced or contested by residents.

3 Tips to Improve Communication in Intercultural Relationships

Good communication is central to strong relationships, but what happens when you and your partner speak different languages and come from different cultures? It should come as no surprise that intercultural and multilingual couples have higher divorce rates than couples from the same culture and language. This article will help you think through some of those common cultural and linguistic communication problems.

Are native-speaking teachers essential at school?

Only native-speaking teachers can properly teach a language at school.
Have you ever heard of this statement, or do you perhaps believe in it yourself?
Let’s have a closer look at the related research.

You Are Not Lazy

“Kids these days are so lazy, right?” Heard this before? Well, you’d be surprised to hear how many generations we’ve been parroting this same line.

To Speak or Not to Speak, a question for monolingual migrants

Monolingual expats often struggle to learn the language of their host country, particularly if it’s not required in day-to-day interactions. This article will explain why you should make the effort to learn the local language, as well as how it will improve your life abroad.

Language development: Turkish families in Luxembourg

This case study of six Turkish families in Luxembourg explores the various ways in which parents support their children when learning multiple languages.

Les enseignants natifs : essentiels à l’école ?

Ce ne sont que les locuteurs natifs qui savent correctement enseigner une langue à l’école. Est-ce que cette affirmation vous est familière ou, peut-être, en êtes-vous-même convaincus ? Regardons de plus près ce que la recherche nous dit à propos de ce sujet.

Videos of the COMPARE project

Have you ever wondered what role can parents and educators play in supporting multilingual learning? In this project, you can find inspiration on the videos created with educators and parents in Luxembourg.

New resources for parents and educators

BM Luxembourg launches TRANSLA - a new program for multilingual children - with resources for teachers and parents in English, French and German

Literacy in early childhood – Picture books and…?

Young children only learn written language at school, right? Not really. Children’s first print experience at home matters...

Why monolinguals ‘cringe’ in a multilingual society

Do you apologise for your poor foreign language skills in multilingual encounters? Find out about the hidden social effects of this common monolingual practice.

Pigeonholed by the ‘native English’ privilege

Speaking English is often seen as an advantage, but a study from Luxembourg shows the 'native English' position can have drawbacks in the multilingual workplace.

Members of BM Luxembourg

Bilingualism Matters Luxembourg opened on 5th March 2021. Find out about the members, who all research multilingualism from social, educational and psychological perspectives.

People

Prof. Dr. Claudine Kirsch
Branch Director / Full Professor, University of Luxembourg / Multilingual Pedagogies More
Dr. Potheini Vaiouli
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Language development in Early Childhood Inclusive Education
Dr. Gabrijela Aleksić
Branch Member / Research Scientist, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism in Children More
Valérie Kemp
Branch Member / Doctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism in Early Education More
Veronika Lovrits
Multilingualism at Work / Web Content Managment More
Dr. Maria Obojska
Social Media Team / Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism in Children More
Kevin Simoes Loureiro
Social Media Team - Instagram / Doctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingual Education Policies
Dr. Flavia R. Bley
Social Media Team - Facebook / Early Childhood Language Acquisition and Multilingual Pedagogy
Prof. Dr. Sabine Ehrhart
Branch Member / Associate Professor / Ethnolinguistics More
Dr. Eve Lejot
Branch Member / Senior Lecturer, University of Luxembourg / Language Learning and Teaching More
Prof. Dr. Ingrid de Saint-Georges
Branch Member / Associate Professor, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism More
Dr. Simone Mortini
Branch Member / Project manager in “Innovation”, Service national de la jeunesse / Multilingual education in Early Childhood Education and Care More
Dr. Cyril Wealer
Branch Member / Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingual Language Development
Prof. Dr. Pascale Engel de Abreu
Branch Member / Associate Professor, University of Luxembourg / Cognitive Development in Multilingual Children More
Dr. Carolina Nikaedo
Branch Member / Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Cognitive and Language Development
Dr. Sarah Degano
Branch Member / Former Primary School Teacher / Doctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism in Primary School More
Prof. Dr. Adelheid Hu
Branch Member / Professor, University of Luxembourg / Multilingual Education and Applied Linguistics More
Dr. Ariana Loff
Social Media Team - Facebook / Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxembourg / Multilingualism in Education
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Budach
Branch Member / Associate Professor, University of Luxembourg / Multimodal Pedagogies
Prof. Dr. Katrien Deroey
Branch Member / Assistant Professor, University of Luxembourg / Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching More
Prof. Dr. Birgit Huemer
Branch Member / Assistant Professor, University of Luxembourg / Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching More
Dr. Nancy Morys
Branch Member / Senior Lecturer, University of Luxembourg / Language Learning and Teaching

Keep in touch

Bilingualism Matters Luxembourg
Université du Luxembourg, Maison des Sciences Humaines, 11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette