Coventry Language Policy Framework
Coventry launches new Language Policy Framework
Coventry's new Language Policy Framework has been developed by a dedicated working group of school leaders, practitioners, local authority officers and language specialists, brought together by Coventry's Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS).
The framework reflects Coventry's commitment to ensuring that all children and young people, including those who use English as an Additional Language (EAL), have equitable access to learning and opportunities to achieve their full potential. It provides a shared vision for schools and settings, recognising the value of multilingualism and promoting inclusive, language-rich learning environments.
With more than 100 languages spoken across Coventry's schools, the framework acknowledges the city's rich linguistic diversity and supports schools to strengthen language provision, celebrate home languages and cultures, and foster a strong sense of belonging for every learner.
Developed in partnership with the Oxford Collaborative for Multilingualism in Education (OCME) and informed by current research and best practice, the framework aims to support schools in embedding effective approaches to language development across teaching, learning and school life.
The framework will support schools in developing consistent approaches to language and inclusion, helping to create environments where multilingual learners are recognised as an asset and where all pupils can flourish.
EMAS would like to thank all members of the Language Policy Working Group and partner organisations whose expertise, collaboration and commitment have helped shape this important piece of work.
The framework was also shaped through a comprehensive consultation process involving schools and educational settings across Coventry. EMAS would like to extend its sincere thanks to all schools that participated and engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including pupils, parents and carers, governors, teaching staff and senior leaders. Participants reviewed both the framework and its supporting documentation [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8664/language-policy-framework]for primary pupils, secondary pupils, parents and the overarching Principles behind the Framework, providing invaluable feedback, insights and perspectives that helped refine and strengthen the final framework. This collaborative approach has ensured that the framework reflects the experiences, needs and aspirations of Coventry's diverse school communities.
Join us for the launch event
The Language Policy Framework will be officially launched at Coventry Cathedral on Monday 12 October, with a celebration of the city's rich linguistic and cultural diversity.
The morning event will bring together schools from across Coventry to showcase the many languages spoken within their communities. Pupils and staff will take part in a range of interactive language activities, highlighting the benefits of multilingualism and demonstrating how languages enrich learning, identity and community cohesion.
The launch will provide an opportunity for school leaders, educators, pupils and partners to come together to celebrate this important milestone and reaffirm Coventry's commitment to creating inclusive educational environments where every language, culture and learner is valued.
Maintaining and developing multilingualism
The majority of children all over the world grow up using more than 1 language. ‘Bilingual’ or ‘multilingual’ mean that a person uses more than 1 language in their everyday lives. It does not mean that a person has the same skills in all his or her languages.
Advantages
- using 2 or more languages gives a child different ways of thinking
- it develops self confidence and confidence in learning
- it increases pride in identity and culture
- a child who uses home language well is more likely to develop good English
- using home language is important for maintaining family relationships
- it is the easiest way to express emotions
- many employers look for people who can speak, read and write other languages
For these reasons, families should be encouraged to develop and maintain their home language. Our bilingualism leaflet [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8490/multilingualism-leaflet-for-parents] can be distributed to parents and carers to reinforce this message.
To view ideas used for developing multilingualism in local schools or settings or to share with us any examples of multilingualism that you have used, we would love you to upload them to our 'Multilingualism as an Asset' padlet. [https://padlet.com/adminemas/multilingualism-as-an-asset-in-coventry-schools-an-evidence--3w3hfnd35hx5s8gy]
Resources to support multilingualism
Teaching and learning resources
World of Languages, Languages of the World (WoLLoW)
WoLLoW [https://theworldoflanguages.co.uk/]is a fully developed language curriculum for pupils aged between 7 and 15. Created by experienced language teachers and available free to all schools, the project aims to bind together all elements of a pupil’s experience in school and beyond and to prepare pupils not only for future study, but future life.
Why use WoLLoW?
Suitable for all abilities, and using a range of lively and appealing resources created by teachers, the WoLLoW curriculum addresses the following themes:
- curiosity, exploration and enjoyment – and not only for the pupils
- an understanding of languages and thereby a development of literacy in a wider sense
- communication, sharing, dialogue and oracy
- a regard for all languages, modern, classical, heritage and, in particular, a celebration of multilingualism
- a desire to preserve, value and study familial languages
- an eagerness to study languages into the future
- respect for each other’s history and culture
- a sense of self-awareness and identity for pupils
- a bridge between a pupil’s experience at school and their home life, and a bridge between parents and the school
- an awareness of the relevance of languages not only to all school subjects but also to wider issues, such as migration
We have made sample files available of the primary topic units entitled 'Multilingual Me' [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8486/wallow-primary-multilingual-me] and 'A Celebration of Languages' [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8487/wallow-primary-a-celebration-of-languages], and at secondary level, 'Journey [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8488/wallow-secondary-journey]', and 'Community'. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8489/wallow-secondary-community]
Lost Wor(l)ds
Lost Wor(l)ds [https://www.multilingualism-in-schools.net/] is a website full of activities and ideas to help encourage and facilitate multilingualism. On this site, you will find:
- activities and resources that actively enable multilingual children to use their languages in formal education contexts, and for non-multilingual children to develop language awareness and utilise any growing understanding of modern foreign languages. Activities range in length from about half an hour to ideas that can take several weeks to implement as part of a scheme of work, and all activities include ideas for home/family communication, and making multilingualism and language awareness visible across the school
- “Stimulus Activities” – images to be used as starters, in form time, or to take the register, to expose children to fun vocabulary from around the world, enable multilingual children to use their languages, and encourage all children to increase language awareness
- a blog featuring book reviews, interviews, and highlighted activities – this is very much intended to be a community blog, and we would love to feature your school, and children’s results from working on any of our activities
- a growing set of academic resources
Supporting parents
Leaflet for parents to explain the benefits of developing and maintaining home language use in multilingual pupils at home [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/8490/multilingualism-leaflet-for-parents].