FRENCH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF MULTILINGUALISM AND PLURILINGUALISM: THEORETICAL TRANSFORMATIONS, METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES, AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
Recherches Internationales en Didactique du Français Langue Étrangère-I, ÖZÇELİK NURTEN, Editör, Eğitim Yayınevi, Ankara, ss.200-230, 2026
- Yayın Türü: Kitapta Bölüm / Mesleki Kitap
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Yayınevi: Eğitim Yayınevi
- Basıldığı Şehir: Ankara
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.200-230
- Editörler: ÖZÇELİK NURTEN, Editör
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
In the twenty-first century, the forces of globalization, burgeoning international mobility, and intensified migratory processes have profoundly reshaped language policies and educational paradigms, precipitating a critical re-evaluation of the monolingual-centric approaches that long dominated foreign language pedagogy. A primary catalyst for this paradigm shift is the rapid advancement of technology, which transcends physical borders and facilitates unprecedented levels of cross-societal communication. Consequently, as language and its instruction are inextricably linked to socio-political dynamics, they have undergone a natural evolution. Within this transformative landscape, language acquisition is no longer conceptualized merely as the mastery of communicative skills in a target language; rather, it is viewed as a dynamic, multi-layered process wherein an individual’s entire linguistic repertoire is strategically mobilized. In this regard, French as a Foreign Language (FLE) has transcended traditional instructional models to become a multidimensional field that fosters linguistic identity, cultural awareness, and cognitive flexibility. Modern pedagogical frameworks now redefine the learner not as a passive recipient of a target language, but as a multilingual "social actor" capable of deploying diverse linguistic and cultural resources within varied communicative contexts. The theoretical underpinnings of this shift are largely informed by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), developed by the Council of Europe. Specifically, the CEFR Companion Volume (2020) places the concepts of multilingualism and *Öğr. Gör. Dr., Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi, Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulu, Fransızca Birimi, Ankara, k.zenginaloglu@hbv.edu.tr, ORCID: 0000-0001-7831-506X Recherches Internationales en Didactique du Français Langue Étrangère-I 201 plurilingualism at its core, defining language learning as a holistic competency that encompasses an individual’s total linguistic repertoire. In this framework, while multilingualism is categorized as a sociolinguistic phenomenon referring to the coexistence of multiple languages within a given society or institution, plurilingualism is treated as a pedagogical approach reflecting an individual's capacity to utilize their diverse linguistic assets in a flexible and integrated manner. This distinction necessitates a fundamental reconfiguration of the methodologies, instructional materials, and classroom practices employed in foreign language education. 1.1. Aim of the Study The primary objective of this study is to examine the theoretical distinction between the concepts of multilingualism and plurilingualism, to elucidate their implications for foreign language pedagogy within the framework of the CEFR, and to analyse the practical manifestations of this approach in modern French textbooks. Furthermore, this research discusses the integration of a plurilingual approach into classroom practices and provides pedagogical recommendations for language practitioners. In addressing the central research problem, "How does the theoretical distinction between multilingualism and plurilingualism reflect on modern French textbooks and classroom pedagogical practices?", the study seeks to answer the following sub-questions: 1. Theoretical Dimension: What are the fundamental differences between the concepts of multilingualism and plurilingualism, and how are these concepts situated within the framework of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)? 2. Material Analysis Dimension: In what ways do the elements of a plurilingual approach and interlinguistic mediation activities manifest in modern French textbooks (e.g., contemporary series such as Défi and Alter Ego)? 3. Pedagogical Dimension: Through which strategies can a plurilingual approach be effectively integrated into French language classrooms? 4. Implementation Dimension: What should be the role of the teacher in classroom practices aimed at developing 202 Recherches Internationales en Didactique du Français Langue Étrangère-I plurilingual competence, and what types of pedagogical tools should be utilized in this process? 2. METHODOLOGY 2.1. Research Design This research is grounded in document analysis, a qualitative research method. Document analysis encompasses the processes of locating, reviewing, note-taking, and evaluating resources aligned with a specific research objective (Karasar, 2005). This process is further defined as the examination of written materials that contain pertinent information about the phenomenon or phenomena under investigation (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013). In other words, document analysis is a research method aimed at the systematic examination and interpretation of written and visual materials in accordance with a specific research problem. This method facilitates a holistic evaluation of the interrelationships between language policies, instructional approaches, and pedagogical practices. 2.2. Data Collection Three primary categories of data sources were analysed during the research process: 1. Policy Documents: The principal resource forming the theoretical foundation of this research is the CEFR Companion Volume (2020), published by the Council of Europe. This document provides the fundamental reference framework for modern foreign language teaching by elaborating on the concepts of plurilingualism and pluriculturalism. In this study, relevant sections of the CEFR were examined, and the pedagogical dimensions of multilingualism and plurilingualism were analysed. 2. Instructional Materials: The second data source of the research consists of modern French language teaching materials that centralize a plurilingual approach. In this context, contemporary FLE textbooks, such as the Défi and Alter Ego series, were examined. The following criteria “The utilization of cross-linguistic comparisons, intercultural awareness activities, task-based activities that mobilize the learner’s linguistic repertoire, pedagogical strategies that encourage multilingualism were considered during the analysis process. Recherches Internationales en Didactique du Français Langue Étrangère-I 203 Through this examination, the extent to which these textbooks reflect the plurilingual pedagogy proposed in the CEFR was evaluated. 3. Academic Studies The third data source comprises academic studies addressing multilingualism and plurilingualism. These include field research on multilingualism in French as a Foreign Language (FLE) instruction, error analysis studies examining learner output, and research focused on intercultural communication and language teaching. The analysis of these studies is significant in illustrating how theoretical approaches translate into classroom practices and in providing a basis for pedagogical implementations in the context of French language teaching. 2.3. Data Analysis The content analysis method was employed during the data analysis process. The examined documents were thematically coded, and the resulting data were classified and interpreted under the headings of "theoretical transformation, methodological approaches, and pedagogical implementations”.