Abstract

In an increasingly interconnected world, the cultivation of plurilingual competence has emerged as a global educational priority. Within this global context, Ireland has undertaken significant steps to enhance Modern Foreign Language (MFL) education with its formal phased introduction to the primary curriculum commencing the 2025/2026 school year. Prior to this new curriculum addition, MFL provision was offered on a voluntary basis through initiatives such as the Department of Education’s (DE) Say Yes to Languages Programme (SYLP) from the Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026 developed in the context of the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. Targeting students from third to sixth class (8 to 12-year-olds), this sampler module has aimed to generate awareness among students of a range of languages (including Irish Sign Language [ISL]) to help support the inclusion and appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity in schools, communities and wider society. While investigating teacher knowledge (TK) as a key factor in successful language teaching, this research explores the central question: How can we enhance TK and plurilingual competencies in contemporary Irish primary classrooms? Through a systematic review (PRISMA 2009), this study emphasizes the need for equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills to navigate plurilingual classrooms effectively. It also underscores the role of implicit TK in fostering students’ linguistic development. Consequently, the ‘MEGA TEACHER Framework’ was developed, identifying nine essential dimensions of TK and practice crucial for MFL instruction. The elements of this framework align closely with the objectives of the SYLP and the redeveloped Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) by highlighting the importance of empowering teachers as leaders of linguistic and cultural diversity in the primary classroom. It is hoped that the MEGA TEACHER Framework will help provide a roadmap to support teachers in delivering MFL instruction in primary settings.

Keywords: Teacher knowledge; plurilingual competencies; modern foreign language (MFL); primary education