Page 99 - Diversity in Action

Language Learning in the Context

of Diversity: Transformative Approaches
for a Complex Task in Kindergartens

and Schools

Natascha J. Taslimi Karin Steiner
University College of Teacher Kinderfreunde Wien, Austria
Education Vienna, Austria karin.steiner@wien.kinderfreunde.at
natascha.taslimi@phwien.ac.at
Ursula Maurič
University College of Teacher
Education Vienna, Austria
ursula.mauric@phwien.ac.at
© 2025 Natascha J. Taslimi, Ursula Maurič, and Karin Steiner
https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-523-8.5

Chapter Objectives
• Understanding the role and importance of multilingual education in
today’s diverse and globalised societies
• Examining different aspects of language sensitive teaching
• Understanding how the rhizomatic learning approach applies to
multilingual education
• Examining both, theory and practical examples of learning communities
that support multilingual education

Introduction
Around the world, more children grow up speaking two or more languages,
whichbringsarangeofimportantbenefits.Multilingualismnotonlystrength-
ens cognitive skills such as working memory, concentration, and cognitive
flexibility (Bialystok et al., 2012; Herzog-Punzenberger, 2023), but it also fos-
ters cultural sensitivity, social inclusion, and a deeper appreciation of lin-
guistic diversity. These multifaceted advantages highlight the importance
of supporting educators – including both school teachers and pre-school
teachers in expanding their skills and approaches to promote language edu-
cation effectively. This support is crucial not only for classroom teaching but
also for cultivating a language-friendly institutional culture that recognises

Bratož, S., & Irsara, M. (Eds.). (2025). Diversity in action: Training teachers through
multilingual and multicultural experiences. University of Primorska Press.