Bilingual and Multilingual International Education: Characteristics and Distinctions

In the area of private education in Brazil, issues related to Bilingual Education have been discussed for over two decades. More recently, International Education has entered the conversation, introducing an additional layer of complexity.

In this article, we will explore the theme of Bilingual Education, drawing from the Brazilian National Curriculum Guidelines for the provision of Plurilingual Education (CNE 2020), expanding perspectives and introducing new insights into what characterizes not only Bilingual but also International Schools and International Education.

In a broad sense, Bilingual Education can be described as education that takes place through two or more languages. In other words, it is conducted in schools that offer more than one language as a means of access, interaction, and meaning making in different areas of knowledge. In Brazil, a significant number of private Bilingual Schools adopt the Portuguese-English bilingual model. However, it is important to highlight the presence of bilingualism in minority groups, including the bilingualism of the deaf, indigenous populations, border communities, and refugees. Therefore, whenever we talk about Bilingual Education, we must understand the context of each school, its families, and students.

In 2020, the Brazilian National Council of Education (CNE) approved the National Curriculum Guidelines for the offering of Plurilingual Education, with the aim of providing national-level regulations for Bilingual Schools. The document, still awaiting the final stage of approval, proposes some distinctions between Schools with Extended Hours in Additional Language, Bilingual Schools, Brazilian Schools with International Curricula, and International Schools.

The policy states that Bilingual Schools are those that offer an integrated curriculum, aiming at the development of language and academic knowledge and skills. It also states that these schools must adopt the bilingual model to all of their learners and comply with the legislation and norms applicable to Brazilian education, such as the National Common Curriculum Base (BNCC). Furthermore, Bilingual Schools must offer at least 50% of instruction time in the mother tongue, and at least one of the core disciplines must be exclusively conducted in the additional language. Head teachers and specialists, according to the subjects and school sections they work in, must have proof of linguistic proficiency at a minimum B2 level on the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR), in addition to an undergraduate degree, specialization, post-graduation, or extension course focusing on Bilingual Education. Finally, students must achieve specific language proficiency levels at the completion of Elementary and High School.

Expanding this discussion, we have come to realize through the experience of schools in different contexts that curriculum integration does not presuppose that certain subjects should be taught in one language or the other. By exploring different disciplines in two or more languages, opportunities for meaning making are expanded. It is not about repeating the same content and skills, but exploring broad concepts from different perspectives, enabling connections between the student's languages, thus amplifying opportunities for the construction of knowledge.

Another important point would be the discussion about minimum instruction times in national and additional language(s), as not all schools in Brazil adopt the same hours. While some schools offer a 4-hour school day, others may have up to 8 hours. The curriculum policy mentioned above states that Bilingual Schools should offer no more than 50% of instruction in additional language.? While acknowledging language as a right (UNESCO, 1996) and the importance of instruction in mother tongue, prescribing limited periods of instruction in each language may not be the best solution. Schools with longer school days may have more flexibility to organize a schedule that may include ample opportunity for immersion in both national and additional language(s).

To conclude our discussion on some relevant points of the language policy, we must think about ways to assess students (and educators) beyond linguistic aspects since Bilingual Education also implies academic development in two or more languages. Ofelia García, specialist in Bilingual Education, states that a bilingual speaker is not the same as the sum of two monolinguals. There is a third space that characterizes the identity of bilingual individuals, and it is precisely in this intersection that Bilingual Schools operate. We understand that there are specific issues when thinking about a country as vast as Brazil, but there is still much to explore to ensure equity in diverse bi/multilingual education contexts.

Now, let's delve into International Schools. How can they be characterized and how are they organized in Brazil?

Historically, International Schools were established in Brazil to serve a predominantly foreign audience. Despite the student body becoming considerably nationalized, many of these schools, even today, are linked to a foreign country, have international teachers, offer instruction predominantly in an additional language, and follow the academic calendar of the Northern hemisphere. In recent years, new models of International schools have been developed in the country. Aiming at offering an global education and opening possibilities for greater mobility in pathways to higher education, private Bilingual Schools have been looking towards the adoption of international curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Worldwide, with the many changes in the socio-economic scenario, there has also been a shift in the language perspectives adopted by International Schools. Increasingly, the English-only model is being replaced by a bi/multilingual approach (ISC, 2023).

In this context, what makes a school international goes beyond its affiliation or connection to a foreign country. International schools that offer International Education focus on the development of international mindedness. Ian Hill (2015, p. 5), in his article "What is an International School?," problematizes International Education by stating that "not all international schools offer an international education (an education for international-mindedness)."

Research on bilingualism and how language is processed by bi/multilingual speakers confirms the connections between languages and, consequently, how people use their linguistic repertoires dynamically (GARCíA, 2009) to interact and make meaning. The multilingual approach views language as a variety of multimodal resources, which may include languages, art, music, and technology, for example. Thus, International Schools have increasingly adopted not only bilingual but multilingual perspectives.

Another essential element of international schools is multiculturalism, from an intercultural perspective. In a monolingual and monocultural view, a single language and culture are seen as hegemonic, and few spaces are open to discovering and exploring the diverse, what "belongs to the other." In this view, languages are separated, and some are more valued than others. This is not the view we are aligned with.? The intercultural perspective presupposes interaction and change as a result of not only knowing and appreciating, but also connecting and expanding.

Back to the National Curriculum Guidelines policy, it is necessary to broaden the conception of International School beyond schools "linked to other countries, from where their curricular guidelines emanate" (2000, p.25). International mindedness, developed through multilingualism and intercultural awareness are without doubt important foundations for all International Schools.

?An International Education adapted to the needs of the 21st century focuses on:

?·????? Promoting an integrated and comprehensive education, seeking a balance between the physical, intellectual, and socio-emotional.

·????? Promoting international-mindedness through an internationally recognized curriculum.

·????? Developing interculturality, global citizenship, and recognition that people share a single planet.

·????? Developing critical thinking and a vision of social and environmental sustainability.

·????? Conducting instruction in two or more languages and through multiple media and modalities.

·????? Valuing the mother tongues of its students, encouraging continuous expansion of each student's linguistic repertoire.

·????? Using technology and a variety of resources to engage students, personalize instruction, and enable mobility in local and global contexts.

·????? Developing disciplinary and transdisciplinary skills of "learning to learn," necessary for identifying and solving new problems.

·????? Conducting nationally and internationally recognized assessments and pathways to higher education.

·????? Encouraging the recognition of each individual's uniqueness, as well as the appreciation of diversity and a sense of collectivity and belonging.

Each of these points can be unfolded and discussed in detail, but in summary, from a multilingual and multicultural perspective, International Education is characterized by the appreciation for each learner’s identity and linguistic repertoire and the development of opportunities to explore knowledge and culture from different perspectives.

In International Schools, diversity is valued in the pursuit of more equitable learning spaces where all learners belong. The curriculum is intentionally designed to promote opportunities for solving local, national, and global issues. It goes beyond content and standards, fostering the development of broad concepts and in-depth knowledge through an inquiry-based, problem-oriented, and contextualized approach.

International Schools aim to cultivate an international mindset and global citizenship as attributes of learners who are aware of their role in the world, and are ready to engage with others and the environment in an ethical, sustainable, and compassionate way.