Multilingual Awareness: Rethinking Linguistic Diversity in Schools in Russia

Abstract

The paper focuses on the notion of multilingual awareness in relation to the introduction of a second foreign language in schools’ curricula in Russia. It first considers whether the expansion in this field matters and what are the reasons for such a move in language planning. It then examines the attitudes of both in-service teachers and students in teaching education programs of Bachelor and Master degree levels towards multilingualism and linguistic diversity. Most specifically, it looks into the level of teachers’ and students’ awareness of a multilingual component in language teaching and points to difficulties in maintaining a healthful balance between English and other foreign languages. Finally, it provides implications for the changes in teacher education to prepare a better qualified specialist capable of meeting the challenges of multilingual and multicultural