Building Bridges, not Walls in a Globalized Society: Preparing Young Citizens for a Multilingual Ambiance

Abstract

A change in language instruction methods is required due to the growth of globalization and increased worldwide mobility. Even though English is still an important lingua franca, multilingualism must be encouraged through a well-rounded approach. This article discusses contemporary educational approaches like translanguaging and intercultural competency development as it examines the advantages of multilingual education and emphasizes the need to move beyond monolingual paradigms and embrace the strengths of multilingual learners. In addition, it looks at how technology functions in a multilingual classroom and the difficulties associated with curriculum development and teacher preparation. Lastly, the paper offers ways to strike a balance between learning English and maintaining a mother tongue legacy, with the goal of giving young people the communication skills they need to succeed in our globalized society. CZU: 81’246.3:339.9; JEL: A: 23; DOI: https://doi.org/10.53486/micg2024.13