LANGUAGE POLICY AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS

Abstract

The growing linguistic diversity of classrooms worldwide has intensified scholarly and policy oriented debates on the role of language policy in shaping educational practice. Language policy determines which languages are legitimized within educational systems and how these languages are used in instruction, assessment, and interaction. In multilingual classrooms, the alignment or misalignment between language policy and pedagogical practice significantly affects learner’s academic achievement, identity construction, and social inclusion. This article examines the relationship between language policy and educational practice in multilingual classrooms, drawing on key theoretical frameworks in sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and language education. It explores how macro-level language policies are interpreted and enacted at the micro-level of classroom practice, highlights challenges faced by educators and learners, and discusses evidence-based pedagogical approaches that support multilingual learners. The paper concludes with implications for policymakers, teacher education, and future research, emphasizing the need for flexible, inclusive, and context-sensitive language policies.