Education professor Susan Holloway will share some of the findings of research in two areas of growth in multiliteracies: using multiliteracies pedagogy to teach adult learners and to teach culturally and linguistically diverse additional language learners as a keynote address at the symposium “Multiliteracies in Plurilingual Societies: Dialogues for Sustainable Communication,” May 12 and 13 at the University of Huelva, Spain.

“Traditionally, multiliteracies has focused mostly on teaching elementary school children, and while cultural diversity has always been a main tenet of this theory, research has only started to delve into sociocultural approaches to additional language learning in the last 10 years,” Dr. Holloway says.

Along with her sister, education professor Patricia Gouthro of Mount St. Vincent University, she will deliver “The Promise of Multiliteracies: Additional Language Learning for Adults in Plurilingual Societies,” drawing on their research through the Multiliteracies Project. It offers insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide, suggesting compassionate and holistic approaches to additional language learning.

“Literacy in an additional language is a liberating force, enabling people to become democratic and active citizens in the affairs that affect their well-being in plurilingual societies and sustainable cities,” says Holloway.

“Our work contributes evidence and analysis that teases out some of the pedagogical complexities and suggests ways forward to effectively see additional language learning through a multiliteracies lens. This lens recognizes the strengths and successes of adult learners learning a new language while simultaneously confronting the challenges of acculturating to a new host country.”

The symposium will be conducted in English and Spanish, with attendees joining online as well as in person. Drs. Holloway and Gouthro will be among those participating remotely through Zoom Pro, which allows for translation in closed captions to facilitate communications among conferees speaking more than a dozen languages.