Multilingualism at the UOC

The UOC has set in motion an innovative multilingual experiment with the intention of promoting knowledge of languages and the value of respect for diversity. This is not an experience of direct learning of languages but one that through passive multilingualism will promote passive knowledge of other languages. The two official languages of Catalonia have been chosen for use in the classroom, alongside English as an efficient working language.   Multilingualism has to act as a way for everyone to gain more knowledge of diversity from an egalitarian and solidary point of view.   Communication in the classroom In order to participate in the pilot programme, students will have to explicitly state their commitment to maintain communication in their own language in all the areas of the classroom : communication with teaching staff, forums, etc. The success or failure of the pilot programme depends on compliance with this strict rule. Communication in the classroom must consider multilingualism as a form of enrichment and shun attitudes of adaptation to languages other than one’s own, because the principle is that of equality of opportunities for expression and relation for all languages and speakers, including teaching staff.   The student has to be capable of making the effort to understand others. This entails receiving untranslated communications in different languages. The aim of the pilot test is to assess students’ ability to find a way to comprehend others by means of translation tools, but above all with an attitude of open-mindedness and understanding.   The multilingual classroom The multilingual classroom will be a space for coexistence. The classroom language might be one or several of those chosen in the pilot programme. One of the conditions to take into account from the start is that students may find monolingual spaces in one of the languages used, and that this forms part of the multilingual experience.   Teaching materials The bibliographical materials are either monolingual, in any of the languages used in the experience, or in various languages. Students must bear in mind that they will not find all of the information in their language, but that the experience is based on the effort to understand other people’s languages and that they will find the necessary materials, bibliography, etc., in these languages.   Resources The classrooms will be equipped with translation resources to aid learning and comprehension of the languages of the other participants in the group. It is important to be aware that automatic translation has shortcomings, which each student will have to overcome on their own. Tools for the correction of emails will also be available.   Teaching staff The coordinator and teachers will have sufficient knowledge of the three languages to be able to guide and assess students. The teaching staff will use their own language in the classroom and be vigilant so that the other languages are maintained in equality of conditions and work to promote multilingualism and balanced use of the languages in forums and areas for debate.   Assessment tools The assessment criteria for studies at the UOC will consider both quality of expression and the precision of contents as inseparable parts of professional competence. For this reason, it is essential that students express themselves in their own language.   The linguistic quality of communications will be an important factor in the evaluation of quality in all teaching activities. It is for this reason that we ask the student to use the language they know best.   The experience of making an effort to understand instead of resorting to switching languages should act as an incentive for the student. Teaching staff see this as value-added alongside the experience of learning the postgraduate subject matter per se.   Languages The programmes and courses that make up this experience use Catalan, Spanish and English as the working languages.   Skills needed for the programme Students and teaching staff must be completely competent in their first language and have a good level (equivalent to the level-B certificate in Catalan) in the other two.   Definitive aim of the learning The definitive aim is for students to attain the maximum possible level of knowledge from a multilingual experience where passive knowledge and the value of diversity are promoted.   The information on the UOC’s programmes and courses will give students a clear idea about the working languages and language skills (understanding and communicating) required, whether in terms of admission or the definitive aim of the learning. These languages will be Catalan, Spanish and English.