What can technology offer to linguistically diverse classrooms? Using multilingual content in a computer-based learning environment for primary education

Computer-based learning environments (CBLEs) have the potential to integrate the linguistic diversity present in classrooms as a resourceful tool in pupils’ learning process. Particularly for pupils who speak a language at home other than the language which is used at school, more understanding is needed on how CBLEs offering multilingual content can assist them. With this study, we aim to gain insight into the way pupils interact with a CBLE which provides support in their home language through different digital tools. Therefore, E-Validiv was developed, a CBLE offering multilingual content, namely in the language of instruction and pupils’ home language. Six fifth-grade pupils were videotaped while working on E-Validiv and their activities were logged. Afterwards, they were interviewed by means of stimulated recall on the way they had used the CBLE. The results show that the pupils functionally use their home language to support their learning process. Pupils interact with the multilingual CBLE through different digital tools to improve understanding of words and content. The study also identifies barriers which may hinder pupils to use the multilingual content in an optimal way