Awakening to Languages in Educational Contexts
A Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25749/sis.42108Keywords:
awakening to languages, pluralistic didactic approach, language awareness, educational contexts, literature reviewAbstract
In the context of plurilingual and intercultural education, the Awakening to Languages (AtL) approach has been a focus on language education due to its potential to develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills towards linguistic and cultural diversity. Consequently, a literature review was carried out to: i) understand how this approach has been (re)constructed over the years; ii) identify the predominant authors cited by the articles; iii) and collect suggestions of didactic activities following this approach. Searches were developed in four databases, namely: Scopus, ERIC, Taylor & Francis, and Web of Science. These searches led to a corpus of 14 articles which was subjected to categorical qualitative analysis. The results indicate that the approach is seen as a way to reconstruct knowledge about languages and, although activities are presented, it seems necessary to invest in ways to enable its replication in educational contexts.
Downloads
References
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1997). Writing narrative literature reviews. Review of General Psychology, 1(3), 311-320. https://psychology.yale.edu/sites/default/files/baumeister-leary.pdf
Byram, M. (2012). Language awareness and (critical) cultural awareness – relationships, comparisons and contrasts. Language Awareness, 21(1–2), 5-13. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2011.639887
Candelier, M. (2009). L’éveil aux langues – une proposition originale pour la gestion du plurilinguisme en milieu scolaire. UNESCO. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/L%27éveil-aux-langues-une-proposition-originale-pour-Candelier/12ead5aec2da30f73607605cd0cde7b466687965
Candelier, M. (Ed.), Andrade, A.-I., Bernaus, M., Kervran, M., Martins, F., Murkowska, A., Noguerol, A., Oomen-Welke, I., Perregaux, C., Saudan, V., & Zielinska, J. (2004). Janua linguarum - The gateway to languages. The introduction of language awareness into the curriculum: Awakening to languages. Council of Europe Publishing. https://www.ecml.at/Portals/1/documents/ECML-resources/JAN-EN.pdf
Candelier, M., Camilleri-Grima, A., Castellotti, V., De Pietro, J.-F., Lörincz, I., Meißner, F.-J.-, Noguerol, A., & Schröder-Sura, A. (2012). FREPA/CARAP: A framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures. Council of Europe Publishing. https://carap.ecml.at/Portals/11/documents/CARAP-version3-EN-28062010.pdf
Candelier, M., & Kervran, M. (2018). 1997-2017: Twenty years of innovation and research about awakening to languages-Evlang heritage. International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education, 3(1), 10-21. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijbide.2018010102
Chik, A., & Melo-Pfeifer, S. (2020). What does language awareness look like? Visual methodologies in language learning and teaching research (2000–2018). Language Awareness, 29(3–4), 336-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2020.1785481
Coelho, D., Andrade, A. I., & Portugal, G. (2018). The ‘Awakening to Languages’ approach at preschool: Developing children’s communicative competence. Language Awareness, 27(3), 197-221.
Comissão Europeia (1995). Livro branco sobre a educação e a formação - Ensinar e aprender: Rumo à sociedade do conhecimento. Serviço das Publicações Oficiais das Comunidades Europeias.
Cots, J. M., & Garrett, P. (2017). Language Awareness: Opening up the field of study. In P. Garrett & J. M. Cots (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Language Awareness (1st Edition, pp. 1-19). Routledge.
Darics, E., Staschen, O., Drury, M., Chojnicka, J., Mazzoli, M., Olthof, J., Serafis, D., & Wildfeuer, J. (2025). Critical language awareness as a future imperative: Seeing the ‘water.’ Frontiers in Communication, 10, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1623193
De Pietro, J.-F., & Matthey, M. (2001). L’éveil aux langues: Des outils pour travailler la différence. Langage et Pratiques, 28, 31-44. https://www.irdp.ch/data/secure/613/document/eveil-aux-langues-613.pdf
Dimova, I. (2020). In search of the way forward: Implementing the pedagogical perspective of english as an international language in bulgaria. ELOPE: English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries, 17(2), 179-193. https://doi.org/10.4312/elope.17.2.179-193
Donmall-Hicks, B. G. (1997). The history of language awareness in the United Kingdom. In L. v. Lier & D. Corson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and language education: Knowledge about language (pp. 21-30). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Dubiner, D. (2018). ‘Write it down and then what?’: Promoting pre-service teachers’ language awareness, metacognitive development and pedagogical skills through reflections on vocabulary acquisition and teaching. Language Awareness, 27(4), 277-294. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2018.1521815
Ducar, C. (2022). SHL teacher development and critical language awareness: From engaño to understanding. Languages, 7(3), 182. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages7030182
European Commission. (2018). Proposal for a council recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages. European Commission. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:36ae2f05-5dc7-11e8-ab9c-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF
Facciani, A. (2024). Parents’ multilingual storytelling in the school setting: Exploring influence on family language practices. EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages, 11(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.21283/2376905X.1.11.1.2906
Fourcade, M. (2021). Sociolinguistics of youth activism: Implications for the future of political language. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 10(6), 1-15. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7c69/3f5d10f0d5ef9b68d2d56ea90e43db9530de.pdf
Gaspar, A., & van der Worp, K. (2026). Integrating CALS and translanguaging to promote metalinguistic awareness: A study in the Southern Basque Country Integrating CALS and translanguaging to promote. Language Awareness, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2026.2631545
Ghanmi, R., & Navracsics, J. (2025). Metalinguistic awareness, writing competence and lexical diversity in bilingual and multilingual adults in Hungary learning English as an additional language. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2025.2517337
Gkaintartzi, A., & Katsara, O. (2024). Pluralistic approaches in education: Educating for diversity through “Awakening to Languages.” Ampersand, 13(December), 100205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2024.100205
Green, B., Johnson, C., & Adams, A. (2006). Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: Secrets of the trade. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 5(3), 101-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0899-3467(07)60142-6
Hawkins, E. (1996). Awareness to language: An introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Hawkins, E. (1999). Foreign language study and language awareness. Language Awareness, 8(3–4), 124-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658419908667124
Huang, T., & Guo, J. (2024). Investigating critical language awareness and critical cultural awareness in EFL materials use. Language Awareness. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2024.2434012
Kearney, E., & Ahn, S.-Y. (2013). Awakening to world languages: Intercultural awareness in very young learners. Learning Languages, 18(2), 44-48. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1090897&scope=site
Kelly, M. (2019). Language awareness in a comprehensive approach to language teaching and learning. Journal of E-Learning and Knowledge Society, 15(1), 37-54. https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1616
Le Pichon-Vorstman, E., Siarova, H., & Szőnyi, E. (2020). The future of language education in Europe: case studies of innovative practices. NESET report. European Journal of Language Policy, 13(1), 114-120. https://doi.org/10.3828/EJLP.2021.7C
Maad, M. R. B. (2021). Embracing balance in early childhood education: The case of awakening to languages pedagogy. International Journal of Learning and Change, 13(1), 92-106. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJLC.2021.111661
Meighan, P. (2025). Decolonizing Language Education. In Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 1-11). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal20412
Möller-Omrani, C., Bader, M., & Haugen, K. (2026). Education stakeholders’ linguistic diversity and its potential for pluralistic approaches in language education pluralistic approaches in language education. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2026.2632363
Özkaynak, O., & Sayer, P. (2026). Whose English counts? Language ideologies in Turkish TESOL teacher education. Language Awareness, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2026.2625713
Roehr-Brackin K. (2024). Measuring children’s metalinguistic awareness. Language Teaching, 58(1), 27-43. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444824000016
Roothooft, H., & Bueno-Alastuey, M. C. (2025). Students’ beliefs about written corrective feedback in two foreign language contexts. Language Awareness, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2025.2522107
Rozas, L. W., & Klein, W. C. (2010). The value and purpose of the traditional qualitative literature review. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 7(5), 387-399. https://doi.org/10.1080/15433710903344116
Saeli, H., Rahmati, P., Dalman, M., Shamsi, Y., & Koltovskaia, S. (2025). Embrace or resist? EFL teachers on adopting ChatGPT as a teaching and feedback tool teaching and feedback tool. Language Awareness, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2025.2577191
Sierens, S., Frijns, C., Van Gorp, K., Sercu, L., & Van Avermaet, P. (2018). The effects of raising language awareness in mainstream and language classrooms: A literature review (1995-2013). In C. Hélot, C. Frijns, K. Van Gorp & S. Sierens (Eds.), Language Awareness in Multilingual Classrooms in Europe: From Theory to Practice (pp. 21-85). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501501326-002
Silva, V., & Lourenço, M. (2023). Educating for global citizenship and peace through awakening to languages: A study with institutionalised children. Porta Linguarum, 40, 181-197. https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi40.26655
Svalberg, A. (2012). Language awareness in language learning and teaching: A research agenda. Language Teaching, 45(3), 376-388. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444812000079
Svalberg, A. (2016). Language Awareness research: Where we are now. Language Awareness, 25(1–2), 4-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2015.1122027
Szelei, N., Ramaekers, S., Dekeyser, G., & Agirdag, O. (2024). Revisiting parental engagement: Creating, crossing, and blurring the boundaries of the home-school language divide. Linguistics and Education, 81, 101308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2024.101308
Tammenga-Helmantel, M., Boon, N., Knopp, E., & Jentges, S. (2022). Plurilingual approaches in teaching materials: A tool for textbook analysis. FOLIO, 21(1), 4-11.
Torregrossa, G., & Carbonara, V. (2026). Exploring the benefits of translanguaging pedagogies on secondary-school students’ metalinguistic awareness: the role of language learning aptitude and vocabulary knowledge. Language Awareness, 34(4), 862-885. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2025.2608085
van den Broek, E. W. R. (2020). Language awareness in foreign language education: Exploring teachers ’ beliefs , practices and change processes. (PhD thesis). Radboud University, Netherlands. https://ico-education.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Proefschrift_Language-awareness-in-foreign-language-education_EllenVanDenBroek-2020.pdf
Wang, W., & Liu, X. (2024). A review of language awareness (2020 – 2024): Current trends and future directions. Journal of Language Teaching, 4(4), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.54475/jlt.2024.020
Weber, R. P. (1990). Basic Content Analysis. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Wu, M. M. (2025). Language awareness: More than just better language learning. Discover Education, 4, art. 484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00911-x
Yang, F., Li, K., & Li, R. (2024). AI in language education: Enhancing learners’ speaking awareness through AI-supported training. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 14(6), 828-833. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2024.14.6.2108
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sisyphus — Journal of Education

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) belongs to Sisyphus - Journal of Education. However, we encourage issued articles to be published elsewhere, provided that Sisyphus authorization is asked for and that authors integrate our original source citation and a link to our website.
Author Self-Archiving Policy
Author(s) are permitted to self-archive the final published version in institutional or thematic repositories, and in their personal or institutional websites.
DORA Signer
The Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa, Sisyphus' Publisher, is a San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment signer.



