Page 58 - Compétences plurilingues : perspectives et actions / Plurilingual competencies: perspectives and actions

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S. Prevratilova: Plurilingual Students in Tandem Language Exchange...
crucial to broaden the research scope to understanding of plurilingual language acquisition
and motivation.
This chapter presents the preliminary research stage on plurilingualism among Czech and
international students at Charles University in Prague who participated in a language ex-
change self-directed course (language tandem). The study examined one language tandem
pair practicing Czech, French, and English, exploring the motivational pro iles to learn mul-
tiple languages (Henry, 2020; Ushioda, 2017), with a link to the positive language interac-
tion perceived by the individuals, and the plurilingual approach in their tandem course.

Multilingual Motivational Self System (MMSS) and Perceived Positive
Language Interaction (PPLI)

The most prominent model to operationalize motivation in applied linguistics (Boo et al.,
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2015) is the L2 Motivation Self System (L2MSS, Dornyei, 2005, 2009). It consists of three
main components: 1. the ideal L2 self as the image of the self the language learner would
like to become, 2. the ought-to L2 self as “the attributes that one believes one ought to pos-
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sess to meet expectations and avoid negative outcomes” (Dornyei & Ushioda, 2011, p. 86),
and 3. the L2 Learning Experience. Similar to other theoretical approaches, the model con-
siders learning only individual languages, ignoring the learner’s integrated communicative
competence, where languages intertwine and mutually engage (Council of Europe, 2001,
13). Such integrated plurilingual competence may impact the acquisition of an additional
language shaping the strategies, cognitive skills, and linguistic insights employed when en-
gaging with a new language. Hence, in settings where learners engage with L3+ languages,
the L2 Motivational Self System should be modi ied to the Multilingual Motivational Self
(MMSS, Henry, 2017; Thompson, 2020) and the ideal multilingual selves of the plurilingual
learners should be examined.
Furthermore, within their unique plurilingual competence, learners may perceive posi-
tive or negative interaction among the languages. Thompson (2020) in her study on per-
ceived positive language interaction (PPLI) indicated a favourable association between PPLI
and language learning motivation: Learners who recognized positive language interaction
among the languages they acquired exhibited higher motivation compared to those who did
not. While the study provided insights into certain aspects of plurilingual learners, there
remains a distinct research gap in the adoption of plurilingual strategies in language acqui-
sition. Particularly in languages like Czech, where research has been limited due to a pre-
dominant focus on global world languages, further investigation will bring valuable insight
into learning an additional language.

Language Learning Tandem

Tandem language learning is a cooperative pedagogical approach that embodies principles
of collaborative learning, learner autonomy, and reciprocity (Brammerts, 2003). This in-
formal learning format, an alternative or complement to traditional language classrooms in
formal settings, fosters mutual language acquisition and helps learners gain insights into the
associated target culture and community as learners engage in authentic communication

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