Abstract
Taken independently, multilingual literacy and career development are not novel phenomena and have been extensively researched in their respective areas (linguistics, human resources, higher and adult education). While multilingualism in the United States has historically been devalued, more recently, scholars emphasized a variety of benefits, in personal and professional areas of life, of developing multilingual literacy. Given that little research has been done to help understand the value of multilingualism in academia, and specifically in the fields of human resource development (HRD) and adult education, this study takes a step toward bridging this gap, considering the importance of the topic in today’s multicultural world. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand how multilingual, tenured and tenure-track faculty who hold positions in HRD and/or adult education programs in the United States understand the value of multilingualism in academia and the role of multilingual literacy in their careers. Primary data come from interviews with multilingual faculty who work in HRD and adult education programs in US higher education institutions, in addition to participants’ CVs, analyzed in search of cues related to the use of multiple languages for career purposes. This study is unique because, by taking an interdisciplinary approach, it focuses on bringing the concepts of multilingualism and career development together by examining the role of multilingual literacy in faculty careers. The participants’ narratives and experiences offer implications for faculty professional development, as well as academic policy and practice, given the disregard for multilingualism still present in higher education settings.
Presenters
Maja StojanovićStudent, PhD, Louisiana State University, United States Petra Alaine Robinson
Associate Professor, School of Leadership and Human Resource Development, Louisiana State University, Louisiana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus: Intercultural Learning in Plurilingual Contexts
KEYWORDS
Multilingual literacy, Career development, Academia, Faculty, United States, Human resource
