The Festival du Livre de Paris is an opportunity for book lovers and industry professionals to come together, discover new books, and engage with authors. This year, CALEC is proud to host two notable authors during the festival. On Friday, April 21 at 3pm, Ellen Bialystok will give a talk and sign books at our booth. Ellen Bialystok is a renowned author who has published numerous books and articles on bilingualism and cognitive development.
On April 22 in the afternoon, Fabrice Jaumont will sign his latest books at our booth. Fabrice Jaumont is a leading expert on bilingual education and has published several books on the topic. His first book, “The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education is in Two Languages,” has been praised for its insights into the benefits of bilingual education and the importance of promoting multilingualism.
CALEC is thrilled to be part of this exciting event and to showcase our publications on multilingual education. We believe that promoting multilingualism is essential to fostering understanding and respect among different cultures and communities. We invite everyone to join us at the Festival du Livre de Paris to celebrate the power of language and diversity. Come visit our booth (B27) in the Aile Suffren and meet our authors, Ellen Bialystok and Fabrice Jaumont. We look forward to seeing you there!
The study of multilingualism is a relatively young science. At the same time, the number of multilingual individuals worldwide is increasing , and the view of multilingualism is changing rapidly in the professional world.
In this book, Multilingualism and Cultural Fluency in the Professional World, we wish to examine the realities, opportunities, and challenges of being multilingual and culturally fluent in today’s and tomorrow’s professional world. This book, therefore, tries to answer two main questions: why are multilingualism and cultural fluency relevant in the professional world, and how can we effectively prepare future professionals best to be multilingual and culturally fluent?
The world economy is indeed more global and multicultural than ever before. In the global world, advanced personal and professional skills are needed, including communicating efficiently in different languages and across different cultures. In this context, multilinguals are not only sought after in niche professions such as diplomacy or translation services: nowadays, more traditional fields, organizations, and firms have a global reach, and multilinguals can bring a different view or perspective on a particular issue. They can help think “outside of the box” and offer creative solutions that can be decisive during the decision-making and problem-solving process.
In the last twenty years, the advantages of being multilingual have become increasingly apparent. The book aims to show that multilinguals can more efficiently help navigate language and cultural barriers and differences in various industries and company cultures. This is an asset in a world where cultural differences can tremendously affect organizations and teams. This need is reinforced by the fact that global teams are less bound by location since the covid crisis facilitated remote work.
In the meantime, multilingual education exists everywhere in the world. Canada’s immersion programs in North America started as early as the 1960s. From there, multilingual education spread to the United States and is now considered a very efficient education model. Multiple stakeholders are now involved in multilingual education, from groups protecting minority languages to states aiming for internationalization or unity. More and more, however, programs seem to revolve around a rationale including global and local benefits for individuals, shifting the target of multilingual programs from minority to majority groups. At the same time, the politics of multilingualism, the debate around teaching methods, or the shortage of highly qualified teachers can be ongoing issues in implementing and managing multilingual programs.
In the first book section, we will offer a diverse perspective on multilingualism and multiculturalism and answer the following questions: Do multilinguals with two or more majority languages have a competitive advantage in global economies? Is there a link between multilingualism and economic growth? Is mastering a heritage language beneficial or a hindrance in the professional world? Is multilingualism valuable for employment? Is cultural fluency a must-have along with multilingualism in the global workplace? Are multiculturalism and multilingualism the same? What is the relation between multilingualism and cross-cultural abilities or cultural fluency?
In the second section, we aim to discuss the conditions upon which educational systems or academic programs can prepare students for a global workplace. Guiding questions could include: How can we effectively train future workers to become multilinguals? Must any public and private education alike be multilingual to be future-ready? What forces can support or hinder the development of a multilingual education program? What kinds of teachers’ backgrounds, perceptions, or instructional practices support multilingual programs? What student outcomes promote democracy and human rights, and what types and proficiency levels allow individuals to take advantage of global opportunities? Are the skills and competencies needed for these outcomes different? What context and constraints exist in the policy and practice of multilingual education? At a different level, the book could discuss the different types of international organizations and see current recruitment conditions or language policies within these organizations or companies. More generally, it will be possible to determine which languages ​​are most in demand and why? Finally, the book could look at further education institutions and examine their conceptualization of multilingualism.
The authors will offer various insights into different multilingualism and multiculturalism practice models. Chapters will cover different world areas, disciplinary approaches, and languages​. This book will also provide insights into developing multilingual and multicultural teams as a strategy for a diversity of thoughts and means to achieve more significant results. Through selected cases, this book will also highlight the commitment of various education systems to multiple forms of multilingual and language education to ensure that the next generation is prepared to thrive in our global reality. Finally, the book will propose solutions to advance students’ language and cultural competencies, preparing them to be future productive bilingual and multicultural citizens.
Our target audience comprises people with diverse backgrounds, such as working professionals, educators, academics, policymakers, and members of civil society. The goal is to make this book widely accessible.
Authors who are working on the topic and are interested in having their work considered for this book must submit the following to the CALEC’S editorial team at editors-ac@calec.org before May 1st, 2023.Â
Statement of interest (half a page)
Title and subtitle of the chapter
A 200-word abstract outlining the paper and responding to the questions:
What does the author expect to achieve with their essay?
What are they offering? (Topic and solutions)
Writing sample (1.5 to 2 pages, Times New Roman, 250-300 words)
Description of illustrations (black and white only), if applicable
If applicable.
A brief biographical note (half a page) should include the author’s experience in bilingual environments and affiliation to an institution if applicable.
Authors can write in French or English. Everything must be turned in in Word and a PDF document, Times New Roman, size 12, double spaced.
The committee will choose 15-20 chapters. If the author’s work is accepted, they will be contacted before May 1st, 2023. The author must turn in their finished chapters before July 30, 2023. Each essay must be submitted both in a Word and a PDF document. It may have a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 double-spaced pages. Times New Roman, 1-inch margins all the way around (250-300 words or around 1700 characters, including spaces, per page).
Dr. Fabrice Jaumont is a scholar-practitioner, award-winning author, non-profit leader, and education advisor based in New York. He will give several talks in Rome and Naples in February 2023. On February 22, he will present his work at the University Roma Tre at the invitation of the Language Center. On February 23, the University of Naples Federico II will host his talk entitled: The Bilingual Revolution / La Rivoluzione bilingue : The Future of Education is in Two Languages / Il futuro dell’istruzione in due lingue, in partnership with Bilingualism Matters. In addition, he will meet with officials at the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit, as well as take part in discussions and book signings with several organizations.
CALEC and its editorial branches TBR Books and CALEC France Éditions participated in the 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair from October 19 to October 23.
Author Barbara Schindelhauer signed her new book, My Garden is a Square, co-authored with Mark Hansen, and author Fabrice Jaumont gave a talk and signed copies of his new book, Conversations on Bilingualism.
New Orleans-based Rhonda Broussard signed copies of her new book, One Good Question, at the CALEC booth. Joseph Dunn, Scott Tilton, Emmanuel Kayembe, and Kathleen Stein-Smith, who contributed to the recently-released French All Around Us, gave a talk on language advocacy. The book made the headlines of Frenchly and French Morning last month with the following title: “French All Around Us: The Evolving French Language in the United States.”
Hosted live from New York at the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie on May 5, 2022, at 4pm and on Facebook Live with interpretation in French and in English via French Morning.
As part of the « Spring Festival of La Francophonie » and on the occasion of the release of the 2022 Report on the French Language Worldwide and of the book « French All Around Us », the International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF), the Center for the Advancement of Languages, Education, and Communities (CALEC) and French Morning invite you to :
