9 Months, 9 Universities webinar: Cross-linguistic mediation as sustainable translanguaging practice

We invite you to join the next webinar in the “9 Months, 9 Universities” series, organised within the framework of the Arqus Plurilingual and Intercultural Hub. The session titled “Is There a More Nutritious Approach? Cross-Linguistic Mediation as Sustainable Translanguaging Practice for CLIL and Minority Language Education” will take place online on 18 May 2026 at 10:00 CEST.

The talk will explore the challenges of incorporating translanguaging practices in minority language and CLIL educational settings. While drawing on learners’ full linguistic repertoires is often seen as a way to enrich learning, it also raises important questions about how to safeguard the vitality of minority languages such as Irish.

From this perspective, the presentation will examine the tension between making use of all available linguistic resources and preventing dominant languages –particularly English– from overshadowing or weakening less widely used languages. It will also consider the dual role of these dominant languages, which can support comprehension and access to knowledge, but may also create forms of dependency.

The talk will introduce the concept of cross-linguistic mediation from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as a potential way to address these challenges. Overall, it will reflect on whether a more structured approach to translanguaging can help balance effective learning with the long-term sustainability of linguistic diversity in educational contexts.

About the speaker

Dr Ailín Ní Chonchúir works in the Centre for Irish Language Research, Teaching and Testing at Maynooth University in Ireland. She has a special interest in teacher education – both pre-service teacher training and continuous professional development. Dr Ni Chonchúir has been involved in teaching, teacher training and syllabus design across all levels of the education system in Ireland and internationally. She has experience in the early childhood sector, at the primary, secondary and third level (undergraduate and postgraduate), as well as in the adult and community sector. Her PhD research was in cross-linguistic pedagogy.