ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what the knowledge and expertise of southern and marginalized communities can bring to the question of contemporary linguistic diversity in Canadian schools. Global patterns of migration and mobility are increasingly altering language ecologies. Prior to European contact, Indigenous societies in the territory now known as Canada were characterized by a high degree of diversity, and interrelated economies often necessitated the learning of multiple languages. The Canadian settler population has also always been linguistically and culturally diverse. Despite government efforts to invent Canada as a society founded by two linguistic nations and efforts to suppress Indigenous and other minority languages, Canadian schools continue to be sites of linguistic diversity. While a multilingual Canadian population may not be new, the question of preparing teachers to support rather than suppress student multilingualism may be. This chapter is an exploration of what southern multilingualisms and diversities can bring to understanding questions of student diversity and to the development of teachers and curricula that offer equitable linguistic and epistemic access. Personal experiences and knowledge from southern and Indigenous communities also inform this exploration of linguistic diversity in education in the northern setting of the world where the researchers work together in teacher education.
