This study, led by the British Council in partnership with the University of Cambridge and leading academic institutions in India and Germany, examines multilingual approaches in English-medium government primary schools in Delhi and Assam.
Together, the study demonstrates that structured and intentional multilingual pedagogies can significantly improve learner comprehension, participation, and confidence without compromising English language development. As India advances the goals of the National Education Policy 2020, the findings highlight the importance of leveraging learners’ home and regional languages to strengthen foundational learning and promote inclusive classroom practices.
Abstract: Research study
The British Council’s Multilingual Education in India: Teaching, Learning and Assessment (MultiEd) project is a three-year research initiative (2023-2026) examining how multilingual approaches can enhance teaching, learning, and assessment in English-medium government primary schools in India.
India’s classrooms are characterised by high linguistic diversity, with many learners using multiple languages in their daily lives. While English is widely recognised as a language of opportunity, an English-only approach, particularly in the early years can limit comprehension and participation. The study therefore explored how the planned integration of learners’ home and regional languages alongside English can support more effective learning.
At the core of the project was a classroom intervention that equipped teachers with multilingual strategies, including scaffolded lesson planning, purposeful classroom interaction, multilingual vocabulary support, and reading comprehension techniques. These approaches aimed to deepen learners’ understanding of subject content while continuing to build English proficiency.
The findings indicate that multilingual pedagogy improved learners’ comprehension of academically demanding texts, particularly in subjects such as Environmental Studies, with no observed negative impact on English learning. Teachers also reported increased learner engagement, stronger participation, and more inclusive classroom environments.
In addition to research findings, the project developed practical resources to support educators, including multilingual lesson-planning templates and a self-access online teacher training course. The study also contributes new evidence on multilingual assessment and classroom language practices, offering valuable insights for future policy and implementation.
Citation
British Council. (2026). Multilingualism in Education (MultiEd): Strengthening teaching, learning and assessment in English-medium primary schools in India. British Council.