During a recent summer visit to the Vancouver School District, one of the most linguistically diverse in Canada, I had the opportunity to reflect on how public education can meaningfully embrace multilingualism. With over 160 languages spoken, the district offers a compelling model of inclusive, equity-oriented practice that values students’ full linguistic and cultural identities.

Even outside the academic year, the infrastructure, signage, and community outreach reflect a commitment to heritage language maintenance and identity-affirming education. As an educator and researcher in the field of EAL and language policy, this experience reinforces the importance of creating educational spaces where linguistic diversity is not only acknowledged but actively leveraged for learning and belonging.

This visit informs my ongoing inquiry into the intersection of language, identity, and access in Canadian school systems.

What are your thoughts on this?