Multilingual Education and Language Practices in Anganwadi Centres Addressing Diversity in Foundational Years

Abstract

This study explores multilingual education and language practices in Anganwadi Centres as a means of addressing linguistic diversity in the foundational years of early childhood education in India. Drawing upon secondary data from scholarly literature, government policies, and institutional reports, the research analyzes how mother tongue-based and multilingual pedagogies influence learning outcomes, social inclusion, and identity formation among young children. The study finds that children taught in their home or familiar languages exhibit greater comprehension, confidence, and participation, laying stronger foundations for future learning. However, the implementation of multilingual education in Anganwadi Centres remains limited due to inadequate teacher training, lack of multilingual materials, policy-practice gaps, and sociocultural attitudes favoring dominant languages. The research emphasizes the need for systemic interventions, including teacher capacity-building, community engagement, and curriculum reform, to integrate multilingual pedagogy effectively. It concludes that multilingual education is both a pedagogical necessity and a social imperative for equitable and inclusive early learning.