Heike Neumann: ‘No one in our community should be made to feel that a language they use — at whatever level — is anything other than an asset'. Photo: the MUSE Team (Sandra Zappa-Hollman, UBC; Heike Neumann, Concordia; and Saskia Van Viegen, York University, at the Symposium of Second Language Writing at Arizona State University in October 2023.
New research led by Concordia’s Department of Education suggests that for many students, speaking multiple languages doesn’t necessarily mean identifying as bilingual or multilingual.
As part of a collaborative project across three Canadian universities, the research team surveyed 173 students enrolled in English-language support courses, including English as a Second Language (ESL) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP). All of the students met English proficiency standards for university studies and spoke at least one additional language.
Although the researchers expected participants to embrace bilingual or multilingual identities, they came across surprising results: one in five students said they do not consider themselves multilingual or are unsure.
“That really stopped us in our tracks,” explains Heike Neumann, professor at Concordia’s Department of Education. “These are clearly multilingual students. So why don’t they feel that way?”
What does it mean to be fluent enough?
For most of the 20 per cent who hesitate to claim a bilingual or multilingual identity, their reservations stem from a lack of confidence in their English skills. The students shared that they worry about making mistakes, compare themselves to imagined native-speaker standards, and often feel they are not “fluent enough” — often falling short of their own internal criteria for multilingualism.
Some newcomers whose first language is not English said they experienced culture shock when they realized that the test-driven language preparation, like that for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams, did not necessarily equip them for how English is used in their new academic environment.
Context matters, too. One student said they assumed multilingualism in Montreal meant perfectly balanced French–English bilingualism. Despite speaking several languages, she said she did not feel she would be recognized as multilingual in Quebec. Another student shared that he no longer felt certain he could claim Arabic as a first language after years of studying in English.
“It’s an excellent example of how dynamic and complex language repertoires can be over the course of a person’s life,” Neumann says.
Supporting multilingual identities in higher education
Every year, Canadian universities welcome thousands of multilingual students. A strong sense of belonging — including pride in one’s languages — supports academic success and well-being (Rutgers et al., 2024).
Feeling multilingual isn’t only a personal experience, it is shaped by the wider community and how others respond to a person’s language use (Ayres-Bennet & Fisher, 2022; Darvin & Norton, 2015). Highly proficient speakers play a role in creating spaces where less proficient speakers feel confident participating (Griffiths et al., 2025).
The research team notes that the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) encourages celebrating “partial competencies” and recognizing cross-linguistic strengths. Under this framework, multilingualism includes all the languages a person can draw on, even at emerging levels.
The CEFR calls on the academic community to adopt a “multilingual mindset,” where proficient speakers foster an environment in which less proficient speakers can feel confident.
“No one in our community should be made to feel that a language they use, at whatever level, is anything other than an asset,” Neumann emphasizes.
Moving forward, the research team plans to develop a free digital tool to help multilingual students navigate the transition to studying in their non-dominant language.
“Multilingualism is not only a skill, but a critical part of identity,” Neumann says.
Find out more about research in the Department of Education.