Hub for Heritage Languages and Multilingualism
The Hub for Heritage Languages and Multilingualism is co-led by Dr Sabine Little and Dr Irina Sadovina. It brings together individuals and organisations who have an interest in working with and supporting multilingual individuals and communities.
The Hub for Heritage Languages and Multilingualism cements the University of Sheffield’s place in relation to local, national, and global research, innovation and impact. Fully embracing the University’s “Made Together” strategy, the hub’s purpose is to bring together like-minded people to effect positive change.
An open door policy
Unless specifically stated otherwise, students and the general public are welcome at all organised events. The hub intends to serve as a broker, linking academics with relevant research interests to community organisations, but, more importantly, serving communities by centering the experiences of those who may experience marginalisation due to their language and/or cultural backgrounds. As such, anyone is welcome to reach out in search of help and/or like-minded people. We also engage with schools, organisations and governments to support work with and in multilingual communities.
What’s in a name?
In finding a name for the hub, a number of words were considered, specifically, heritage, home, and community languages. All three express situations were a language has a minority status, and as such requires special attention and focus in order to successfully exist alongside majority or societal languages. The hub’s purpose, therefore, is situated within the field of social justice, highlighting social disadvantage, prejudice, or raciolinguistic attitudes experienced by minority language speakers and learners.
Ongoing and Completed Projects
The multilingual children’s library
BBC Tiny Happy People: Expanding delivery of BBC Education Tiny Happy People resources to families with young children who are multilingual or have health conditions affecting language development- Emily Hancock, Danielle Matthews, Silke Fricke, Kiera Solaiman and Rosie Sherlock, School of Psychology.
Growing up multilingual with Chinese heritage
Traditional Tales, Untraditionally Told
Lost Wor(l)ds - Multilingualism in Schools
Events
- The Multilingual Poetry Project
20th October 2025, 4pm-5pm (online)
Join two Sheffield teachers, Vikki Varley and Daisy Whitehead, as they talk through how they embedded multilingualism at Lydgate Infant School, starting with a multilingual poetry project. Register here.