English language education in the multilingual Global South

Abstract Throughout the Global South, English functions as just one component of a broader linguistic landscape. Consequently, integrating it into curricula or instructional medium necessitates valuing the rich linguistic capital of educational stakeholders. This Special Issue offers a critical re-examination of English language education (ELE) across the multilingual Global South. Moving beyond rigid, Anglo-centric monolingual mandates, the collection captures the ‘multilingual turn’ by addressing the persistent gap between macro-level policies and micro-level classroom realities. The issue progresses across three key themes: socio-affective and trauma-informed decolonial frameworks; teacher agency, leadership and professional development; and classroom practices on GenAI technologies and translanguaging. Across geographical contexts including Sri Lanka, Morocco, Vietnam, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and Iran, the studies demonstrate that leveraging learners’ home languages scaffolds conceptual understanding, alleviates anxiety, and fosters inclusive learning. The special issue posits multilingualism as a vital instrument of epistemic justice and educational equity in Global South classrooms.