With the ongoing internationalization of higher education1, university classrooms are becoming increasingly multilingual and linguistically diverse2. Students arrive on campus with a range of linguistic backgrounds, experiences, and ways of communication that are closely tied to their intersectional social identities3.
In many Canadian universities, English functions as the primary language of teaching and learning, shaping how knowledge is produced, shared, and evaluated4. Students are expected to write, present, and participate in class using English. At the same time, their use of English is often assessed through socially and racially informed expectations around what counts as legitimate academic English.
The belief that only one standardized form of English is academically acceptable marginalizes the many varieties of English students bring to their studies. When students鈥 language practices differ from dominant norms, their ways of communication, both in writing and speaking, may be perceived as 鈥渁wkward鈥 or 鈥渄eficient鈥 rather than recognized as valid forms of expression.
Together, these dynamics raise important questions about linguistic injustice in Canadian higher education and the implications for equity, inclusion, and students鈥 academic experiences. In response, scholars have called for a linguistically just approach that values linguistic diversity while thoughtfully examining the role of academic language conventions5, 6, 7.
What Is Linguistic Justice?
At its core, linguistic justice foregrounds 鈥渁n antiracist approach to language鈥 it is about dismantling white linguistic hegemony and supremacy in classrooms and in the world鈥5 (p. 7). In contrast,鈥痩inguistic injustice鈥痮ccurs when institutions鈥淸deny] students the right to engage in their own language practices鈥8 (p. 131). Such denial can limit equitable participation in academic spaces. Proponents of linguistic justice in higher education seek to better understand and address the power structures embedded in dominant academic language norms. Expanding these discussions can help academic institutions better support linguistic diversity in teaching and learning.
Why Does Linguistic Justice Matter?
English is frequently framed as a practical and neutral lingua franca in academic settings9. However, its dominance in higher education is fundamentally connected to questions of power, especially whose voices are recognized and valued in academia10. While multilingual students are expected to adopt English, their language practices are often viewed through a deficit lens, which can contribute to forms of discrimination that undermine dignity, confidence, and learning10. These effects disproportionately impact students from racially and linguistically marginalized communities11.
Moving Toward Linguistic Justice in Practice
Addressing these concerns requires intentional and sustained efforts to affirm students鈥 right to their own language8, 12. Recognizing this right is foundational to inclusive pedagogy, true belonging, and equitable internationalization at 黑料吃瓜资源. In response, the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), in close collaboration with Student Academic Success Services (SASS), has developed targeted resources to support our academic community in advancing linguistic justice across teaching, learning, and assessment. These initiatives aim to translate linguistic justice from theory into everyday academic practice.
1 de Wit, H., & Altbach, P. G. (2021). Internationalization in higher education: Global trends and recommendations for its future.鈥Policy Reviews in Higher Education,鈥5(1), 28-46.
2 Altbach P. G. (2007). The imperial tongue: English as the dominating academic language. Economic and Political Weekly, 42(36), 3608鈥3611.
3 Kubota, R., Corella, M., Lim, K., & Sah, P. K. (2023). 鈥淵our English is so good鈥: Linguistic experiences of racialized students and instructors of a Canadian University. Ethnicities, 23(5), 758-778.
4 Shukla, R., Chandrayan, B., & Shukla, S. (2025). Effective language teaching strategies for multilingual classrooms: A global Perspective. International Journal of Innovations & Research Analysis, 5(1), 53-57.
5 Baker-Bell, April. (2020).鈥Linguistic justice: Black language, literacy, identity and pedagogy. Routledge.
6 Flores, N., & Rosa, J. (2015). Undoing appropriateness: Raciolinguistic ideologies and language diversity in education.鈥Harvard educational review,鈥85(2), 149-171.
7 Inoue, A. B. (2015). Antiracist writing assessment ecologies: Teaching and assessing writing for a socially just future. WAC Clearinghouse.
8 Agama, F. K., Hebbard, M., & L贸pez-Fitzsimmons, B. M. (2023). Negotiating the Messiness of Teaching Linguistic Justice Online: Reflections of Multilingual Writing Instructors During COVID.鈥American Journal of Qualitative Research,鈥7(1), 128-148.
9 Pennycook, A. (1994).鈥Cultural politics of English as an international language. Longman.
10 Tsuda, Y. (2010). Speaking against the hegemony of English: Problems, ideologies, and solutions. In鈥疶. K. Nakayama & R. T. Halualani (Eds.), The handbook of critical intercultural communication (pp. 248-269). Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
11 University of Michigan, (n.d.) Linguistic Justice and GenAI. Sweetland Center for Writing.
12 Wolfram, W. (2023). Addressing linguistic inequality in higher education: A proactive model.鈥疍忙诲补濒耻蝉,鈥152(3), 36-51.
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