Constructing excellence in multilingual education: a corpus-assisted critical discourse study of Scotland’s language education policy

Abstract

This study employs a corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Study to investigate the dominant patterns of education excellence construction in Scotland’s language education policies. Through keywords analysis, three topics related to language education excellence are identified: the goals of language learning, the methods and practices of pedagogy, and the institutional participation. Findings reveal that ‘excellence’ is framed through technocratic and managerial logic, prioritising employability, proficiency, and delivery structures. While discursive patterns towards equity, cultural awareness, and wellbeing are included, these are often undermined by instrumental outcomes or linked to performative indicators. The emphasis on the native languages and Mandarin show their inclination towards national identity or neoliberal ideology. Teachers are constructed as compliant ‘practitioners,’ and authorities are positioned as central planners, revealing a top-down discourse of implementation. Findings suggest that Scotland’s discursive strategies are shaped more by government-led and economic ideologies, while pedagogical depth, learner agency, and linguistic justice are potentially missed. This study highlights the need to rethink what ‘excellence’ means within multilingual education and who it truly serves.

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