Multi-lingual and multi-cultural information literacy: perspectives, models and good practice

Purpose This paper aims to review current approaches to, and good practice in, information literacy (IL) development in multi-lingual and multi-cultural settings, with particular emphasis on provision for international students. Design/methodology/approach A selective and critical review of published literature is extended by evaluation of examples of multi-lingual IL tutorials and massive open online courses. Findings Multi-lingual literacy and multi-cultural IL are umbrella terms covering a variety of situations and issues. This provision is of increasing importance in an increasingly mobile and multi-cultural world. This paper evaluates current approaches and good practice, focussing on issues of culture vis-a-vis language; the balance between individual and group needs; specific and generic IL instruction; and models for IL, pedagogy and culture. Recommendations for good practice and for further research are given. Originality/value This is one of very few papers critically reviewing how IL development is affected by linguistic and cultural factors.