Migration and plurilingualism in Southern European homes and schools

In terms of the integration of immigrants, Southern Europe faces today very particular conditions, as unlike many States of North-Western Europe, countries in this area have only recently become a destination for immigration. Indeed, until the 1970s, these countries often experienced significant mass migration. The rapid transition to the condition of immigration-receptor countries has necessitated a number of adjustments, particularly in the area of educational policy. The new policies are often characterized by limitations caused in part by inadequate teacher training in plurilingual and intercultural education. The other reason for limitations in policy is the lack of awareness on the part of school authorities and society as a whole, both of the extent and value of immigrant children’s language repertoires as well as of the potential benefits that could result if children’s languages of origin were adequately exploited. Whereas intercultural education has been gradually accepted as a part of the civic competences that schools are expected to foster among pupils, the diversity of speakers’ plurilingual repertoires has not been recognized in the same way. On the basis of these considerations, the transformative potential of educational systems in Southern Europe remains one of the main challenges. Are we building educational systems which actively promote social cohesion and create equal opportunities for all those who live and work in Southern European countries? We address this question by presenting a selection of the results of a project which was carried out in primary schools in six Southern European countries. The multi-/plurilingualism which characterizes the language use of pupils with an immigrant background will be discussed and compared to the language use promoted within school environments. Finally, the situation we observed will be compared to the perceptions and attitudes of parents/guardians towards intercultural and plurilingual education.