An intercultural stance within languages education has been widely embraced within curriculum planning in Australia. Yet prior research has shown that in implementation the stance may not reach its full potential. A key element of an intercultural stance is a focus on reciprocal understanding and "intra"cultural change. Students must…

Mother-tongue education has increasingly become a keyword in formulations of development goals, especially the Sustainable Development Goals (2015). Achievement of these goals acquires a grave sense of urgency in light of the ever-increasing threat to the very fabric of our linguistic diversity. The basic premise of this article is that Gandhian…

In this introduction, we outline the most relevant concepts for this special issue on integration and the politics of difference. This introduction characterizes "integration" as a dominant policy orientation and discursive regime concerned primarily with understandings of language, communication, and skill which constitute a…

In 2006, the European Parliament and the Council adopted the Recommendations on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. The framework sets out eight competences, which citizens need for 'personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment'. Language competences play a prominent role in the framework, with two…

Language is the most immediate tool of inclusion into a social group and as such is central in creating, understanding and participating in the group. Language policy can serve, establish and organise such groups, and to assure that they are maintained and implemented for posterity. Language policy in education is imperative for a group to build…

This article focuses on Spain's most recent implementing of education policies designed to address the needs of immigrant students. It overviews how the latest education policies do not meet the needs of a diverse body of students, drawing on information provided in focus group interviews from several Madrid schools, as well as from other official…

Switzerland's multilingual and multicultural image as an exemplary model of successful cohabitation and conflict management gives a misleading static impression of harmonious intercultural relations. The highly complex Swiss society faces challenges from the coalition of cultural and linguistic entities that live beside, rather than with, one…

Nigeria's multilingual, multicultural society and the political and linguistic problems arising from it are outlined, and the place of the translator in the process of social integration is discussed. Official institutional recognition of translator contributions is recommended, and these professionals are encouraged to make themselves known…

Summarizes the results of a survey documenting language use among the rural and urban populations, educational levels, occupations, and ethnic groups of Kazakhstan. Reveals that efforts to promote Kazakh over Russian have largely failed. Includes a wealth of statistical information on groups and activities within Kazakhstan. (MJP)

A group of instructional strategies for monolingual teachers to use with elementary and secondary school students with limited English skills are described. The strategies are drawn from a teacher education curriculum focusing on this issue. All are based on the notion that monolingual and bilingual teachers can team teach to break down linguistic…