Community language schools provide language and cultural education to young people. Forming a key education sector worldwide with an estimated two million enrolments, these community-run, out-of-hours schools nonetheless tend to be marginalised by 'mainstream' education and 'mainstream' educational research. There has been a dramatic increase in…

Due to globalisation and migration, multilingualism has become both a reality and an aim of education systems across Europe, affecting how language education is shaped. To improve the ways in which schools cater for language education in diverse settings, research is required on the potentials of multilingualism in order to design curricula that…

This study explores the potential of native language literacy instruction for adult immigrant English language learners who have limited formal schooling or have had interruptions in their formal education. By examining 3 programs that provide native language literacy in combination with English as a second language (ESL) instruction, this study…

This article focuses on how attitudes toward HLLs [heritage language learners] have changed, both with regard to program development and in learning and teaching. First, the ambiguity towards heritage language preservation is illustrated by examining historical aspects of heritage languages in the United States. Secondly, a closer look at two…

This study examined the problems of bilingualism among 28 Iranian students in Swedish schools, focusing on sociocultural influences of the majority culture on the minority group and their effects on the students' perceptions and educational outcomes. The students and 35 native-language teachers were observed and interviewed in their work contexts…

A collection of essays focus on multilingualism and cultural diversity in United Kingdom schools, with emphasis on secondary education in some articles. The papers are: "Towards a Policy of Multilingual Secondary Schools" (Christopher Brumfit); "Curriculum Development" (Keith Kirby); "English, Whose English?" (Peter…