The crucial importance of the transition from ECE to primary school has long been recognised. In the last two decades, language-related aspects of this transition have increasingly received scholarly attention (Kelle, 2011). So far, such research has focused on contexts with one dominant language and has not yet explored the transition to school in multilingual contexts. Yet, educational systems in such contexts are particularly revealing sites as they must balance the protection of recognised minority groups with the need for equitable education for all, including speakers of the majority language and of languages of migration. This paper therefore combines critical educational and sociolinguistic theories to study educational transitions and the role of language in these processes in the multilingual context of South Tyrol, Italy. We draw on ethnographic projects conducted in different German-language ECEC institutions and examine the ways in which language is made salient in transitional practices by different actors (teachers, children, parents) in and around the ECEC institutions, as well as the ways in which normative framings and ideologies inform these practices. Insights from teachers' perspectives highlight the nuanced expectations placed on parents, particularly regarding competence in the institutional language of instruction; whereas parents' perspectives underscore the impact of sociolinguistic hierarchies and migration status on attitudes toward language and transition. Analyses suggest a perceived hierarchy within the education system emerging from an intricate interplay between language, migration, and social positioning.

Kelle H (2011) Schuleingangsuntersuchungen im Spannungsfeld von Individualdiagnostik und Epidemiologie. Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung 3: 247–262.

This paper looks at linguistic diversity in South Tyrolean primary schools and frames discourses around its inclusion in teaching and learning practices from a post-migrant and epistemological perspective. Drawing on Kerfoot and Bello-Nonjengele (2023), this paper will first argue that plurilingual education in the context of post-migrant societies is not only a policy or linguistic issue but also a site for epistemic (in)justice, in that it can either prevent plurilingual students from making epistemic contributions in the classroom or, on the contrary, promote them as legitimate knowers in the educational community. The paper will then report on the experiences of two colleagues, a teacher of Italian and a teacher of German, who work in the same class at a primary school in the Province of Bolzano. From 2021 to 2023, the teachers took part in a participatory action research initiative aimed at the collaborative development of instruments and strategies geared towards the principles of pedagogical translanguaging (García and Li Wei 2014), i.e. a form of inclusive plurilingual education in which students are constructed as epistemic agents and where all their linguistic resources are treated as educational capital. Drawing on the qualitative analysis of data gathered over the course of two years by means of individual semi-structured interviews and visual documentation of classroom work, the paper will exemplify how the two teachers’ stances (RQ1) and pedagogical practices (RQ2) developed to embrace more inclusive and diversity-conscious forms of plurilingual education. The paper will conclude by highlighting the need to rethink the logic of plurilingual education from below in ways that validate all students’ epistemic capacity.

References

García, O & Li Wei (2014). Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism and Education. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Kerfoot, C. & Olayemi Bello-Nonjengele, B. (2023). Towards epistemic justice: Constructing knowers in multilingual classrooms. Applied Linguistics 44 (3), 462–484.

The increasingly diverse landscape of global migration necessitates a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities encountered by professionals in educational and social settings, as they are often confronted with individuals who sometimes experience difficulties with the multilingual context in which they are living in. Home languages that are not official languages often struggle in finding a place in the school curricula and their coexistence with the language of schooling can mine the social cohesion and coexistence among different groups (Liddicoat and Curnow 2014). This paper presents the point of view, experiences and challenges of professionals (including cultural mediators, speech therapists and NGO collaborators) working with migrant children and their families, when it comes to bridging the home and the educational settings with regard to language use and language attitudes. Data were gathered both quantitatively and qualitatively by means of surveys and semi-structured interviews, and focus primarily on South Tyrol, but also on professionals in other urban contexts. Implications for policy and practice are discussed, emphasizing the need for targeted training programs that equip professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of dealing with children with diverse and rich linguistic repertoires. The paper also explores the challenges faced by professionals in effectively communicating with multilingual children and their families, and the strategies employed to address language barriers. By acknowledging and addressing the linguistic diversity inherent in multilingual contexts, this paper offers a lens for educational stakeholders to foster more inclusive and effective strategies to support the holistic development of migrant children and their families in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Reference
Liddicoat, A.J. & Curnow, T. J. (2014). Students' home languages and the struggle for space in the curriculum. International Journal of Multilingualism, 11(3), 273-288.