Caught between two worlds: The role of language in integrating migrant children in their new host education system

Migrant children from non-English speaking countries encounter various problems in the education systems of the host country. They encounter challenges and problems that are physical, emotional and psychological in nature. These children not only face the hardships of language learning, but also face major cognitive and pedagogical challenges in learning or attaining knowledge through the new language. Integrating migrant children in their new school environments in the host countries, therefore, poses major challenges in pursuit of educational attainment. Current research on migrant children and education reveals a paradigm shift in the approaches to inclusion of these students in the classroom. The focus is drifting from promoting racist tendencies, which have continually had disastrous consequences on migrant children, to broader approaches that embrace globalisation, linguistic and cultural diversity as an inevitable phenomenon. These integrative educational practices are based on the need to provide quality education to all children, regardless of their social, economic, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Language is as a significant aspect in inclusion. Hence, education systems should incorporate language policies and organisation of the curriculum that reinforce the linguistic and cultural capital of all students in the school, based on consideration and respect of rights of all future citizens.