Conclusion

• Author: Eurydice (European Education and Culture Executive Agency)
• Pages: 163-165

163

II.4: CONCLUSION

The second part of this report has analysed the top-level policies and measures of ten education

systems on matters directly related to the integration into schools of students from migrant

backgrounds. These include the initial assessment of newly arrived migrant students' knowledge and

skills, the teaching and learning of the language of instruction and home language(s), the development

of students' academic as well as social and emotional skills, the provision of intercultural education,

the support given to teachers and school heads, and the involvement of parents and the wider school

community.

For analytical purposes, these aspects have been examined in relation to two overarching dimensions

– linguistic and cultural diversity and the whole-child approach to meeting migrant students' n eeds.

Although these two dimensions have been analysed separately, this does not imply that one is more

important than the other or that one can be left out – they are two sides of the same coin.

A vast array of academic research literature has been presented which highlights the importance of

each and every area examined. It is therefore clear that in order to address the integration of students

from migrant backgrounds into schools in a comprehensive and systematic way, all areas need to be

given careful attention.

It should be noted that the general context within which education systems operate certainly has a

bearing on the nature of the top-level policies and measures under investigation. The contextual

factors include the policy priorities of governments, the countries of origin of migrant populations, and

also the particular characteristics of the education system in question such as the degree of

(de-)centralisation. However, it has not been possible to take all these contextual factors into account

in this analysis.

Figure II.4.1, presenting an overview of the analysis' results, shows the emphasis placed by all ten

education systems on the two main dimensions – linguistic and cultural diversity and the whole-child

approach. Finland and Sweden stand out as they place the greatest emphasis on both dimensions.

With regard to the diversity dimension, both education systems have developed a specific curriculum

for teaching the language of instruction as an additional/second language. This programme can be

followed by any student throughout their school education. Both education systems have also

designed a curriculum for the teaching of home languages. In Sweden, students' home languages are

part of the comprehensive assessment process each newly arrived migrant student undergoes when

entering the school system. In Finland, this teaching takes place within a curriculum framework that

encourages plurilingualism for all learners and raises students' language awareness. Some teachers

of home languages are born in Finland or Sweden, and are consequently educated and trained there.

Furthermore the supply of home language teachers is organised by local level public authorities.

Finally, intercultural education has a strong position in the curriculum as an overarching principle in

Sweden and as a cross-curricular theme in Finland. In the latter, in 2018, specific funds have been

provided to organise CPD courses on cultural diversity, including intercultural education.

Both Finland and Sweden also have very comprehensive policies and measures related to the whole-

child dimension. They take a holistic approach (i.e. meeting the academic as well as the social and

emotional needs of newly arrived migrant students) to initial assessment procedures and emphasise

that the psycho-social support offered in schools should be targeted at the specific needs of migrant

students. In Sweden, official documents recommend that additional learning support as well support

for social integration should be provided through extra-curricular activities while the Finnish curriculum

views the development of social and emotional competences as a transversal competence. Both

Finland and Sweden's top-level education authorities organise or support CPD activities to improve