Abstract:

As the social, cultural and linguistic composition of our society increases due to the growing diversity within the migrant population, language becomes even more fundamental to ensure a successful communication, thus inclusion, of the different groups. However, traditional ideology of languages still frames the teaching methodologies, reproducing hierarchies and inequalities that hinders the learning outcomes.

This paper aims to present the potential of cross-cultural differences and their consequences with a closer look at bilingual education and a model to rethink pedagogical practices, experienced in teaching a second language acquisition given the fact that globalization and mass migration confronts language teachers with every time more and more diverse environment where we should reconsider and reconceptualize the relationship between language and identity. Therefore, placing this statement in the context of education, we can say that bilingual education has not only cognitive but also social implications and that there are socio-cognitive functions of the use of students’ native language in acquisition of a foreign language.

Methodologically, it draws evidence from a qualitative study conducted during the last 2 years, adopting an ethnography approach of participant observation. The data were threated according to a categorial content analysis.

The preliminary results show that applying new pedagogical practices in second language acquisition, considering bilingual education would support bilingual identities and socioemotional development. Furthermore, it would also allow for better social interactions, teaching collaboration, development of intercultural literacy and sensitivity to others, at the same time facilitating social inclusion and practicing effective intercultural dialogue.

Keywords:

Language Learning, migrant population, social inclusion.