As linguistic diversity increases in countries around the world educators and policy makers are faced with complex and sometimes conflicting issues regarding what are considered to be appropriate ways to educate multilingual children. An important starting point for teachers is to be aware of the linguistic diversity in their schools. For an introduction to these issues as they relate to the UK, see:
Conteh, J. (2003) Succeeding in Diversity: Culture, Language and Learning in Primary Classrooms, Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham.
Cummins, J. (2000) Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Gregory, E. (1996) Making Sense of a New World: Learning to Read in a Second Language, London: Paul Chapman.
Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Clarke, P. (2000) Supporting Identity, Diversity and Language in the Early Years, Buckingham: Open University Press.
Wallace, C. (2013) Literacy and the Bilingual Learner: Texts and Practices in London Schools, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
