Research summary/Blog

This year MSc students at University of Edinburgh have been working on dissertation topics that put children’s human rights at the center of their studies. With the support of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) and partners in the Observatory for Children’s Human Rights in Scotland, as well as NGO’s, practitioners, children and families, excellent work has been undertaken that will support our shared efforts regarding implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Scotland.

Yang Gao

MSc Education, University of Edinburgh (2025)

The number of multilingual classrooms in Scotland is rising. Today, over 58,000 children learn in a language other than English on a daily basis. Scotland’s cultural diversity is reflected in this, but it also presents difficulties, such as how to ensure that every child is respected, seen, and heard in the classroom.

To explore this question, my postgraduate study looked at how Scottish schools are implementing rights-based inclusive education to support students who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL). The study focuses on three main aspects: classroom teaching, sense of belonging, and family engagement.

About the Research

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), specifically Articles 12, 29, and 30, which guarantee children’s rights to cultural identity, education, and expression, served as the study’s foundation. The central study focuses on the question: How do EAL practitioners in Scotland realise these rights in their everyday teaching?

I took a qualitative approach by gathering open-ended questionnaire responses from EAL practitioners to explore EAL learners’ learning scenarios. In order to understand how EAL learners’ rights are understood, translated, and restricted within educational practice, I then applied thematic analysis to their responses.

Learning from the Literature

Although Scotland’s education policy places a high priority on children’s rights, previous research indicates that there is still a gap between theory and reality. As both Leung (2022) and Lundy (2007) have pointed out, acknowledging rights does not equate to actually realising them.

Multilingual approaches, like bilingual learning or translanguaging (the practice of using all of your languages and the resources from each to communicate and make sense of the world) are frequently viewed as optional extras rather than essential components of inclusive and equitable education; teacher training programs still frequently treat English as the only language of instruction. Furthermore, the communication between families and schools still relies heavily on English, which may keep parents from engaging in fruitful dialogue. Language barriers and cultural misinterpretations frequently impede true family involvement.

Learning from Practitioners

EAL practitioners involved in my research revealed the complex realities of multilingual education. Many EAL practitioners use a range of creative strategies, including differentiated teaching, visual supports, peer mentoring, and scaffolding, to help students access learning. One teacher shared how they send out lesson notes or PowerPoint slides in advance so that pupils can “better understand and follow the lesson content when it is delivered to the whole class.”

However, several practitioners mentioned that these efforts often rely on individual enthusiasm rather than valid support from the government and education system. A teacher from a small local authority commented that they had “no suitably qualified teacher or class to deliver ESOL,” reflecting the uneven distribution of training and resources. While many schools celebrate diversity through language weeks or cultural events, some practitioners noted that these gestures can feel tokenistic. As one respondent put it, schools should “value home languages… regularly referred to and used rather than just for show”; suggesting the need to integrate multilingualism into daily learning rather than treating it as decoration.

Family engagement also remains challenging. Teachers reported that school communication still tends to be, as one participant put it, “lengthy and wordy communication in English”. This makes home/school communication difficult for many families to fully understand. It is the case that some parents stay silent not because they are disinterested, but because of language anxiety, cultural respect for teachers, or unfamiliarity with the education system. As one practitioner observed: “Culturally some families do not think they should be involved with school”. Another added: “Parents/carers may not be aware of what is expected of them.” These reflections highlight the need for more trusting, bilingual communication channels so that regardless of language background, all families can participate equally in their child’s education.

Key Findings and Considerations

Overall, the study found that rights-based inclusion for EAL learners in Scotland often depends more on individual teachers’ commitment than on holistic support. It still takes a few steps to go from symbolic recognition to actual implementation of rights-based inclusive practices.

The research concludes that schools should embed home language support in curricula and assessment, treating it as a learning strength rather than a barrier. Teacher education should include both multilingual pedagogy and children’s rights, helping educators build the confidence and skills to work across languages and cultures. At the same time, schools should strengthen family communication through bilingual coordinators, translation-friendly digital platforms, and community partnerships. Finally, greater policy consistency is essential to ensure that EAL provision is fully integrated into Scotland’s wider education and rights agenda.

Of course, inclusive education is not just a matter of language, but also recognising every child holds the right. Education will become a bridge between cultures when schools listen to students in all the languages they speak, valuing diversity rather than trying to control it. In such classrooms, belonging becomes part of daily life.

My thanks to all the EAL practitioners and EAL services that supported the study.

Yang Gao

Ends

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For twenty-five years, Together has been helping organisations and individuals from a range of backgrounds and roles to improve their awareness and understanding of children’s human rights in practice. This has included work on the Skills and Knowledge project, which explores what professionals need to know and apply to be able to implement children’s human rights.

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