Icelandic teachers’ perspectives and strategies for supporting children’s plurilingual development in compulsory schools

This paper explores seventeen Icelandic teachers’ perspectives and strategies for supporting the plurilingual development of children from first-generation immigrant families attending compulsory schools in Iceland. The data emerges from a large-scale qualitative research project entitled “Language policies and practices of diverse immigrant families in Iceland and their implications for education”. The study’s theoretical framework utilises multicultural education theory and the scholarship on culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies. The analytical process was conducted concurrently throughout the research period, employing qualitative procedures of thematic content analysis, coding, and cross-comparison of data. The findings indicate that despite the strong foundations of inclusivity, equality, and sustainability outlined in the Icelandic national curriculum guide and legal documents, there is a lack of clear language policies at the school level. Whilst the participating teachers acknowledge the importance of plurilingualism, their teaching methods and perspectives often remain at a surface level, prioritising the development of Icelandic over a deeper engagement with students’ full linguistic repertoires. Therefore, this study emphasises the need for a broader range of professional development opportunities to enhance teachers’ abilities to support cultural and linguistic diversity in compulsory schools in Iceland.