Recommendations on multilingual education: perspectives of education professionals

Abstract The goal of this research is to analyse how education professionals working in primary schools in the Randstad area perceive the recommendations from the literature on the implementation of multilingual and intercultural education in the Dutch Primary Education system. To identify recommendations on multilingual and intercultural education, a narrative review of the literature was conducted. The recommendations drawn from the literature were grouped into various broad themes. A document analysis of the School Plans of 40 schools located in the four largest cities in the Netherlands — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht — which are characterized by high ethnic diversity, was conducted. Some of the recommendations regarding intercultural education were reflected in the School Plans in the form of citizenship education. With regard to multilingualism, only a few recommendations were identified in the School Plans. Additionally, an online survey was distributed to a target group consisting of education professionals currently working in the Dutch Primary Education system in the Randstad area. The survey results indicate that, in general, respondents are supportive of the recommendations on multilingualism and intercultural education. Regarding the practical applicability of these recommendations, respondents are more positive about intercultural education and, by comparison, less positive about multilingualism. Respondents perceive limitations to the implementation of the recommendations on multilingualism and intercultural education due to a lack of knowledge on the subject, a lack of financial resources, a heavy workload, and a lack of available time.