Generative AI in multicultural educational settings: educators’ community of practice in pre-enrolment literacy programmes for migrant adolescents in residential care

In multicultural settings, multilingualism, unfamiliar scripts, and diverse cultural references hinder access to and continuity of schooling. We analyze the pilot phase of Go Beyond Traditional Education, developed by a network of Italian Salesian schools and educational communities (part of a system active in over 130 countries) with Google for Education and MrDigital. The pilot extended generative artificial intelligence (AI) to pre-enrollment literacy and basic education programs in residential settings hosting young people with migrant backgrounds, particularly unaccompanied foreign minors. Through qualitative inquiry informed by grounded theory, we explore how educators and technology partners negotiate and adapt AI in everyday practice. Findings show that AI supports linguistic mediation, personalized learning, and mapping of educational histories and needs, proving more effective when embedded in collective reflection and pedagogical co-design. The case offers transferable insights for other multicultural contexts and calls for longitudinal research.