Joining an educational programme in a new country can mean learning a subject while also learning the language used to teach it. A participant may understand the practical task, yet struggle to follow the instructions, ask a question, or explain what they know.
Unfamiliar educational systems and everyday routines can add to the challenge. Even finding information about a course or completing registration may require support.
Migrant and refugee adults bring different languages, qualifications, experiences, and learning goals. Understanding this diversity helps educators create opportunities that recognise existing abilities while making new learning accessible.
For the XXI Adults project, this provides a useful perspective on inclusive education: considering how language and communication affect participation at every stage of a course.
Recognising Different Starting Points
Migrant and refugee learners do not form a single, uniform group. Some have extensive formal education or professional experience. Others have had limited or interrupted access to schooling.
Confidence in the language of instruction also varies. Someone may communicate comfortably in conversation but find written assignments difficult. Another person may understand a text while needing more time to contribute to a discussion.
Educators can begin by exploring learners’ goals, preferred languages, and relevant experience. Practical activities can help identify existing skills without relying entirely on a written questionnaire.
This gives the educator a clearer basis for planning support. It also helps avoid confusing limited language proficiency with limited knowledge.
Making the First Steps Understandable
Access begins with information about the learning opportunity.
Course descriptions should clearly explain the subject, location, schedule, cost, and registration process. If a particular level of language proficiency is needed, organisers should explain what that means in practice.
Where possible, essential information can be offered in languages used by the intended participants. Translations should be checked carefully, especially when they concern requirements or arrangements that affect enrolment.
A named contact can help prospective learners clarify questions. Working with community organisations may also help providers understand where information is needed and how people prefer to receive it.
Clear communication before the course starts allows adults to make informed decisions.
Using Plain Language Without Reducing the Content
Plain language helps learners follow instructions and understand new concepts.
Educators can use familiar words, explain specialist terms, and present one instruction at a time. Concrete examples make unfamiliar ideas easier to connect with practical situations.
The subject matter can remain demanding. A learner may be ready to engage with a complex idea when the explanation is clear and the unfamiliar vocabulary is supported.
For example, before asking participants to compare two services, an educator can explain the meaning of “compare,” show a brief example, and identify the features they should examine.
This makes the task clearer while preserving its learning purpose.
Combining Words with Demonstration
Spoken explanations become easier to follow when learners can also see what is being described.
An educator teaching a digital task can demonstrate each step, display the relevant words, and provide a short illustrated guide. Participants can then practise with support.
Visual materials should have a clear purpose. Unlabelled images or unfamiliar symbols may create further uncertainty, so educators should explain how they relate to the task.
Written summaries also allow learners to revisit an explanation, look up vocabulary, or review the material at their own pace.
Using several forms of explanation gives participants more opportunities to understand and apply the content.
Giving Learners Time to Respond
Thinking through an answer in a new language can take time. A quick response from another participant may end the opportunity before someone is ready to speak.
Educators can allow a pause after asking a question and give learners time to prepare. Pair discussions or short written notes can help participants organise their ideas before addressing the wider group.
Different ways of contributing can also be useful. A learner might explain an idea through a diagram, demonstrate a practical task, or begin with a few key words.
Checking understanding works best through a meaningful action. Asking participants to show the next step or explain an example can reveal more than asking, “Does everyone understand?”
Supporting Language Learning Through Relevant Tasks
Subject learning and language practice can reinforce one another when activities have a clear purpose.
A session on using public services might introduce the vocabulary found on an appointment form. A workplace activity could help participants practise asking for clarification or explaining a problem.
Educators can identify a small number of useful terms, show how they appear in context, and provide opportunities to use them.
Support should reflect participants’ goals. Adults interested in further study may need academic vocabulary, while others may prioritise communication for work, community participation, or everyday tasks.
Learning becomes more meaningful when participants understand where they can use it.
Using Multilingual Resources Thoughtfully
A learner’s existing languages can support understanding and reflection.
Bilingual glossaries, translated instructions, or opportunities to discuss a concept in a familiar language may help participants engage with new material. Learners can then practise expressing the relevant ideas in the language of instruction.
Translation tools may assist with everyday learning tasks, but their output needs careful review. Specialist terms, context, and tone can be misunderstood.
Participants should have a way to ask about uncertain translations. Important information should be checked by an appropriately skilled person where possible.
Multilingual support works best when it helps learners move through the course with greater understanding and independence.
Creating a Respectful Learning Environment
Participants may be unfamiliar with the expectations of a particular classroom. Educators can explain how discussions, group work, feedback, and assessments will operate.
Clear ground rules help everyone contribute respectfully. These can include listening without interruption, asking before correcting another person, and avoiding assumptions about someone’s background.
Learners should decide what personal information they share. An activity should not require someone to describe why they migrated, discuss difficult experiences, or represent an entire country or community.
Examples and materials can reflect different settings and experiences without assigning participants fixed roles. This creates room for individual interests and perspectives.
Assessing Knowledge Fairly
Assessment should make clear whether the goal is subject knowledge, language ability, or both.
If the purpose is to demonstrate a practical skill, an unnecessarily complex written task may obscure what a learner can do. A demonstration, labelled diagram, or supported explanation may provide more relevant evidence.
Where language proficiency is part of the learning objective, expectations should be explicit. Participants need to understand which aspects of their response will be assessed.
Feedback can distinguish between understanding the concept and expressing it in the new language. This helps learners identify their progress and the areas that need further practice.
Connecting Support with XXI Adults
Adapting adult education to contemporary needs includes recognising the languages and experiences learners bring into the classroom.
Within the context of XXI Adults, clear communication, relevant tasks, multilingual resources, and flexible participation offer practical ways to support migrant and refugee adults.
Educators can build on existing knowledge while helping participants develop the language needed for their next steps. When learners can understand the task, ask for clarification, and show what they know, they have a stronger opportunity to participate and progress.
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