Assessing the implications of migrant multilingualism for language education

Given the increased influx of migrants into the European Union, the German education system is faced with catering to increasing numbers of migrant children who have already acquired a first language or multiple languages in their home countries. Helping these children successfully develop language and literacy skills in the new majority language, German, and in the first foreign language taught at German schools, English, will be an important challenge, as will the support of these children’s heritage languages. Ultimately, assisting these children in successfully becoming multilingual would substantially benefit the development of their executive control and in turn boost their chances of long-term academic success.