Proficiency, Policy, and Performance: Language as a Pathway to Equity in Multicultural Classrooms

• In Event: Transforming Policy for Equity: International Perspectives on Inclusive Multilingual Education

Abstract

This study examines the role of language proficiency in shaping the academic trajectories of multilingual students from multicultural families in South Korea. Amid shifting demographics and policy efforts to promote social integration, multilingual youth are expected to achieve academic success while acquiring proficiency in both Korean and English. The study utilizes a nationally representative dataset and parallel mediation models to compare two age groups (Grades 5 and 9) and explore developmental differences in how policy exposure relates to language and academic outcomes. The findings of this study inform current understandings of educational equity and the role of language in policy implementation for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

Author

• Hye Won Shin, Sejong University