Eduación monolingüe en una sociedad multilingüe: una reflexión antropológica del programa de transición escolar para niños inmigrantes en el contexto australiano

The "English as a second language" program is delivered in Australian schools for children from non-English-speaking backgrounds to learn the language of instruction and thus be able to participate in school life. Based on a qualitative study of how newly arrived migrant families with primary school-aged children experience the transition to public school in the Sydney region, we argue that while the program is designed to provide an expedited immersion into the English language, the school culture and Australian ethos, it has an unduly strong emphasis on monolingualism. We also contend that, as the only official transition program in public schools, it overlooks the rich cultural diversity in the student population and the benefits bilingualism can bring and call for better ways to integrate this capital into the curriculum to promote language and cultural awareness and understanding in schools.