This new blog is about the work of Yang Gao, an MSc candidate at the University of Edinburgh, exploring both the promise and the challenges of supporting children’s language rights in Scotland’s increasingly multilingual classrooms. The blog is part of a series exploring MSc students’ findings, who worked with the support of Together, the Observatory of Children’s Human Rights in Scotland, as well as EAL services and practitioners, and children and families affected.  

Grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the study draws on insights from EAL practitioners across Scotland who are supporting some of the 58,000+ pupils now learning in a language other than English. It finds that while many teachers use creative, inclusive strategies, success often depends on individual commitment rather than consistent, system-wide support. Multilingual approaches are still too often treated as optional, and communication with families continues to rely heavily on English, limiting meaningful engagement.  

The study calls for a shift from symbolic recognition of diversity to genuine rights-based inclusion. Key recommendations include embedding home languages into everyday learning, strengthening multilingual teacher training, improving bilingual communication with families, and ensuring more consistent policy support.  

Ultimately, the research argues that when schools value and listen to children in all the languages they speak, education can become a true bridge between cultures and belonging can become part of everyday school life. 

Read the full blog Every voice matters: bringing children’s language rights to life in Scottish schools