schools

Navigating a new language in a new land

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Salma Hassan, BA (Hons) Education, London Metropolitan University  “It’s really emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed”  Arab News (2022)  Ali has arrived from Afghanistan   Ali has arrived from Afghanistan, leaving everything he has ever known behind. Embarking  on a new journey in a new land in hopes of a prosperous future. It was the devastating conflict that lead Ali’s family to flee Afghanistan. The United Kingdom … Read more

The Role of Home Languages in Education: An Asset or Barrier? 

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Sholah Ahmadi, BA (Hons) Education, London Metropolitan University  As I was wandering the streets of my neighborhood in Walthamstow, London, I decided to take a brief detour before heading home. It had been a long day of work, and so I decided to stop by a coffee shop (also known as Costa Coffee, many of your londoners might know … Read more

Breaking Barriers: Adult English Learning in Spain and Social Justice

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    Paola Elizabeth Perez Garcia, BA (Hons) Education, London Metropolitan University “Understanding a language is not just about knowing words; it’s about understanding people” Dabbling and Language Inequality In Spain, speaking English is seen as a golden ticket opening doors to better jobs, travel, and global connections. But mastering English isn’t always simple. One major … Read more

Multilingualism in UK Schools – A Resource, not a Barrier 

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         Maria Bahnari, BA (Hons) Education, London Metropolitan University  Walk into any UK secondary school today, and you’ll likely hear more than just English. From Polish to Punjabi, Arabic to Albanian, UK classrooms reflect a rich mosaic of languages spoken by students from all over the world. This linguistic diversity is a defining feature of 21st-century British education. Yet, despite its … Read more

Promoting emotional wellbeing for pupils with autism and severe intellectual disabilities: Education Cafe Talk

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Karam Bhogal – London Metropolitan University Karam Bhogal, Senior Lecturer in Education (SEND), talked about his Doctoral research focussing emotional well-being of children and young people on Autism Spectrum and Severe Intellectual Disabilities on Tuesday, 18th November 2025. Karam’s talk focussed on the perceptions of school practitioners regarding interaction and the promotion of emotional wellbeing … Read more

Academic Underachievement of Caribbean Boys: A study of Race and Gender

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Eden Harper, BA (Hons) EducationLondon Metropolitan University Eden’s research interest stems from her personal experience as a Black Caribbean student navigating the British school system. In this episode, she explores Bourdieu’s social and cultural theories, alongside educational theories of labelling within school contexts. Drawing on Childhood with Bourdieu, Eden discusses how “capital exposure” can serve … Read more

From Home to Classroom: How Translanguaging Empowers Multilingual Learners

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Nishi Ambalathveettil  BA (Hons) Education, London Metropolitan University  What happens when students are free to bring all their languages into the classroom? Magic, belonging — and deeper learning.  “Words are windows to the soul.”  A timeless idiom that reminds us how language connects to identity and emotion. And sometimes, those words open in the most unexpected … Read more