Multilingualism within the school library environment : How the school librarian view his/her role working with multilingual students

The multicultural society of today where individuals have varied cultures and languages is different to the homogeneous society of the past, and sets new demands upon the school. The school library can play an important role when it comes to the integration and the acceptance of students with a different mother tongue. Provision and access to literature in the student’s mother tongue is seen as a strong indicator of a school that promotes a multicultural environment, and it’s also linked to the student’s feelings of identity and self-confidence. Their knowledge in their mothers tongue is crucial to the acquisition of a second language, and learning in extension. The purpose of this bachelor is to examine how school librarians work with multilingual students in junior high school, and what they consider to be their roles in this context. Confirming previous research, mediation of information and promotion of reading was a central task to the school librarians we interviewed. The focus of the school librarian’s appears to be in the individual contact with the student, and they interpret their role more as a coach or an adult figure, not as a teacher. Interaction between the student and the pedagogue is important as it is a key part of the support offered, in this case by the school librarian. The supporting context is important as it creates possibilities to learn in an environment that promotes multilingualism. The work with multilingual students in the school library is affected by the attitudes permeating the school and the society surrounding it.