Foreign Students in the Classroom: A Personal Experience

Reflections on My Work as an Italian Teacher in an International School

Some time ago, I unintentionally witnessed a brief argument between a student at the international school where I used to work and one of the teachers. The student seemed visibly upset—both annoyed and sad—with their head down, almost on the verge of tears. This particular student speaks Italian at home and had only recently started attending school in English and German.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear them standing up for themselves in English, clearly stating their point of view. I don’t know what the argument was about, but that doesn’t matter now. What truly matters is that this Italian student, now living abroad and attending a school where the primary language is English, was able to put into (foreign) words what they felt was important or fair/unfair at that moment.

This episode sparked a deep reflection within me.

On one hand, I was happy for the student—the only Italian in that context—who managed to respond in excellent English. But at the same time, I wondered: What about those who can’t?

What does a child feel when they believe they’re being unjustly accused in a language that isn’t theirs, that they aren’t yet fully comfortable with or don’t completely understand?

How immense is their frustration at not being able to defend themselves, express their thoughts, or even say something as simple as: “I didn’t mean to do it!” “It wasn’t me!” or “I’m sorry!”

Seeing It From the Teacher’s Perspective

Let’s flip the perspective for a moment and put ourselves in the teacher’s shoes. How difficult and frustrating must it be to reprimand a student who doesn’t understand the language you’re speaking?

How do you explain that it’s their behavior, not them as a person, that you’re addressing?

How do you ensure that the student understands your intentions and doesn’t interpret the reprimand as a rejection of who they are—a fragile child navigating a new country, language, and culture that are unfamiliar to them (at least for now)?

It’s hard.

Foreign Students at School: Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Situations like the one I described can happen in any classroom with students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It doesn’t matter if the students are Syrian children in an Italian school or Italian children living in Austria. The challenge is the same: communication barriers.

So, what does a child who can’t express themselves verbally do? And what does this sense of frustration, of not being able to say what they think, trigger within them?

First, a child naturally turns to the language they know best—non-verbal communication. A foreign student who doesn’t speak the teacher’s language can still interpret body language, gestures, posture, tone and volume of voice, and facial expressions. They can generally sense whether the sounds they hear—but can’t quite identify—carry a positive or negative meaning. And they react accordingly.

They also use non-verbal communication in response. They may get upset, lash out at a classmate, throw their notebook—anything to communicate using the tools they have at hand.

Let’s not forget that every behavior in an interpersonal situation is a form of communication. And every form of communication carries both meaning and a relational aspect, the latter often mediated through non-verbal cues.

Beware: Non-Verbal Communication Isn’t Universal

However, we must be cautious! It’s easy to assume that non-verbal communication is universal—a kind of language everyone understands.

But it’s not. Each culture interprets non-verbal messages differently. A gesture or behavior that means one thing in one culture can have a completely different meaning in another.

As teachers, I believe it’s our responsibility to be aware of the communication challenges faced by students who don’t speak the language of instruction. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also our responsibility to be curious about the languages and cultures of our students to better understand them.

Yes, sometimes the number of foreign students in a classroom can be overwhelming—they’re all different! But instead of feeling discouraged, we should see this as an opportunity: an opportunity to discover new worlds and new ways of communicating. And this is a richness for everyone.

I want to thank that student.

They made me reflect deeply, and I’ve learned so much from them.

Watch Your Language, Mom! A Guide to Multilingualism.

In my book, I share more stories like this, including experiences from children I had the pleasure of working with as a family consultant.

These real-life moments provide valuable insights into navigating multilingualism and fostering inclusive education.

Get your copy today and explore how we can make a difference for multilingual children!

What about you? Have you had similar experiences?

I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to share your story with me on Linkedin or via email: info@karinmartin-linguist.com!