Teaching and learning in a multi-cultural school in Thessaloniki: A case study

Based on a presentation to the ICC (The International Language Association) conference in Greece in April 2018, this paper discusses the challenges of teaching English as a foreign language to refugees and migrants of school age in Greece and offers teaching strategies to improve motivation and meet the cultural challenges facing students in mixed classes of various nationalities, age ranges and language levels. It also explores motivation in the context of Maslow’s analysis. It goes on to offer practical ideas for lesson plans and ways of avoiding possible cultural dissonance and offers key lessons for teachers, institutions and education authorities working to integrate refugees and migrant children into the school system.