The world is becoming increasingly multicultural and multilingual. The United Nations Educational, [Page 462]Scientific, and Cultural Organization reported that more than 6,800 languages including 114 sign languages were in use in 228 countries in 2000. Approximately 185 million people worldwide live outside their countries of birth, up from 80 million three decades ago. The foreign-born population in 2004 represented 23.6% in Australia, 18.8% in New Zealand, 18.0% in Canada, 12.8% in the United States, 12.2% in Sweden, 10.6% in the Netherlands, and 7.8% in Norway. Immigrants, migrants, and their children bring language, cultural, and ethnic diversity to countries, societies, communities, schools, and classrooms.

Immigrant and migrant students strive to learn to speak, to read, and to write in new languages while their families struggle with political ...