Children from immigrant families face language challenges at school

Starting school is never just about learning the alphabet. It’s about fitting in, making friends, and finding your voice. For many children from culturally and linguistically diverse families, this moment feels heavier.

A large study in Australia shows those children face clear developmental challenges, especially in language and communication.

Language challenges for children

Early childhood builds the base for everything: confidence, health, and the ability to learn. When language skills fall behind, the gap doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It shapes friendships, self-esteem, and future opportunities.

Children from multicultural households often carry extra burdens – limited English, cultural isolation, and financial stress. International research confirms the pattern: immigrant and minority children encounter these hurdles again and again.

The new Australian research gives numbers to what families already know.

Looking at the data

Researchers from Curtin University, the University of Adelaide, and international partners studied more than 10,000 culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children.

The team compared results with nearly 50,000 peers. The findings paint a consistent picture. CALD children showed 23 percent higher odds of developmental vulnerability.

The biggest differences appeared in communication and language. Those skills decide how well a child can ask questions, join conversations, and understand lessons.

Children’s language development

The study used the Australian Early Development Census along with birth and hospital records.

Children, assessed around age five, were measured across five areas: physical health, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, and communication and general knowledge.

Almost one in four CALD children showed vulnerabilities in at least one area. The sharpest risk came in communication and general knowledge, where the odds were more than double.

Language and cognitive skills showed 37 percent higher odds of vulnerability. Non-CALD children, by contrast, scored worse on physical health, showing different challenges.

More than language alone

The numbers revealed more layers. Language spoken at home mattered. Maternal ethnic background and country of birth shaped outcomes too. Gender played a role as well.

CALD girls showed sharper risks than boys, highlighting how cultural and social expectations add weight to development.

The study made one thing clear: these vulnerabilities do not come from a single cause but from overlapping pressures.

Vulnerability in language development

“Our research shows that cultural and language differences are not peripheral—they profoundly influence children’s ability to thrive when they start school,” said Dr. Gizachew A. Tessema, co-author of the study.

“Children from CALD families face double the risk of vulnerability in communication and language development. Without targeted support, these early gaps can grow into lifelong inequalities.”

According to Dr. Tessema, addressing these disparities requires culturally sensitive education policies, stronger language support, and better collaboration between families, teachers, and health professionals.

“Every child deserves an equal chance to succeed, regardless of their cultural background.”

Changing the approach

The study urges policymakers to act. Bilingual learning resources can make classrooms more accessible. Training teachers in cultural competence ensures students feel understood.

Guaranteeing access to preschool and healthcare helps level the field. These changes require funding, but the return is high. Early action prevents later costs in remedial education and lost opportunities.

Picture a classroom on the first day of school. Most children raise their hands to answer a question about the story just read aloud. One child stays silent, not because she does not know, but because English words feel unfamiliar.

Another child tries to join a group game but doesn’t catch the rules quickly enough. These small moments, repeated daily, shape how children see themselves.

Without extra support, frustration can harden into withdrawal. Teachers often want to help but may lack the tools or training to bridge cultural and language gaps.

Diversity should be an advantage

The issues highlighted in Australia echo worldwide. In the United States, Hispanic and immigrant children often face similar risks in early education.

In the United Kingdom, children from non-English speaking households report lower readiness scores at school entry.

These comparisons show that the challenge is not unique to one country. Multicultural societies everywhere must decide whether diversity becomes a strength or a dividing line.

No child should begin school at a disadvantage because of language or culture. Supporting CALD families early creates stronger communities in the long run.

Diversity should serve as an advantage, not a barrier. The Australian study leaves no doubt: the sooner support arrives, the brighter the future for every child.

The study is published in the World Journal of Pediatrics.

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