Attitudes among students of immigrant origin that hinder learning Catalan: a classroom proposal

This study examines the linguistic habits of a number of secondary school students and their attitudes to the Catalan, Spanish and English languages. The sample comprises secondary school students in their first and second year who go to a school in Barcelona where more than 80% of the students have Spanish as their first language and who come from South and Central Ameri-ca. The study aims to determine to what extent an innovative class experience has a positive impact on the students’ attitudes and whether, in the long run, it could promote their social integration in Catalonia. Two questionnaires were used. The study shows that this new genera-tion of immigrants have negative or neutral attitudes towards Catalan. It is therefore necessary to adopt measures that put an end to segregation through the development of innovative classroom ideas.