Bridging the Policy–Practice Gap: Action Research on Digital Inclusion for Multilingual Learners

The systemic exclusion of migrant children in education persists, driven by monolingual policies and a critical implementation gap between inclusive rhetoric and classroom reality. My fieldwork in Buryatia, Russia, highlighted how institutional designs invalidate multilingual identities.

This action research study investigated whether gamified virtual learning environments (VLEs) can serve as a micro-level tool to foster inclusive, multilingual peer interaction, thereby addressing symptoms of broader systemic failure.

The study was conducted in a language studio with a diverse group of migrant and local children. I designed and facilitated a series of collaborative tasks within a gamified virtual world, collecting data through participant observation, feedback surveys, and analysis of in-world communication.

Preliminary findings indicate a significant increase in engagement and cross-linguistic collaboration. The VLE lowered affective filters, allowing learners to use their full linguistic repertoires strategically. It created a "third space" where multilingualism was an asset for problem-solving rather than a barrier.

While not a systemic solution, such digital tools demonstrate that inclusive practice is possible. However, their scalability depends on macro-level policy changes: mandated teacher training in digital pedagogies, curricular flexibility, and official recognition of multilingualism. This research underscores the need to bridge innovative classroom practice with evidence-based policy reform to dismantle barriers to inclusive education.