Leadership for Linguistic Inclusion in Multilingual Classrooms: A Meta-Synthesis

Leadership for Linguistic Inclusion in Multilingual Classrooms: A Meta-Synthesis

Nomel Alyssa T. Andan¹, Christian Illaga², Jeziel Sedemo³, Sharon C. Tablada⁴, Antonio G. Fernandez Jr⁵., Maria Nancy Quinco-Cadosales⁶

¹Cebu Normal University- Balamban Campus,

²Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion Inc.,

³Winning English Academy,

⁴Mabunao National High School,

⁵San Juan Elementary School, ⁶Cebu Normal University Cebu, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.909000181

Received: 01 September 2025; Accepted: 08 September 2025; Published: 04 October 2025

ABSTRACT

This meta-synthesis explored the important role of educational leadership in promoting linguistic inclusion in multilingual classrooms. The research synthesized findings from qualitative studies across diverse global contexts, focusing on how school leaders can effectively address the linguistic and cultural diversity of their students. Leadership practices that integrate linguistic inclusion are crucial for fostering equitable and educational environments where all students, coming from all walks of life with their rich linguistic background, can thrive socially and academically. The meta-synthesis highlighted key themes, namely inclusive leadership approaches, challenges in multilingual classrooms, the importance of collaborative leadership, teacher preparation, and the implementation of supportive policies. These findings underscored the importance of proactive, transformational leadership that not only accommodates but actively celebrates linguistic diversity.

Keywords: linguistic inclusion, multilingual classrooms, educational leadership, meta-synthesis

INTRODUCTION

In today’s globalized educational landscape, linguistic diversity is now a central characteristic in many classrooms. As learners bring a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds, especially in multilingual nations like the Philippines, schools must respond through inclusive and equity-focused leadership. Linguistic inclusion entails more than accommodating different languages; students’ linguistic diversity is fundamental to the learning process, where schools as well as their teachers in host communities need clear and language-friendly ways to teach (García & Kleyn, 2016; UNESCO, 2023). Educational leaders are central to this process, as they influence how language policies are interpreted, enacted, and sustained within schools.

Across Southeast Asia, where multilingualism is the norm rather than the exception, countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam have begun to strengthen multilingual education through curriculum reforms and teacher training anchored from Singapore’s successful implemented multilingual policy where it encourages students to learn their mother tongue, English and other official language: Malay, Mandarin, or Tamil (Lou, 2024). Still, leadership for linguistic inclusion varies significantly depending on political will, socio-cultural attitudes, and the preparedness of school heads to manage complex linguistic environments.

In the Philippine context, the 2012 implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) policy aimed to institutionalize the use of learners’ first languages in Grades K to 3. This policy is grounded in evidence showing that early literacy improves comprehension and academic performance; it was especially significant in linguistically diverse regions like Central Visayas (Department of Education, 2012). Cebu is the region’s educational and economic hub and offers a unique linguistic profile, in which Cebuano is the dominant mother tongue while English and Filipino are also employed as mediums of instruction. This three-language setting makes it hard for school leaders to find a balance between how teachers use language for teaching, testing, and working with the community.

A lot of the time, it is hard for officials and school heads in Cebu’s public schools to use MTB-MLE because there are not enough teaching materials in Cebuano, teachers are not getting enough training, and stakeholders have made clear that using English as a medium of instruction is their preference (Gonzales, 2019). This is supported by the recent study, which shows insights revealing that using the mother tongue as the major language in the classroom resulted in average overall development. While mother tongue education is important, its perceived benefits may not directly impact academic achievement (Dumanig et. al, 2023). Also, leadership styles may be very different between schools in cities and those in rural areas, with certain leaders better able to support language equity than others. These facts show how important it is to have leadership that adapts to different situations and is not only following the rules but also taking into account different cultures and treating everyone fairly.

There is limited synthesized research on how school leaders promote linguistic inclusion across different contexts despite the growing local and international scholarship on multilingual education. This metasynthesis aims to synthesize qualitative and mixed method research conducted in various countries. Through this lens, the study seeks to identify key leadership practices, barriers, and frameworks that advance equity in multilingual classrooms, providing actionable insights for educators and policymakers alike.

Research Objective

This meta-synthesis sought to synthesize various studies on the school leaders’ best practices in advancing and making linguistic diversity thrive in an inclusive multilingual classroom.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Inclusive Leadership Approaches for Linguistic Diversity

Academic institutions are home to a diverse array of languages and cultures, necessitating leadership frameworks that are both transformational and inclusive. Transformational leaders promote fairness, student voice, and culturally responsive methods. Inclusive leaders foster engagement and support for all students, especially through multilingual practices embedded in curriculum, policies, and classroom strategies (Brussino, 2021; Banegas et al., 2024). Leadership plays a pivotal role in how schools address and perceive language diversity. School leaders influence teacher recruitment, retention, curriculum development, and professional growth. By recognizing and leveraging the strength of multiple languages in a school, inclusive leadership incorporates these languages into everyday lessons and involves families in a partnership that often spans several languages (Yip & Saito, 2023; Stewart et al., 2024).

Brown et al. (2022) explore how migration has made schools linguistically, culturally, and ethnically more diverse. They emphasize the need for school leaders to implement strategies ensuring equity of participation for students from migration backgrounds. Similarly, Shields (2021) discusses how transformative leadership, when applied in urban school districts, can foster inclusive environments that support socially just and equitable educational practices, ensuring that all students, particularly those from linguistically diverse and minoritized backgrounds, feel respected and are academically challenged.

Ukwuorji (2021) explores the personal experiences of linguistically diverse leaders in higher education, focusing on how they navigate language acquisition, cultural identity, and leadership roles. This contributes to the subtheme by looking at how linguistically diverse leaders affect educational institutions and the organization’s policy. Furthermore, Bonanno et al. (2022) presented a paradigm for culturally and linguistically sustaining school leadership (CLSL), emphasizing the necessity of leadership that promotes cultural pluralism within schools.

Challenges in Multilingual Classrooms

Multilingual learning institutions encounter language proficiency gaps, teacher preparation gaps, family participation restrictions, and institutional limits. Dealing with effective school leadership is necessary to address these issues and advance translanguaging, foster an inclusive school culture and assist with teacher training (Wynne & Hadley, Ramdiro, 2022; 2022). Recognizing and respecting students’ linguistic identities boosts academic motivation and self-efficacy. Culturally relevant education and multilingual storytelling can interest students and make learning more inclusive (Ollerhead & Pennington, 2024).

Luo (2024) examines how Southeast Asia’s multiple languages impact multilingual education. Language gaps in schools generate challenges, and Southeast Asian countries are working to make schools more linguistically diverse. The research also recommends strengthening multilingual education in the region. As Wynne and Hadley (2022) note, translanguaging and continued teacher training are crucial to multilingual classroom success for all students.

Ayscue and Uzzell (2022) look at the problems and chances that come with racial and linguistic integration in two-way dual language immersion programs (TWI). They focus on how these programs help people from different language groups connect with each other. Annayat (2021) talks about the pitfalls of putting mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) into practice and how it might help students do better in school. They also talk about how hard it is to promote MTB-MLE in classes with students from different backgrounds.

Collaborative Leadership and Sustainable Inclusion

Linguistic inclusion requires schoolwide participation. Educational institutions must utilize collaborative leadership styles that regard multilingual educators as equal partners and incorporate inclusive practices into all school activities. Policies won’t make things more inclusive without proactive leadership (Prasad & Heidt, 2023; Jingyi & De Dios, 2025). Administrators must first understand their student’s origins and prepare for embracing school reforms. These things help everyone in the school feel welcome, regardless of language.

Prasad and Heidt (2023) stress how important it is for leaders to work together to make schools welcoming to everyone. People say that teachers who speak more than one language should be treated fairly, and that leadership should be shared to make sure that equality lasts. Jingyi and De Dios (2025) also talk about how school leaders should take the lead in making schools more welcoming to those who speak different languages. They talk about how important it is for school leaders to work together to make sure that all children feel accepted.

Espinosa (2021) talks about changes in language education policy, especially in California, and gives leaders a way to learn more about matters associated with languages.

This method can make language learning programs better and help school officials make the school better for kids who are multilingual. Wren (2025) looked into how leadership development programs could help South Carolina school leaders better assist these multilingual children.

Huckle (2025) also suggests a structure for leadership in international multilingual schools. It highlights the skills, values, and knowledge needed to be a good leader in multilingual settings. The structure also stresses how important it is to have leadership qualities while working with people who speak more than one language and making changes that make multilingual pupils feel like they belong and are treated fairly.

METHODOLOGY

The research design, search technique, and data analysis techniques, the study’s inclusion and exclusion standards, and the flow diagram for the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were described in this part.

Research Design

The qualitative research on how educational leaders assist teachers in multilingual classrooms was meta-synthesised in this study (Callahan et al., 2021). Results from peer-reviewed qualitative studies are carefully analyzed by a meta-synthesis (Dawson, 2018).

Search Strategy

Research articles were chosen with the use of the Publish or Perish Software Version 8 (Harzing, 2023). Related research publications on Leadership for Linguistic Inclusion in Multilingual Classrooms were found by searching several databases, including Crossref and Google Scholar. Keywords such as “leadership,” “linguistic inclusivity,” and “multilingual classrooms” were combined in the search approach.

 As Funa and Gabay (2025) emphasized that keywords were systematically entered into the meta-search engine to ensure a comprehensive search until all relevant studies were identified. These terms made sure that all relevant research articles were included. In this study, the identified research articles were published between 2021 and 2025, making sure that the review is up-to-date and useful. The timeline being set adheres to Chrastina’s (2018) suggestion to use sources from the last five years to stay up to date. Also, the included studies were finished using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist, and the data that was taken out was organized using the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram.

Study Search Procedure

Figure 1 presented the PRISMA flow diagram by Page et al. (2021) outlining the study selection process across identification, screening, and inclusion stages. From 210 studies retrieved via Publish or Perish (200 from Google Scholar, 10 from CrossRef), (73) were excluded due to unidentified sources, (38) lack of citations, (20) missing publication years, or unrelated abstracts (43). After screening, (14) were excluded for being outside the publication range and (11) were inaccessible, leaving 13 studies (11 Google Scholar, 2 Crossref) that met the CASP criteria for final inclusion (Willig & Wirth, 2018). This also aligns with Chrastina’s (2018) recommendation regarding the sufficient number of studies needed to ensure depth, reliability, and meaningful synthesis in a meta-synthesis.

Figure 1. PRISMA 2020 Flowchart of the Study Selection Process

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

The inclusion criteria for this study focused on research on leadership for linguistic inclusion in multilingual classrooms; qualitative or mixed study methods; published in English between 2021 and 2025 in a peer-reviewed journal; freely accessible; and met the criteria enumerated in the CASP checklist (Ritchie & Lewis, 2021). For mixed methods studies, only the qualitative data were included in the synthesis; quantitative data were excluded. The exclusion criteria included unclear research findings; unrelated abstracts; unavailable full texts; paid-access studies; no sources; duplicates; no citations; and published in 2020 and below.

Characteristics of the included studies

A comprehensive overview of the 13 studies selected for inclusion in the meta-synthesis is presented in Table 1. This overview, adapted from the synthesis framework proposed by Funa and Gabay (2025), captures essential details of each study, including authorship, year of publication, research setting, methodological approach, and key findings. The structure’s presentation allows for a systematic comparison across studies and facilitates a clearer understanding of emerging patterns, thematic consistencies, and research gaps within the field.

Table 1. Studies included in the meta-synthesis

This meta-synthesis analyzed 13 qualitative and mixed-method studies published between 2021 and 2025 that looked at leadership strategies for linguistic inclusion in multilingual classrooms. The studies were from multi-country settings, the United States (2), China (2), the United Kingdom (2), Greece (1), Australia (1), Poland (1), Africa (1), and France (1).

There were four to eight leadership-related practices found in each study, for a total of 87 studies. With eight practices, Wynne & Hadley (2022, U.S.) had the highest. Most studies found 6 to 7, indicating a high degree of thematic coherence. ESL and cultural competency training for teachers, community and family involvement, inclusive policy creation, translanguaging techniques, and assistance for teacher agency were all common approaches. Despite their diverse settings, the research all agreed on one fundamental finding: inclusive, linguistically responsive learning environments require strong leadership.

Data Analysis

The study applied Braun and Clarke’s (2019) thematic analysis, known for its flexibility in handling diverse qualitative data. This method identified recurring patterns through six phases: familiarization, coding, theme development, review, definition, and writing. Its adaptability and reflexivity make it effective for in-depth qualitative insights.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings aligned with the study’s objectives, highlighting a meta-theme—Leadership for Linguistic Inclusion in Multilingual Classrooms—supported by five sub-themes: inclusive leadership approaches; challenges; collaborative leadership for inclusion; teacher preparation and support; and policy implementation and support.

Inclusive Leadership Approaches for Linguistic Diversity

Studies by Brussino (2021), Banegas et al. (2024), and Yip & Saito (2023) consistently emphasize the importance of inclusive leadership in multilingual classrooms. Inclusive leadership requires a shift from traditional approaches to leadership, focusing on recognizing the cultural and linguistic diversity of the student body (Brussino, 2021). We need this kind of leadership, especially one that encourages fairness, social justice, and respect for differences (Shields, 2021). As Prasad and Heidt (2023) point out, inclusive leaders must also take the initiative to include multilingual practices in the school’s core principles, policies, and teaching methods.

Leaders in classrooms with more than one language should not just put up with the different languages, they should actively welcome and use them. (Banegas et al., 2024) say that school leaders need to make sure that the students’ language identities are respected and reflected in the lessons, classroom strategies, and teaching tools. By making equality and inclusion a top goal, school leaders make sure that all students, no matter what language they speak, can get the help and materials they need to do well in school (Brown et al., 2022). Including language learning in the curriculum makes students feel like they fit and are valuable, which in turn helps them do better in school and make friends (Shields, 2021).

Some important conclusions are that staff need to be trained in cultural sensitivity and immigrant families need to feel supported in their language identity (Ukwuorji, 2021). Building good relationships between teachers and students is another part of inclusive leadership. This is done to make sure that multilingual students feel respected and known. School leaders need to guide and teach teachers how to be culturally sensitive and make sure that the way they teach is adapted to meet the needs of all of their students. One of the most important jobs of school leaders is to create a culture in the school that reflects these ideals of acceptance at all levels (Bonanno et al., 2022).

Challenges in Multilingual Classrooms

One of the biggest problems that has been written about is that there aren’t enough resources or training for teachers to successfully run multilingual classrooms. Many multilingual classrooms have problems, like students with different levels of language skills, not enough teaching tools in the students’ home languages, and not enough teachers who are trained to work in a multilingual setting (Tarrayo & Duque, 2020; Wynne & Hadley, 2022). Tarrayo and Duque (2020) also talk about how parents can be against Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) programs because they value mainstream language teaching, like English, over the use of local languages. This can make the programs less effective.

To deal with these problems, school leaders need to encourage translanguaging, which lets students use all of their language skills in the classroom. Certain individuals think that translanguaging not only helps kids learn a language, but it also makes them feel better about themselves and more interested in their studies (Wynne & Hadley, 2022). Furthermore, culturally relevant pedagogy, such as using students’ native languages and telling stories in more than one language, can greatly improve student engagement and learning results (Ollerhead & Pennington, 2024).

Also, school leaders need to make sure that teachers are always learning new ways to help students who speak more than one language. Tarrayo and Duque (2020) say that teachers need to be taught how to teach in more than one language and given the tools they need to meet the needs of all of their students. Leaders of schools should also work closely with families and communities to build trust and get people involved in the learning process (Annayat, 2021; Shields, 2021).

Collaborative Leadership and Sustainable Inclusion

Prasad and Heidt (2023) stressed the importance of collaborative leadership in supporting linguistic inclusion. To make a school atmosphere that values linguistic diversity and welcomes everyone, school leaders need to work with teachers, parents, and the community as a whole. As Jingyi and De Dios (2025) say, policies alone aren’t enough. Leadership must actively involve all parties in putting multilingual education programs into action and making them better all the time. It is very important for collaborative leadership to show how getting families involved in multilingual storytelling can help schools and communities work together better, which will make inclusive practices last longer in multilingual classrooms (Ayscue & Uzzell, 2022).

Everyone in the school community has a say in the choices that are made when collaborative leadership is used. Everyone, from teachers and students to parents and people in the community, feels like they own something and are responsible for it when you use this approach. Prasad and Heidt (2023) say that leaders should push for the formation of professional learning communities (PLCs) so that teachers can work together, share ideas, and figure out how to deal with issues that arise in the classroom when there are kids who speak more than one language. School leaders can build a strong network of support for multilingual students and make sure that inclusive practices last over time by pushing everyone to work together (Shields, 2021).

Teacher Preparation and Support

A common theme in the studies is how important it is for teachers to be trained to work with students who speak more than one language. Banegas et al. (2024), Tarrayo & Duque (2020), and Wynne & Hadley (2022) found that teachers need specialized training to help students gradually learn and acquire several languages. Educators must be trained to teach students of different languages. In multilingual schools, written and spoken activities are important, and digital resources can help language development. This underlines how teachers need ongoing professional development to improve language instruction (Wynne & Hadley, 2022).

School administrators are crucial to preparing teachers for various circumstances. Tarrayo and Duque (2020) say teaching training must go beyond language skills. It must also use inclusive assessment, language development, and culturally-sensitive and relevant education. Leaders must guarantee educators receive ongoing training for professional development. This will educate them on the latest study findings and successful multilingual teaching approaches (Bonanno et al., 2022). Teachers should participate in workshops and co-teaching to prepare for interacting with students from varied language backgrounds (Ayscue & Uzzell, 2022).

Policy Implementation and Support

Effective policy execution is essential for multilingual education. Prior research has shown that school administrators must implement and use programs like Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) daily in the classroom. People suggest translanguaging to improve student comprehension and promote linguistic diversity in multilingual classrooms (Tarrayo & Duque, 2020). According to Tarrayo and Duque (2020), policies are difficult to implement due to a lack of financing, instructor training, and parental opposition.

School leaders need to take the lead in getting the tools and professional help they need to make sure that multilingual education policies work. Prasad and Heidt (2023) say that leaders should work with lawmakers, teachers, and parents to make sure that MTB-MLE and other similar policies are followed and kept up. Policies need to be able to adapt to the needs of the students and the culture and language of the area where they are being used (Espinosa, 2021; Shields, 2021).

Conceptual Framework

Figure 2 shows the traits of leaders who use inclusive leadership in multilingual classrooms.

This conceptual framework’s fundamental concept is that linguistic inclusivity in multilingual classrooms requires inclusive leadership.

It is composed of significant themes that were extracted from a few researches and combined to demonstrate how various aspects of linguistically diverse schools influence the behavior of leaders. “Inclusive Leadership in Multilingual Classrooms” is the central concept of the plan. It serves as the central concept around which all other theme components are constructed. This central theme emphasizes how crucial it is for school administrators to ensure that all children experience assistance and inclusion in equitable, culturally appropriate, and language-responsive settings.

“Inclusive Leadership Approaches for Linguistic Diversity,” the first theme strand, discusses the behaviors and mindsets of educational leaders who encourage integrating pupils from various linguistic origins. Adding multilingual viewpoints to the curriculum, acknowledging the importance of students’ native tongues as tools, and fostering a more varied school culture are a few of these tactics. By fostering school-wide concepts that embrace and celebrate linguistic diversity, leaders who employ these inclusive approaches lay the groundwork for language equity. The concept of collaborative leadership and sustainable inclusiveness, which emphasizes the value of shared leadership styles, is one aspect of this issue. Teachers, students, parents, and community members must all be involved for inclusion to be sustainable.

By encouraging collaboration and skill development, this collaborative effort ensures that inclusive policies are not only implemented but also maintained over time. The framework’s core component is Teacher Preparation and Support. It is a crucial connection between practice and leadership. Mentoring, continuous professional development, and the instructional resources they require to support multilingual students are all available to educators working under strong inclusive leadership. Teachers who receive growth support from their leaders are equipped to employ inclusive teaching in a way that is both self-assured and culturally relevant. By doing this, leaders make sure that the classroom education reflects and supports the fact that the students come from many different language backgrounds.

The framework’s opposite side is devoted to the issue of “Challenges in Multilingual Classrooms.” This theme looks at the cultural, pedagogical, and structural barriers that make it hard for people to learn more than one language. Some of the problems are that there aren’t enough resources for multilingual education, teachers aren’t trained in language-inclusive methods, and there isn’t enough communication between teachers and students. It is important to understand these problems because it shows how much and how quickly leaders need to step in to get better results for everyone.

The last theme of the framework, “Strong Policy Implementation and Support,” is needed to get past these problems. Educational leaders are extremely crucial for comprehending and implementing language-inclusion policies at the school level. This entails ensuring that the institution’s policies and practices adhere to local, national, or international legislation that promote multilingual instruction. Additionally, leaders back policy, resources, and systemic improvements that integrate language-inclusive practices into the broader educational system.

Ultimately, this conceptual framework provides us with a narrative and a graphic representation of the intricate concept of inclusive leadership in the struggle for linguistic inclusion. How difficult it is to lead in multilingual classrooms is demonstrated by the connections between leadership ideologies, teacher support, teamwork, policy, and contextual challenges. It demonstrates that leadership is more than simply a job; it is a dynamic and adaptable force that, via planned, equity-driven actions, produces inclusive learning environments.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Promoting linguistic inclusion in multilingual classrooms requires strong school leadership. This goes beyond simple administration; it calls for proactive teacher support, collaboration, and the development of a school culture that celebrates diverse languages and cultural origins. Multilingual education is more likely to succeed when leaders adopt this strategy. Despite its significance, there are still issues. Lack of finance, unequal teacher preparation, and opposition from staff or communities not accustomed to bilingual programs are problems that many schools face. Future studies should concentrate on developing workable policies that help school administrators foster close cooperation between educators, families, and the community at large. Additionally, these rules ought to encourage a deliberate, long-term strategy for maintaining multilingual schooling. Schools can become places where all children, regardless of their language background, feel valued and supported with dedicated and inclusive leadership.

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