In this introductory chapter, we first delineate issues and factors relevant in the study of migrants, and in particular refugees, learning new languages in those regions that distinguish this group from other groups of language learners. We highlight the tension between language and integration, and the often-disparate aims between national systems of adult migrant language education, language teachers in classrooms, and learners themselves. Next, we present the overall goals of the volume: to contribute to the conceptual framing of adult migrant language education, to offer empirical evidence of the impact and effectiveness of both national systems of language and integration as well as less formal settings of language learning, and to offer insights into some of the particularities of Europe as the site of adult migrant language education. We then offer an explication and brief critical treatment of the key concepts and terminology used in the volume, particularly when we refer to migrants and refugees, integration, and literacy, which, if used unreflexively, risk both methodological imprecision and blatant unfairness to the people at the centre of the studies offered in these pages. From there we offer a brief taxonomy of the different sorts of language learning settings that are prevalent in Europe and the focal settings of our contributors. We close with a brief introduction to those contributions.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-79237-4_1
ISSN: 1572-0292