Bearing in mind the releva'nce of immigration in Spain, we consider the linguistic idiosyncrasy of the autonomous community of Catalonia in the present study to describe and analyse language attitudes to Catalan and Spanish in a sample of 225 students of immigrant origin living in different parts of the region. We focus on language attitudes in so far as they promote integration in the host society at the same time that they play a major role in the acquisition of the new language.Globally, the results obtained show positive attitudes to Catalan and Spanish. This however, has to be further clarified taking into consideration the fact that, geographical origin clearly determines the attitudes showed by students. As we will see, it is in the case of learners coming from Latin America that we find the most significant differences.Teniendo presente la relevancia adquirida por el fenó meno de la inmigració n en Españ a, y considerando además la singularidad lingü ística de Cataluñ a, en el presente estudio se describen y analizan las actitudes hacia el catalán y el castellano en una muestra de 225 estudiantes de origen inmigrante escolarizados en diferentes lugares del territorio catalán. La razó n de focalizar la atenció n en las actitudes lingü ísticas se halla tanto en relació n a su relevancia de cara a promover la integració n en la sociedad receptora, como a su destacado papel en la adquisició n de una segunda lengua.En conjunto, de los resultados obtenidos se extraen unas actitudes positivas hacia el catalán y el castellano. Sin embargo, tal afirmació n debe ser matizada en el sentido de que el origen geográfico determina claramente las actitudes manifestadas. De manera más concreta, es entre aquellos escolares que provienen de América Latina donde aparecen las diferencias más significantes.

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This study explores changes in attitudes towards Catalan, Spanish, and English over a two-year period, on the part of secondary education students of immigrant origin residing in Catalonia. It aims to provide new data by adopting a longitudinal design and by focusing on the immigrant population, which has raised new challenges for the Catalan society and education system. Data was collected from 72 secondary education students who answered a language attitudes questionnaire twice, at a twoyear interval. The instrument chosen has been successfully used in the area previously (Huguet, Janés, and Chireac 2008; Madariaga, Huguet, and Lapresta 2013). Findings showed that attitudes towards Catalan improved, while attitudes towards Spanish and English remained stable, based on which we discuss the strength of language attitudes in this particular context. Furthermore, the socio-demographic and affective variables traditionally investigated as determinants of language attitudes were not found to influence the processes of attitude change. CAN LANGUAGE ATTITUDES BE IMPROVED? A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN CATALONIA (SPAIN) This study explores changes in attitudes towards Catalan, Spanish, and English over a two-year period, on the part of secondary education students of immigrant origin residing in Catalonia. It aims to provide new data by adopting a longitudinal design and by focusing on the immigrant population, which has raised new challenges for the Catalan society and education system. Data was collected from 72 secondary education students who answered a language attitudes questionnaire twice, at a two-year interval. The instrument chosen has been successfully used in the area previously (Huguet, Janés, and Chireac 2008; Madariaga, Huguet, and Lapresta 2013). Findings showed that attitudes towards Catalan improved, while attitudes towards Spanish and English remained stable, based on which we discuss the strength of language attitudes in this particular context. Furthermore, the socio-demographic and affective variables traditionally investigated as determinants of language attitudes were not found to influence the processes of attitude change.

There is a theoretical and empirical tradition demonstrating the influence of the place of birth and self-identification in the shaping of language attitudes. But very few works analyse their joint effects. The main aim of this study is to analyse both the disaggregated and joint impact of these variables on the shaping of attitudes towards Catalan and Spanish languages in Catalonia. The sample consists of 309 adolescents (aged 14-16 years) coming from Ecuador, the rest of Latin America and Morocco. Both variables have an influence on attitudes towards Catalan separately, but when analysed jointly in the same explanatory model, selfidentification outweighs place of birth. This is more evident among young people who develop the most and the least favourable attitudes. Furthermore, attitudes towards Spanish are only influenced by the place of birth, and by none of the variables in the case of those with the most and least favourable attitudes. These results open new lines for research and reflection on the process of construction of language attitudes and their role in a successful process of integration. Opening Perspectives from an Integrated Analysis: Language Attitudes, Place of Birth and Self-identification There is a theoretical and empirical tradition demonstrating the influence of the place of birth and selfidentification in the shaping of language attitudes. But very few works analyse their joint effects. The main aim of this study is to analyse both the disaggregated and joint impact of these variables on the shaping of attitudes towards Catalan and Spanish languages in Catalonia. The sample consists of 309 adolescents (aged 14-16 years) coming from Ecuador, the rest of Latin America and Morocco. Both variables have an influence on attitudes towards Catalan separately, but when analysed jointly in the same explanatory model, self-identification outweighs place of birth. This is more evident among young people who develop the most and the least favourable attitudes. Furthermore, attitudes towards Spanish are only influenced by the place of birth, and by none of the variables in the case of those with the most and least favourable attitudes. These results open new lines for research and reflection on the process of construction of language attitudes and their role in a successful process of integration.

Resumen: Al objeto de profundizar en el debate "inmigración-lenguaescuela", el trabajo presenta algunos datos derivados de la todavía escasa investigación sobre el tópico existente hasta el momento en España, poniendo especial énfasis en el caso catalán.Para ello, a partir de una breve revisión de la incidencia demográfica del fenómeno migratorio en el conjunto del Estado, mostramos los resultados de una serie de estudios centrados en: 1) el desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas en la lengua de la escuela, y 2) el análisis de los procesos de interdependencia lingüística. Finalmente, se discuten posibles actuaciones que persiguen optimizar y reconsiderar la práctica educativa en las aulas multilingües. Palabras clave: Habilidades lingüísticas; interdependencia; multilingüismo; inmigración.Title: School and immigration. A presentation of studies about linguistic development and linguistic interdependence processes. Abstract: The present work offers some data gathered from the few studies carried out in Spain on the relationship between immigration, language and school. Bearing in mind the demographic relevance of immigration in the country, we present results from different research projects, with special emphasis on the Catalan case.The studies reported here focus on: i) the development of linguistic abilities in the language of instruction in schools, and ii) the analysis of linguistic interdependence processes. Finally, we put forward some suggestions with the aim of making some contribution to an in-depth debate on the issue. These proposals seek to improve and reconceptualise educational practice in multilingual classrooms.