Abstract
This paper makes clear how the practice of ESOL（English for Speakers of Other Languages） in secondary schools in New Zealand contributes to the social inclusion of students of migrant and refugee backgrounds. An interview with a Ministry of Education official in Wellington shows the stance of the government toward accepting such students through ESOL and the ways that the schools are funded. Participant observation of ESOL in Auckland reveals that support staff such as government-funded Teacher Aides support the students in classes and school/daily life. The support staff are often from migrant and refugee backgrounds and have the potential to be intercultural mediators between two groups, such as between students’ homes and their school. While the government works toward social inclusion for students with the ESOL program, there are some problems. The first is that the position of ESOL differs from the intention of the government depending on the school. The second problem is the assimilative language education in English, and the third is that the English-weighted education system may exclude non-native speakers socially. The leadership of the government in aiming for the inclusion of students and the role played by Teacher Aides in supporting students are suggestive of directions for studying international classrooms in Japan.
