Belonging and identity negotiation among Japanese-background learners in Greek schools

This study examines how Japanese-background primary and secondary school students attending Greek schools experience belonging and academic participation, with particular attention to the affirmation of their bilingual and bicultural identities in everyday classroom life. Focusing on learners’ perspectives, it investigates the extent to which their linguistic repertoires, cultural knowledge, and lived experiences are acknowledged and mobilized as learning resources. Eighteen students participated in semi-structured interviews, and eleven produced identity texts that offered additional insights into their sense-making, self-representation, and educational experiences. Thematic analysis indicated that most students navigate schooling within predominantly monolingual and textbook-driven environments in which their Japanese language, cultural expertise, and transnational experiences remain largely peripheral. Moments of recognition-often arising from individual teachers’ initiatives-strongly contributed to students’ confidence, motivation, and sense of belonging; however, such instances were inconsistent and not embedded within school-wide practices. The findings underscore the need for more coherent, culturally sustaining pedagogies that validate students’ hybrid identities and create systematic opportunities for drawing on their cultural and linguistic resources within learning processes. By foregrounding students’ voices, this study highlights the importance of learner-centered, inclusive approaches in increasingly multicultural Greek school settings.