ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews qualitative research on language and culture learning in migration contexts. More specifically, the chapter focuses on initiatives organized by the civil society to aid language practice and culture learning as well as experiences of language support on the workplace. Exploring these informal learning environments is crucial in order to gather insights on the immigrants’ integration process as they accomplish everyday activities and seek language and culture support from the receiving community. Research in this area typically relies on extensive fieldwork, through which the researcher collects a variety of data, such as interviews with key participants and recordings of their participation in target activities. Findings suggest that direct involvement with members of the receiving community enhances opportunities to use the language for meaningful communicative purposes and to learn more about the local culture. At the same time, interaction between migrants and members of the receiving community fosters the creation of social bonds and community building and thereby helps to achieve integration as a co-constructed process of mutual accommodation.
