Guided by its motto "United in diversity," the European Union the European Union actively promotes linguistic and cultural diversity by endorsing and safeguarding minority regional and migrant languages. Underlining the significance of plurilingual and intercultural education for fostering a democratic culture, the Recommendation (CM/Rec(2022)1) emphasizes the need for member states to adapt their policies and practices accordingly. 

Reflecting this commitment, the recently enacted Spanish Law of Education (LOMLOE, Real Decreto 217/2022) has incorporated plurilingual competence as one of the key competences that students are expected to develop. At the regional level, it is noteworthy that Catalonia, one of Spain's bilingual Autonomous Communities, has implemented several measures to ensure an inclusive education system. Specifically, the Linguistic Model of the Educational System of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya, 2018) establishes a plurilingual and intercultural educational framework with Catalan as the reference language. Simultaneously, the Inclusion Decree 120/2017 guarantees the presence, participation, and learning of all students, with a particular focus on those belonging to vulnerable groups, such as students of immigrant origin. 

These measures are a direct response to the challenges posed by the growing immigrant population, where students of immigrant origin now constitute 17% of the student body in Primary Education and 8% in Secondary Education (IDESCAT, 2023). 

However, many teachers do not feel adequately prepared to teach in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts (Acquah & Commins, 2017). OECD reviews on the education of immigrants (2015, 2019) pointed out that teachers in Spain are among those who feel the least prepared to teach in multicultural or multilingual environments. These findings were confirmed by recent studies conducted in Catalonia, where it was observed that the majority of teachers do not consider the native languages of their students as learning resources when managing the classroom (Sáenz et al., forthcoming). 

Hence, it is imperative for educators to possess the requisite competencies to excel in their teaching roles within an inclusive and intercultural educational system. Additionally, there is a need to establish conceptual frameworks and pedagogies that align with the identified needs and objectives. Approaches such as culturally responsive teaching (Gay, 2018), culturally sustaining education (Paris, 2012, Alim & Paris, 2017) and translanguaging (García, 2009) can prove instrumental in this regard. These methodologies enable a critical understanding of linguistic and cultural diversity in classrooms, taking into account the varied needs, expectations, and linguistic and cultural backgrounds of all students, including those of immigrant origin. They underscore the idea that cultural and linguistic diversity is an opportunity to enhance the learning processes, thereby contributing inherently to an educational environment that cultivates citizens open to diversity and equipped to thrive in a multilingual and intercultural society. 

Both approaches, integrated into the framework of initial teacher training, hold the potential to significantly impact three crucial variables aimed at enhancing language quality within the Catalan educational system: multicultural efficacy, teacher ethnocultural empathy, and cultural intelligence. 

In this context, the primary objective of this study is to formulate and test a proposal for the training of pre-service primary education and secondary school teachers. This involves incorporating translanguaging practices and culturally responsive-sustaining education to elevate perceived teacher self-efficacy and improve teaching in culturally and linguistically diverse educational settings. The overarching goal is to contribute to the development of an inclusive, high-quality, and intercultural educational system. 

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following research questions: (1) To what extent do pre-service teachers exhibit multicultural efficacy, ethnocultural empathy, and intercultural intelligence? (2) What effects does a training intervention on translanguaging and culturally responsive-sustaining education have on pre-service teachers' professional development? 

A quasi-experimental mixed-design study will be conducted to analyse the effects of implementing the proposed training for pre-service teachers. By combining quantitative and qualitative data and listening to different perspectives, the aim is to capture a comprehensive picture of how translanguaging and culturally responsive-sustaining education can address the needs of a linguistically and culturally diverse educational system. Participants A total of approximately 50- 60 pre-service teachers enrolled in the Primary Education Degree at a Catalan university participate in the first phase of the project. Instruments The participants will answer a questionnaire in online format that assesses the following variables: Ethnocultural Empathy: Defined as "empathy directed toward people from racial and ethnic cultural groups who are different from one’s own ethnocultural group" (Wang et al., 2003, p. 221), it will be measured using the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (Wang et al., 2003), comprising 31 Likert items of 6 points. Multicultural Efficacy: This will be measured using the Multicultural Efficacy Scale (Guyton & Wesche, 2005), including three dimensions: attitudes towards diversity in education (7 items), experience with diversity (7 items), and multicultural self-efficacy (21 items). Cultural Intelligence: Assessed through the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS, Ang et al., 2007, Van Dyne et al., 2015), consisting of four factors: metacognitive CQ (4 items), cognitive CQ (6 items), motivational CQ (5 items), and behavioural (5 items). Additionally, semi-structured interviews will be conducted using the critical incidents technique (Bilbao & Monereo, 2011). Data analysis For the analysis of quantitative data, the statistical package SPSS v. 29 will be employed. This software allows the execution of descriptive statistical techniques, correlational techniques, group comparison tests. For the analysis of qualitative data, a content analysis by categories will be carried out using the N-VIVO 12 software. Procedure The research procedure adhered to rigorous ethical standards and received all necessary approvals from the ethical committee before initiation. Participants in the study were required to complete a questionnaire both before and after a comprehensive training intervention. Two groups were created: one group participated in the intervention, while another group followed the usual curriculum. This training intervention spanned one semester and consisted of two modules. The first module emphasized theoretical and conceptual learning, integrating practical applications. The second module concentrated on modelling translanguaging and culturally responsive-sustaining education. Instructors modified their syllabus to embrace linguistic and cultural diversity, ensuring it was reflected in the instructional content.

The anticipated outcomes include the results of a mixed-design ANOVA analysis, expected to be available in the coming months. This statistical analysis aims to assess the impact of the training intervention on participants' scores related to ethnocultural empathy, multicultural efficacy, and cultural intelligence. The analysis will provide insights into whether there is a statistically significant improvement in these scores following the training. Additionally, it will explore potential differences between the group that actively participated in the intervention and the group that did not. The findings from this analysis will offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of the training program in enhancing participants' attitudes and competencies in these critical domains. The results from the interviews, also expected in the coming months, will furnish qualitative insights into how pre-service teachers have comprehended and implemented translanguaging and culturally responsive-sustaining education in their teaching practices. Understanding the perspectives and reflections of pre-service teachers will contribute to a richer interpretation of the overall project outcomes and inform potential areas for further development or refinement of the training program. The anticipated outcomes of this regional study hold broader implications for educational contexts beyond the immediate region. By contrasting and complementing studies on translanguaging in other European contexts, such as the Basque Country and the Netherlands (Duarte, Dekker), this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the transferability and adaptability of pedagogical strategies. The cross-regional comparisons will enable us to identify commonalities and differences in the implementation and effectiveness of translanguaging and culturally responsive-sustaining education. Consequently, our findings can inform educators, policymakers, and researchers across Europe, providing a foundation for evidence-based practices that align with the linguistic and cultural diversity inherent in European classrooms.

Acquah, E., y Commins, N. (2017). Methods that matter in addressing cultural diversity with teacher candidates. Teaching in Higher Education, 22(5), 501-518. Alim, H. S., & Paris, D. (2017). What is culturally sustaining pedagogy and why does it matter. Culturally sustaining pedagogies: Teaching and learning for justice in a changing world, 1, 24. Ang, S., Van Dyne, L., Koh, C., Ng, K. Y., Templer, K. J., Tay, C., & Chandrasekar, N. A. (2007). Cultural intelligence: Its measurement and effects on cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation and task performance. Management and organization review, 3(3), 335-371. Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2017). Minority languages and sustainable translanguaging: Threat or opportunity?. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 38(10), 901-912. Duarte, J. (2019). Translanguaging in mainstream education: a sociocultural approach. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22(2), 150–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2016.1231774 García, O. (2009). Education, multlingualism and translanguaging in the 21st century. In T. Skutnabb-Kangas, R. Phillipson, A. K. Mohanty, & M. Panda (Eds.), Social justice through multilingual education (pp. 140–158). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching. Theory, research, and practice. (3a ed.) Teachers College Press. Generalitat de Catalunya. (2018). El model lingüístic del sistema educatiu de Catalunya. https://educacio.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/departament/publicacions/monografies/model-linguistic/model-linguistic-Catalunya-CAT.pdf Guyton, E. M., & Wesche, M. V. (2005). The multicultural efficacy scale: Development, item selection, and reliability. Multicultural Perspectives, 7(4), 21-29. Instituto de Estadística de Cataluña [IDESCAT]. (2023). Educación primaria. Unidades escolares y alumnos. Por titularidad del centro y sexo. Comarcas y Aran, ámbitos y provincias. https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=737&lang=es OECD (2015), Immigrant Students at School: Easing the Journey towards Integration, OECD Reviews of Migrant Education, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264249509-en. OECD (2019), The Road to Integration: Education and Migration, OECD Reviews of Migrant Education, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d8ceec5d-en. Paris, D. (2012). Culturally sustaining pedagogy: A needed change in stance, terminology, and practice. Educational researcher, 41(3), 93-97. Sáenz, I., Petreñas, C., Lapresta, C. & Janés, J. (forthcoming). “They speak Arabic to make teacher angry”: high-school teachers’ (de)legitimization of heritage language in Catalonia. Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Koh, C. (2015). Development and validation of the CQS: The cultural intelligence scale. In Handbook of cultural intelligence (pp. 34-56). Routledge. Wang, Y. W., Davidson, M. M., Yakushko, O. F., Savoy, H. B., Tan, J. A., i Bleier, J. K. (2003). The scale of ethnocultural empathy: development, validation, and reliability. Journal of counseling psychology, 50(2), 221.