The phenomenon of immigration is an everyday growing reality within developed societies. The cultural transformation of societies traditionally homogeneous has produced conflicts and difficulties of coexistence due to a lack of understanding among different cultures (Grant, & Tate, 2001). To meet the challenges in multicultural societies and minimize this problem, countries have tried to provide answers to facilitate the interaction of diverse cultures. One of the most notable responses has been offered from the field of education promoting actions that contribute to develop individual, social, intellectual, cultural, and emotional capacities in students as a part of providing a quality education according to their needs (LOE, 2006).
In order to know the intercultural reality in schools in the Spanish context, researchers (Almarcha, 2003; Bliss, 1990; Calvo, 1993; Cardona, Florian, Rouse, & Stough, 2010; García, 1998; Jordán, 1994) have studied the beliefs and attitudes of teachers towards students of other cultures or ethnic groups. Nevertheless, there is little research done on students’ intercultural competence. Sales (1996) pointed out that reality emphasizing that there has been an increasing number of racist and xenophobic behaviour among students towards classmates of other cultures, reason why it is crucial to conduct research on students’ intercultural competence.
Purpose and objectives.
This research will give valuable information on how students feel with classmates who differ from the dominant classroom culture. In addition, students' responses are close to what actually happens in classrooms, thus obtaining a realistic view of the processes involved in the interactions among students from different cultures in primary education. Therefore, considering that schools are the first place where children establish cross-cultural interactions with students from other cultures, and that the development of intercultural competences in students is a must because of its benefits for social integration and cohesion, the objectives of this study were (1) to determinate intercultural competence in students of primary education, identifying strengths and weaknesses towards cultural diversity; and (2) to plan educational actions in order to develop a real intercultural education in the multicultural classrooms.

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