Building Community: Using Telegram to Foster Cohesion in Bilingual Educational Communities and Intercultural Contexts

Haurreskolak
Jun 4
3 min read

Updated: Jun 13

Introduction

In today’s increasingly globalized world, societies are becoming more diverse due to the movement of people for various reasons: political conflict, war, gender-based violence, climate emergencies, poverty, and internal migration within the European Union for work or study.

This diversity is also reflected in educational settings, where addressing cultural and linguistic variety has become one of the greatest challenges.

Nursery schools integrated into the Haurreskolak Partzuergoa public network in the Basque Country face this challenge daily. Their main lines of action focus on inclusion, attention to diversity, violence prevention, the creation of safe spaces, and equity within a sustainable educational model that also reaches rural environments.

In regions like Euskal Herria, the situation is even more complex. Here, besides the hegemonic languages of Spain and France, there exists the Basque language (Euskara), which is undergoing processes of revitalization to ensure its survival.

Globalization and migratory movements, if not properly managed, could become additional pressures on the vitality of minority languages like Basque.

This context has led to the development of two educational practices that combine two essential priorities:

The promotion and normalization of the Basque language within educational settings.
The creation of inclusive, collaborative dynamics where all families—regardless of their native language—can actively participate in school life.

Both practices leverage new technologies, specifically the Telegram mobile messaging app, to foster inclusion and community building.

Main Body

First Practice: Simultaneous Translation via Telegram Live Channels during School Meetings

Historically, schools have struggled with how best to manage multilingual communication during group meetings with families:

Conducting meetings only in Spanish, violating the linguistic rights of Basque-speaking families.
Holding duplicate meetings in each language, increasing the workload and segregating families.
Conducting bilingual meetings, resulting in slow, tedious sessions.
Using “Xuxurlaris” (“whisperers”), educators who provide simultaneous whispered translations, creating background noise and logistical challenges.

The innovative solution:

Using Telegram channels for live simultaneous translation.

In practice, meetings are conducted in Basque by a facilitator, while another staff member simultaneously translates the content in real time via a Telegram channel. Families use their smartphones and personal headphones to access the translation.

Advantages include:

Dynamic and inclusive meetings.
Each participant can express themselves in their preferred language.
Equal participation, fostering relationships between families and strengthening community ties.

Recommendations for better implementation:

Prior preparation between facilitator and translator.
Use of visual aids (e.g., presentations) to support understanding.
Responding to questions in the language they were asked.

Second Practice: Telegram Group Chats for Ongoing Family Interaction

Complementing the first practice, Telegram group chats allow families to share information and interact in a multilingual environment.

Telegram’s built-in instant translation feature enables users to translate posts into their chosen language in a single click—without leaving the conversation.

Benefits:

Families communicate freely in their preferred language.
Reduces linguistic barriers without segregating participants.
Encourages ongoing participation and engagement in daily school life.

Broader Applications

Although these practices are contextualized within bilingual Basque communities, they offer valuable models for any multicultural, multilingual educational environment.

The rapid advancement of technologies—especially in AI-driven voice recognition and translation—will soon make it even easier to create inclusive communication systems.

However, there are no universal solutions. Every educational community must adapt practices to their unique context and resources.

Key to success is that even small, simple innovations, when collectively agreed upon and aligned with community needs, can achieve significant positive change—far more effectively than ambitious, top-down projects without grassroots support.

Conclusion

The use of Telegram as a tool for community-building in bilingual and intercultural educational contexts demonstrates that digital solutions can play a crucial role in creating inclusive, collaborative, and dynamic learning environments.

These simple yet powerful practices:

Foster cohesion without sacrificing linguistic diversity.
Promote active family participation in education.
Encourage cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Initiatives like the SUSIEE project are clear examples of how networked, participatory practices can create real and lasting transformations—making educational communities more sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant.