The inclusion of foreign students in the Spanish education system, especially in schools that implement English Learning Programs (PAI), represents for educators of basic education stages a time of challenges and opportunities. The problem situation is related to the impact of the diversification produced by migration on school education. The increasing migration flows have led to an increase in diversity in classrooms and a variation in the educational needs of students, which requires an educational response based on paradigms and models that incorporate equity and inclusion. This study explores the impact of PAI programs on the inclusion of foreign students within ordinary classrooms in basic education, considering linguistic, sociocultural and didactic dimensions. The objective is to determine the educational demands of the problem situation, as well as the pedagogical and didactic keys to address them.

The theoretical framework is based on theories of educational inclusion, models of bilingual education (where the different school subjects are taught in English) and sociolinguistic studies on multicultural classrooms. The research method follows the principles of Educational Engineering, in two of its phases of analysis: preliminary study, a priori analysis. Currently, the theoretical basis has been established, analyzing statistical data on migration, considering different perspectives, such as the educational network or geographical origin, inclusion policies and the effectiveness of PAI programs to promote inclusion.

Preliminary results suggest that while PAI programmes improve English proficiency, they may also create barriers for newcomer students with limited exposure to the language. So far, these programmes have shown some weaknesses, as they are not exploiting their full potential. The study further identifies didactic strategies to support these students, as well as educational needs regarding an educational model based more on universal learning designs, which overcomes linguistic gaps and fosters social cohesion.

This research contributes to developing a broader debate on educational inclusion in foreign language learning programmes in relation to migrant groups, providing information on best practices for the inclusion of foreign students in multilingual environments. The following phases of the research will focus on processes of experimentation with intervention strategies to optimize the inclusion and effectiveness of PAI, offering a practical application for teaching community, as well as an a posteriori analysis.

Keywords: Bilingual education, PAI programs, multicultural classrooms, inclusive education, Universal Design for Learning.