The article presents the results of a research conducted at a primary school in Genoa mostly attended by children of foreign origin. The purpose of this work is to analyse the cultural and linguistic diversity in an experimental multicultural class through teaching practices inspired by the experiences of multilingual education. In particular the author presents the observations arising from the comparison between the written productions of the students of the experimental class and a traditional class on the theme of diversity on the trail of the "Autobiography of intercultural encounters" developed by the Language Policy Division of the Council of Europe. This comparison has allowed the author to detect significant attitudinal differences, such as to corroborate the hypothesis about the role of education in the development of multilingual competences likely to foster adaptability and social interaction. These competencies seem to have a vital importance in building the personality of children destined to live - regardless of their origin - in a plural world.
Keywords: Plurilingualism, social bilingualism, interculturality