The overarching aim of this paper is to highlight second-language pupils’ engagement with the Swedish school system, as far as language development and learning are concerned. The empirical focus of the paper is directed towards experienced learning and is investigated through the interpretation of oral and written learning memories. Informants speaking Swedish as a second language participate by recounting their school memories. Using a ‘life story’ approach the interpretation of these learning memories focuses on lingual skills, education, lingual identity and citizenship. For those whose first language is other than Swedish, mother tongue education becomes a focal point within the school system. The research shows that participating in mother tongue lessons was seen as positive and that taking part made it easier to improve skills not only in the mother tongue but in the second language, Swedish, as well. Through widened linguistic horizons it then becomes possible to develop a multilingual identity and students become aware of their possibilities as active global citizens.