AN IMMIGRANT-FRIENDLY SCHOOL ACCORDING TO THE VIEWS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS

Abstract

The aim of this research is to detect the problems that immigrant students experience during adaptation process; to demonstrate efforts made in the adaptation process to school and society and to provide a definition for immigrant-friendly school while also listing the qualities of this school. To achieve that objective, qualitative research method was adopted and via administering phenomenological approach, participants' views were analyzed in-depth. Semi-structured interview questions designed by researchers themselves were used as data collection tool. Population was determined through purposeful sampling method. The group consists of 8 immigrant students studying in high school grade during 2020-2021 academic year in Beykoz district of İstanbul city; 5 principals from high schools where immigrant students study and similarly 5 high school teachers having taught in immigrant students' lessons. Descriptive content analysis was administered to obtained data. Attained findings were examined within the framework of the theory of organizational socialization and interpreted by conducting immigrant-friendly city and immigrant-friendly hospital analogies. According to these findings during adaptation process immigrant students were exposed to academic, social, cultural and domestic(family-related) problems, and that immigrant-friendly schools put efforts in academic, social, cultural and parental support categories by harnessing varied organizational socialization tactics. Accordingly, immigrant-friendly school concept has been defined as; “an academic institution which-by making efforts needed- in academic, social, cultural support and parental support categories, expediting immigrant students' and their parents' adaptation to school and society”. According to findings, qualities of an immigrant-friendly school are; enabling social participation, cultural interaction, facilitating access, financial assistance, family participation; offering academic support, psychological support; welcoming immigrant students and equality.