Immigrant Schoolchildren Research Articles

Bittersweet Experiences for Brazilian Newcomers: Positive Interactions, Microaggressions, and Isolation in General and Dual Language Bilingual Education

ABSTRACT With the rise of the number of immigrant children in schools across the U.S. educational research has directed its attention to understanding these newcomers’ social experiences at school. Grounded in critical sociocultural theory, this interpretive phenomenological study shares the social experiences of four Brazilian newcomers in elementary school. Participants were adolescents who were reclassified English learners, had immigrated to the U.S. as children, and attended general education and/or world language dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs. As adolescents, participants were able to look back on their experiences as designated-English learners and newcomers in elementary school with greater perspective. Analysis of interview data reveal three main themes: (a) positive interactions with other Brazilian students; (b) microaggressions from non-Brazilian students; and (c) isolation due to participants’ language barriers and English hegemony. Findings highlight the importance of Portuguese-English DLBE programs as a place for Brazilian newcomers to support one another, even if the program was considered a world language immersion program due to the low number of Portuguese speakers. Additionally, findings reveal the prevalence of microaggressions and isolation across general and DLBE settings, underscoring the need for schools and teacher preparation programs to equip teachers with tools to support newcomers.

Current Situation and Future Development of Education for Children in Ecological Migrant Areas in Ningxia

The issue of ecological migration has been concerned for a long time. As one of the first regions to implement ecological migration projects, Ningxia has a special multi-ethnic population, and its education problems cannot be ignored. From the perspective of schools, this paper analyses the current situation of exclusion and isolation of new immigrant children in schools and the lack of holistic education for children. From the perspective of families, it analyses the situation of parents of new immigrants having low expectations for their childrens education and the situation of educational differences due to different ethnic beliefs. The paper positively puts forward the ideas that teachers are expected to teach their students according to their abilities; school is ought to strengthen its infrastructure, obey the rules and regulations in the society and provide extensive training for teachers. Moreover, it is necessary to quicken the social integration of new immigrants and residents. It is hoped that with the implementation of these measures can accelerate the progress of friendly relations between indigenous people and new migrants and provide a good educational environment for children.

Linguistic Diversity in Schools. Some Data on Plurilingual Classes in Udine

This article presents and discusses the main results of a comprehensive survey that was carried out from 2017 onwards with the aim of studying plurilingualism in the repertories and uses of immigrant children in schools at all educational stages in the city of Udine. The subjects surveyed included pupils between ages 9 and 18 with at least one foreign (language-speaking) parent. Each pupil compiled a questionnaire aimed at collecting social and personal data as well as data about their linguistic repertories, uses and behaviours and those of their parents, relatives, friends and other interlocutors, both in Italy and (for those born abroad) in their country of origin. By analysing their answers, it was possible to attest the (at least) bilingual dimension of these subjects’ daily lives, especially within the family context, with friends and, above all, at school. The results show that these subjects have multiple and more or less ample competences at their disposal, as well as a marked sensitivity toward plurilingualism.

Academic achievement of immigrant children in Irish primary schools: the role of capitals and school context

Õppeedukus on üks peamistest näitajatest, mille põhjal ennustada edasist töist edu. Samas on varasemad uuringud näidanud, et paljudes riikides on rändetaustaga lastel keeruline saavutada emakeeles haridust omandavate eakaaslastega samaväärseid õpitulemusi. Hoolimata hariduspürgimustest võib rändetaustaga vanematel olla keeruline oma sotsiaalset ja kultuurilist kapitali konverteerida nii, et see toetaks nende laste saavutusi sihtriigis. Iirimaa on huvitav näide, sest selles riigis toimus mitmekesise taustaga sisserändajate (paljud neist eurooplased) laialdane ja kiire ühinemine koolisüsteemiga, kus õpivad valdavalt valged, iiri- ja ingliskeelsed katoliiklikest peredest pärit lapsed. Toetudes rändetaustaga laste ja noorte akadeemilist edukust käsitlevale ulatuslikule teaduskirjandusele, uuritakse siinses töös üheksa-aastaste rändetaustaga laste akadeemilist edukust uues sisseränderiigis vahetult pärast sisserände kõrghetke. Tulemused näitavad, et erinevalt paljudest vanadest sisserändajaid vastu võtvatest riikidest jäävad sisserändajate saavutused Iirimaal vaid veidi maha kohalike laste tasemest, kusjuures sotsiaalne ja kultuuriline kapital mõjutab oluliselt lugemisoskust inglise keeles, eriti Ida-Euroopa lastel, kelle puhul oli lõhe suurim. Hiljutiste rändetaustaga laste keelelise lõimumise mustrite adumine võib aidata meil mõista neid protsesse laste ja nende perekondade hilisema liikumise korral Euroopas.
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Academic achievement of immigrant children in Irish primary schools: the role of capitals and school context

Educational achievement is one of the key indicators of labour market success, yet previous research shows that in many countries, children from immigrant backgrounds struggle to match their native peers in terms of achievement. Despite high educational aspirations, migrant parents may struggle to "convert" their social and cultural capital to support their children’s achievement in their country of destination. Ireland is an interesting case study as there was substantial and rapid immigration of a diverse group of migrants, many of whom were European, to a school system that was predominantly White, Catholic, Irish and English-speaking. Drawing on the extensive literature on academic achievement of immigrant children and youth, this paper explores the academic achievement of 9-year-old immigrant children in a ‘new immigration country’, just after the peak of inward migration. The results show that unlike in many ‘old’ immigrant-receiving countries, the immigrant "penalty" in achievement in Ireland is modest, with social and cultural capital playing a salient role in English reading achievement, particularly for East Europeans, for whom the gap is greatest. Understanding the patterns of linguistic integration for recent migrant children may help us understand these processes in the case of subsequent movements of children and their families in Europe.

Working with Immigrant Children in Schools: Applying a Multi-Tiered Approach

ABSTRACT Immigrant children in the U.S. may face unique barriers that impede their success in school. School counselors are particularly well-positioned to implement interventions and advocate for immigrant students. A multi-tiered system of support is one way to organize a school counseling program that differentiates support for all students, creating a more equitable and inclusive school environment. This manuscript provides a conceptual tiered approach to support immigrant children to address a gap in the literature and inform school counseling practices.

Teachers for Immigrant Students: A Systematic Literature Review Across Hong Kong, Turkey, and the United States

Background:Diversity across the world is changing, given the growing number of immigrant children in schools. These increases in transnational mobility have teachers struggling to reconsider their everyday practices to accommodate many more newcomers in their classrooms. The need for teachers to become more responsive to changing social conditions and student populations is gaining urgency.Purpose:Our purpose in this study is to gain insight into what the literature says about educating immigrant children through the lens of social justice in Turkey, the United States, and Hong Kong, as each context presents a distinct case of immigration.Research Design:We conduct a systematic literature review on 87 articles, selected from teaching and teacher education journals. In light of documented inequities experienced by immigrant children, we conduct our review within a framework of teaching immigrant students globally within, versus parallel to, the field of teaching for social justice.Findings:Through cross-jurisdiction inquiry, our findings reveal both examples and counterexamples of teaching for social justice, categorized into three cross-cutting themes: (a) Ways of Teaching, (b) Ways of Knowing, and (c) Ways of Seeing. Among the literature, we found a significant focus on language acquisition in the teaching of immigrant students. Another pattern was the ways in which teachers and teacher education value (or not) immigrant students’ funds of knowledge by building on (or rejecting) what students and their communities bring to their learning. Finally, our review demonstrated how teacher educators and teachers encourage, challenge, and teach preservice teachers and students to work against institutional and societal structures that are oppressive for immigrant students.Conclusion:The global reality of superdiversity among immigrant students calls on teachers to be pedagogically adept to respect and support multiple ways of teaching, knowing, and seeing. Research on social justice education for immigrants needs to move beyond language acquisition/deficit as the primary lens for analysis to consider the assets that immigrants bring to classrooms. Despite the differences in the experiences of (im)migrant students in each of the national contexts, social justice must be embedded in teacher education to ensure inclusive and culturally responsive teaching for all.

“WE TEACH THEM THE WAYS WE CAN…”: educational practices for immigrant children in elementary schools in Russia

AbstractThe aim of this research was to identify the educational practices that elementary school teachers use in working with immigrant children for linguistic and academic support purposes. Empirical data were collected through interviews with twenty elementary school teachers. The interviews were analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis methods. The measures to create a favorable atmosphere in the classroom and the psychological comfort of the child include practices to promote respect for different ethnicities, developing intercultural communication skills. In the absence of institutionalized structures, teachers take the initiative to adapt their teaching and instructional methods when working with immigrant children. The inclusion of parents in the educational process can be used in all directions of the practices of teachers with immigrant children. In the context of Tatarstan, the teaching of Russian as a foreign language is possible through the Tatar language, which belongs to the Turkish language family. The native languages of most immigrants arriving in Tatarstan also belong to the Turkish language family.Keywords: teachers’ educational practices, immigrant children, language support, academic support, promotion of a favorable climate“NÓS OS ENSINAMOS COMO PODEMOS ...” Práticas educacionais para crianças imigrantes em escolas primárias na RússiaResumo: O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi identificar as práticas educativas que os professores do ensino fundamental utilizam no trabalho com crianças imigrantes para fins linguísticos e de apoio acadêmico. Os dados empíricos foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com vinte professores do ensino fundamental. As entrevistas foram analisadas por meio de métodos de análise de conteúdo indutiva e dedutiva. As medidas para a criação de um clima favorável na sala de aula e o conforto psicológico da criança incluem práticas de promoção do respeito às diferentes etnias, desenvolvendo habilidades de comunicação intercultural. Na ausência de estruturas institucionalizadas, os professores tomam a iniciativa de adaptar seus métodos de ensino e instrução ao trabalhar com crianças imigrantes. A inclusão dos pais no processo educacional pode ser usada em todas as direções das práticas dos professores com crianças imigrantes. No contexto do Tartaristão, o ensino do russo como língua estrangeira é possível por meio da língua tártara, que pertence à família das línguas turcas. As línguas nativas da maioria dos imigrantes que chegam ao Tartaristão também pertencem à família das línguas turcas.Palavras-chave:práticas educacionais de professores, filhos imigrantes, apoio linguístico, apoio acadêmico, promoção de um clima favorável“LES ENSEÑAMOS CÓMO PODEMOS ...” Prácticas educativas para niños inmigrantes en escuelas primarias de RusiaResumenEl objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar las prácticas educativas que utilizan los maestros de primaria en el trabajo con niños inmigrantes con fines de apoyo lingüístico y académico. Los datos empíricos se recopilaron a través de entrevistas con veinte maestros de escuela primaria. Las entrevistas se analizaron utilizando métodos de análisis de contenido inductivos y deductivos. Las medidas para crear un ambiente favorable en el aula y el confort psicológico del niño incluyen prácticas para promover el respeto a las diferentes etnias, desarrollando habilidades de comunicación intercultural. En ausencia de estructuras institucionalizadas, los maestros toman la iniciativa de adaptar sus métodos de enseñanza e instrucción cuando trabajan con niños inmigrantes. La inclusión de los padres en el proceso educativo se puede utilizar en todas las direcciones de las prácticas de los profesores con niños inmigrantes. En el contexto de Tartaristán, la enseñanza del ruso como lengua extranjera es posible a través del idioma tártaro, que pertenece a la familia del idioma turco. Las lenguas nativas de la mayoría de los inmigrantes que llegan a Tartaristán también pertenecen a la familia de las lenguas turcas.Palabras claves: prácticas educativas de los profesores, niños inmigrantes, apoyo lingüístico, apoyo académico, promoción de un clima favorable

Self-Concept in Immigrant School Children and the Impact of Length of Residence: Evidence from PISA 2015 for Current Educational Practice

Comparative analyses of the Programme for International Student Assessment between immigrant and native students place immigrant students in an unfavourable position in schools, with disadvantageous indicators regarding socioeconomic and professional paths. However, the Programme for International Student Assessment assesses a series of dimensions that involve constructs that have been little studied in the school immigrant population and that relate to self-concept and school adjustment. Based on the Programme for International Student Assessment’s most recent edition, Portugal’s database of 7,325 15-year-old students was analysed. We selected 438 immigrant cases with two objectives: (1) to evaluate the impact of the length of exposure in the host country on three dependent variables of school adjustment: sense of belonging, perceived loneliness and attitudes towards school (expectations of educational and professional opportunities); (2) to evaluate the differences in results for the same dependent variables, but considering the first and second generation of immigrants in Portugal. For the data analysis, sampling weights and plausible values were analysed with the International Database Analyzer. The results show that students who have been in the country for a year or less have greater difficulties and increased significant differences compared to other migrant groups in the referred indices of self-concept and inclusion. However, other groups, especially those with periods of long-term residence between four and five years, also face substantial levels of school maladjustment.

Language Inclusiveness in Education: Implications for Immigrant Students in France and New Zealand

Since 2016, educational environments all over the world are being precipitated towards change and adaptation, in response to mass global immigration and increasing numbers of newly-arrived plurilingual children in schools. France and New Zealand provide two examples of populations that are highly linguistically diverse, yet take differing approaches to the inclusion of immigrant languages in the educational environment. This article compares the effects of language policies in a francophone/anglophone context on the inclusion of plurilingual immigrant children in schools, on three tiers: the language of schooling (French/English), second language options in schools, and the treatment of immigrant languages. Two main questions are explored: (1) How inclusive are language education policies in France and New Zealand? (2) How are educational environments responding to greater numbers of newly-arrived plurilingual students in schools, as well as the demand for language inclusiveness from established immigrant communities? A number of similarities emerge (school systems essentially dominated by monolingualism in the language of schooling), as well as differences (visible trends towards language inclusiveness in policy and practice in 2020). Findings support the argument that plurilingual approaches to teaching and learning improve educational outcomes for immigrant students, and therefore that educational environments that cultivate “language inclusiveness”, particularly during the newly-arrived phase, are better equipped to support learning for immigrant students in schools.

CRIANÇAS EM SITUAÇÃO DE IMIGRAÇÃO NA ESCOLA PÚBLICA: PERCEPÇÕES DE DOCENTES

Resumo Este artigo apresenta uma pesquisa qualitativa sobre as percepções de docentes a respeito de crianças em situação de imigração ou de refúgio na escola pública, baseada na perspectiva crítica de educação intercultural e na concepção histórico-cultural. Foram realizadas entrevistas entre 2018 e 2019 com dez professores do Ensino Fundamental I de uma escola municipal de Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, com mais de doze anos de experiência na educação básica e que tiveram, em suas turmas, crianças congolesas ou angolanas. Identificamos que a presença de crianças em situação de imigração, que inicialmente se poderia constituir em um elemento dificultador para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, tem sido um motor para novas reflexões sobre diferenças, desigualdades, preconceitos e discriminação no espaço escolar.

Moderating Effect of Playfulness on the Correlation between Optimism and Creativity of New Immigrant Schoolchildren in Taiwan

This study recruited 483 new immigrant children in the fifth and sixth grades of elementary schools in Tainan to determine the correlation between various aspects of their optimism and creativity and the moderating effect of playfulness. Statistical methods involving items, reliability, analysis, descriptive statistics, two-way analysis of variance, and the moderating effect test were applied to questionnaire data. Significant positive relationships between optimism, playfulness, and creativity were identified with the schoolchildren, and playfulness moderated the relationship between their optimism and creativity.

The Spillover of Anti-Immigration Politics to the Schoolyard

There has been a resurgence in right wing and populist politics in recent years. A common element is a focus on immigration, an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric, and the vilification of minorities. This in turn has the potential to lead to increases in societal hostility towards immigrants. Children are likely to find themselves at the frontline of this phenomenon. This paper uses census data on two cohorts of 5th grade Italian students to estimate the causal effect of anti-immigration politics on school bullying. We use variations in the timing of municipal elections in Italy and focus on the effect of Lega Nord, a far-right party, with a strong anti-immigration platform. We demonstrate that in municipalities where elections occur and Lega Nord is highly active, the victimisation of immigrant school children increases. These effects are large, while they are absent for municipalities in which Lega Nord has little support, where no elections occurred and for native children. These findings are robust to different definitions of bullying outcomes or different definitions of Lega Nord presence. Our results suggest important negative spillovers from the political sphere to the welfare of children that are likely to be consequential.

Proceso migratorio, concentración escolar y resultados académicos en Cataluña

La concentración del alumnado inmigrante en las escuelas es vista con preocupación, ya que se relaciona generalmente con una mayor incidencia del fracaso escolar. En este contexto, y para Cataluña, se analiza la relación entre proceso migratorio, concentración escolar y resultados escolares para los alumnos que finalizan la educación secundaria obligatoria. Se emplea una perspectiva generacional, construida a partir del año de llegada a Cataluña, del lugar de origen y del de sus progenitores. Estos datos provienen del enlace realizado por el Instituto de Estadística de Cataluña entre los microdatos de los alumnos matriculados en escuelas públicas en el curso 2015-2016 y el Registro Estadístico de Población. Los resultados indican como la concentración se relaciona, para la mayoría de orígenes, con un incremento del fracaso escolar. Estos efectos se visibilizan a partir de elevados niveles de concentración, y son ambiguos en algunos orígenes, ya que no siempre se producen en el mismo sentido. Adicionalmente, estos efectos son más importantes para los alumnos autóctonos. La elevada diversidad de situaciones sugiere que la relación entre concentración y fracaso escolar no puede ser abordada desde una sola acción política.

Education as an element of integration policy – comparative analysis

The aim of the article is to present and evaluate the main activities that support the education of immigrant children in Poland and in selected European countries as well as to compare the models of integration in the field of the education of immigrant children in respective countries. The article uses the following methods: critical analysis of the literature and deductive reasoning techniques. The paper consists of three parts. The first part presents the role of education in integration policy and the objectives of the main models of integration in the area of the education of immigrant children. The second part presents legal regulations and key data relevant to immigrant children in Polish schools. The third part of the article presents integration models in European countries and compares the models of integration in Poland and in other European countries. The research hypothesis is the following: education of immigrant children as an important aspect of the policy of integration is characterised by diversified activities in respective European countries.

Principios inherentes a la mediación intercultural en la escuela

Las funciones del mediador o mediadora intercultural en el contexto escolar sigue siendo una tarea en proceso de construcción y que lamentablemente se vincula sistematicamente a la resolución de conflictos y a la interpretación linguistica obstaculizando así su consolidación como colectivo profesional. El objetivo principal es analizar la percepción de los docentes en educación infantil y primaria sobre las funciones de dicha figura profesional en la escuela. Para ello, se ha realizado entrevistas a docentes pertenecientes a centros educativos con mayor concentración de alumnado migrante. Los resultados revelan toda una bateria de actuaciones que rompen con la asociación simpista anteriormente mencionada.

Self-confidence and level of knowledge after cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in 14 to 18-year-old schoolchildren: A randomised-interventional controlled study in secondary schools in Germany.

Education of schoolchildren in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a strategic goal for improvement of bystander CPR in society. The primary objective was to analyse the impact of CPR training on the resuscitation knowledge and self-confidence of secondary schoolchildren. In addition, independent predictors of improved CPR knowledge and self-confidence were investigated. Randomised-interventional controlled study. Four secondary schools in Germany. Four hundred and twenty-four schoolchildren aged from 14 to 18 years were included into the study. Fifty-one percent were female, and 33% had an immigrant background. The intervention group received a 90-min CPR training session, whereas controls had no intervention. Levels of knowledge and self-confidence in initiating CPR were analysed by a study questionnaire before (t0), 90 min after (t1) and 6 months after training (t2). Based on the evaluation of study questionnaires, the primary endpoint was to determine the development of resuscitation knowledge and self-confidence in initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation at survey time-points t0, t1 and t2. Schoolchildren in the intervention group (n=207) showed a significantly higher level of knowledge (P < 0.001) and self-confidence (P < 0.001) at t1 and t2 compared with controls (n=217). Age was a predictor for long-term self-confidence [odds ratio (OR), 1.20; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.02 to 1.41; P = 0.032]. The long-term benefit in the level of knowledge and self-confidence were significantly higher in native compared with immigrant schoolchildren: (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.82; P = 0.011) and (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.60; P = 0.024), respectively. Guideline compliant (90 min) theoretical and practical CPR training improves the level of knowledge and self-confidence in 14 to 18-year-old schoolchildren. Older schoolchildren are more likely to have increased self-confidence with respect to initiating CPR. Schoolchildren with an immigrant background showed a significantly lower increase in their level of knowledge and self-confidence compared with native children. Adaptation and simplification of teaching materials and further research on educational methods for CPR are urgently needed to enable a sustainable approach to teaching CPR, which also produces a long-lasting effect in the entire population.

Teachers’ experiences with immigrant children in Czech elementary schools

Abstract The paper deals with Czech teachers’ experiences of teaching immigrant children in Czech schools at the primary and lower secondary level. Upon introducing the theoretical context the paper presents the results of empirical research based on semi-structured interviews with teachers. The survey demonstrates teachers’ attitudes to the current state of integration of immigrant children and the extent to which they are prepared for teaching this group of children. Teachers have a wide variety of opinion on different measures for improving the education of immigrants. Their attitudes towards immigrant children are largely influenced by the amount of previous experience with teaching immigrant children. An individualized teacher approach to immigrants plays an essential role in the successful integration of immigrant children in schools, as do the quality of interaction with immigrant parents, the similarity of the immigrant family culture to Czech culture and the range of measures designed to improve integration.

When school meets the Other: intercultural policies in the Basque inclusive school

ABSTRACTGatti, Irazuzta and Martinez address the intercultural public policies implemented in the education system of the Autonomous Region of the Basque Country (Spain). Focusing on the education system allows them to reconstruct the historicity of identity-alterity production in a region in which language has been central for the establishment of ethnic frontiers. More specifically, they examine the implementation of these policies in three pre-school and primary educational institutions in a multicultural neighbourhood of the city of Bilbao. They look at Euskara—the Basque language—as a key element of the us-them distinction. The various education models regarding language and the teaching in/of Euskara or Spanish pave the way for the specialization and spatialization of the schools analysed. ‘Integration’ policies are implemented in ethnically marked schools only, based on a rhetoric of interculturality that assumes that any ‘racial or ethnic discrimination’ can be overcome through knowledge of the Other. Moreover, the assessment of public policies through ‘interculturality figures and best practice’ developed to address the so-called ‘immigration issue’ promotes a protectionist intervention on behalf of the assumed social vulnerabilities of immigrant schoolchildren and their families, which are read as ‘problematic characteristics’. The article argues that, as a result of the approach based on the social conditions of immigrant children and their families in the Basque Country, the race issue evaporates.

From multiculturalism to civic integration: Citizenship education and integration policies in the Netherlands and England since the 2000s

The article discusses one of the most compelling policy issues facing liberal democracies in Europe: What policy tools can be used to promote social cohesion in a pluralist multi-ethnic society with different moral and religious and ethical values, and cultural and linguistic traditions? We focus on the role that citizenship education has taken since the early 2000s in light of the integration of immigrant children in schools in the Netherlands and England. Citizenship education is designed to integrate immigrant groups socially, foster their loyalty to the state and encourage them to become engaged in democratic politics. Our empirical analysis advances our understanding of the policy ramifications of a new turn in integration policies directed towards stronger civic integration through sharing common values and moral standards.