Globalization has led to an increase in global migration, which also affects the Republic of Slovenia. Migrations have an impact on the increasing number of immigrant children in schools. Consequently, classrooms are becoming more ethnically and nationally diverse, which poses a challenge to teachers in terms of lesson planning and integrating students whose first language is not Slovenian. Teachers are forced to strengthen interpersonal relationships and confront and overcome derogatory behaviors, such as prejudices, which undermine the development of positive mutual relations. They must encourage the positive aspects that can arise from the interaction of different cultures, such as becoming acquainted with different customs or unfamiliar languages. In this aspect, teachers' attitudes towards immigrants are crucial, as their approaches influence the opinion of their students. Social inclusion is a key factor for individuals to develop and learn, which is why both social and academic success depend on it.
In my master's thesis, we studied the strategies used by primary school teachers to integrate immigrant students and examined the academic and social success of immigrant students in Slovenian elementary schools. The aim is to provide guidelines for working with immigrant students, which will make it easier for primary school teachers to cope with the challenge of integrating immigrant students into the classroom. These guidelines will be especially beneficial for young teachers who are encountering these difficulties for the first time. In the theoretical part, we defined the following concepts: interculturality, integration, social acceptance, and academic success. We also reviewed the articles in Slovenian legislation related to immigrant students. We presented and described various strategies that primary school teachers can use to integrate immigrant students, including preparing for the arrival of immigrant students, integration strategies, and assessing the success of integration. Here we focused on the application of various strategies through the use of creative texts, peer assistance, visual and video materials, and social games. We also emphasized the importance of the teacher's role for individuals entering a foreign environment as well as the link between acceptance and academic success.
In the empirical part, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative research study, specifically with primary school teachers using a questionnaire. We discovered that teachers gather information on immigrant students and, for the most part, prepare for their arrival with strategies primarily aimed at understanding the Slovenian language. Teachers feel that they lack the education and time available for lessons necessary to devote themselves to each immigrant student at a broader level. The students who participated in the interviews mostly stated that they feel accepted at school and that their classmates and teachers have received them warmly. Additionally, we discovered that students who are more socially included typically perform better academically.
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