Teacher Opinions on Problems Resulting from Individual and Cultural Differences in the Adaptation Class of Students from Different Nationalities

Abstract

Various problems experienced by children of foreign families who immigrated to Turkey from different countries for various reasons have been frequently discussed in learning environments recently. Among these, primary problems such as individual differences, cultural differences and language problems at school come to the fore. PICTES (Supporting the Integration of Syrian Children into the Turkish Education System) project (2016-present) is jointly carried out by UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education to integrate Syrian students under temporary protection living in Turkey into the Turkish education system. This research aims to examine teachers' views on the problems arising from the cultural differences of students from different nationalities in an adaptation class opened within the scope of the PICTES project. The participants of this research, in which a holistic single case design was used among the qualitative research methods, were determined by the criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. Research data were collected from an adaptation class in Afyonkarahisar. The descriptive analysis method was used to analyse the research data. According to the findings, teachers state that language difference is the main cultural difference in the adaptation class and that students are reluctant to learn Turkish. In addition, the participants state that there is a tendency among students to engage in aggression, lying, violence, and grouping according to their nationality, that they have problems adapting to school, and that their families avoided cooperation. As a result of the research, teachers need professional development in teaching foreign students, eliminating cultural differences and establishing cooperation with foreign families. It is also determined that students tend to speak in their native language because they do not need to speak Turkish in the adaptation class.