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Teachers’ Attitudes to Syrian Refugee Students in Turkey

Year 2021, , 383 - 396, 08.04.2021
https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911458

Abstract

From the last decade on, the matter of refugees in Turkey has become a key issue in almost all social and political areas including education. Following the refugee influx from 2011 on, Turkey has immediately taken action to provide the Syrian refugee students with necessary educational opportunities in its mainstream schools. The present study was targeted at revealing Turkish teachers’ attitudes towards these Syrian refugee students in their classrooms. A total of 95 in-service teachers from different fields participated in the study. The data were collected through a composite instrument. Teachers’ attitudes were categorized under three main subheadings; communication, adaptation, and efficiency. The statistical results indicated that the teachers were eager to help the refugee students overcome their adaptation problems which were mainly caused by their language-related deficiencies. They also had positive attitudes to communicate effectively with these students although they did not have enough practice in their undergraduate years in regards with the refugee education. Moreover, the teachers with high efficacy beliefs had better attitudes toward refugee students in their classrooms. The results were discussed in line with the refugee education and teacher education policies in the literature.

References

  • Alpaydin, Y. (2017). An Analysis of Educational Policies for School-Aged Syrian Refugees in Turkey. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(9), 36-44.
  • Aydin, H., Gundogdu, M., & Akgul, A. (2019). Integration of Syrian refugees in Turkey: Understanding the educators’ perception. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 20(4), 1029-1040
  • Aydin, H., & Kaya, Y. (2017). The educational needs of and barriers faced by Syrian refugee students in Turkey: A qualitative case study. Intercultural Education, 28(5), 456- 473.
  • Başar, M., Akan, D., & Çiftçi, M. (2018). Mülteci öğrencilerin bulunduğu sınıflarda öğrenme sürecinde karşılaşılan sorunlar. Kastamonu Education Journal, 26(5), 1571-1578. doi:10.24106/kefdergi.427432
  • Bircan, T., & Sunata, U. (2015). Educational assessment of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Migration Letters, 12(3), 226-237.
  • Bower, M., Cavanagh, M., Moloney, R., & Dao, M. (2011). Developing communication competence using an online Video Reflection system: pre-service teachers' experiences. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(4), 311-326.
  • Çiftçi, H. (2018). Türkiye Cumhuriyeti vatandaşlarının Suriyeli sığınmacılara yönelik tutum, algı ve empatik eğilimlerinin analizi. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 7(3), 2232-2256.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. California, CA: Sage publications.
  • Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Ekin, S., Yetkin, R. & Öztürk, S. Y. (2021). A Comparative study of career motivations and perceptions of student teachers. Turkish Studies - Education, 16(1), 505-516. https://dx.doi.org/10.47423/TurkishStudies.47210
  • Er, A. R., & Bayındır, N. (2015). Pedagogical approaches of elementary teachers for primary refugee children. International Journal of Social and Educational Sciences, 2(4), 175-185. https://doi.org/10.20860/ijoses.08223
  • Gagné, A., Schmidt, C., & Markus, P. (2017). Teaching about refugees: Developing culturally responsive educators in contexts of politicised transnationalism. Intercultural Education, 28(5), 429-446.
  • Ivankova, N. V., Creswell, J. W., & Stick, S. L. (2006). Using mixed-methods sequential explanatory design: From theory to practice. Field Methods, 18(1), 3-20.
  • Kardeş, S., & Akman, B. (2018). Suriyeli sığınmacıların eğitimine yönelik öğretmen görüşleri. Elementary Education Online, 17(3), 1224-1237.
  • Kiel, E., Braun, A., Muckenthaler, M., Heimlich, U., & Weiss, S. (2020). Self-efficacy of teachers in inclusive classes. How do teachers with different self-efficacy beliefs differ in implementing inclusion?. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(3), 333-349.
  • Kiremit, R.F., Akpınar, Ü., & Tüfekçi Akcan, A. (2018). Suriyeli öğrencilerin okula uyumları hakkında öğretmen görüşleri. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 26(6), 2139-2149. doi:10.24106/kefdergi.428598
  • Kubilay, S., & Kiliç, R. (2019). Awareness Level and Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers Regarding Syrian Students' Education in Turkey. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 5(1), 248-254.
  • Noy, C. (2008). Sampling knowledge: The hermeneutics of snowball sampling in qualitative research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 11(4), 327-344.
  • Parry, S. (2019). Immigration. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/immigration
  • Promoting Integration of Syrian Kids into the Turkish Education System (n.d.). About PIKTES. https://piktes.gov.tr/Home/IndexENG
  • Sağlam, H. İ., & İlksen-Kanbur, N. (2017). Investigation attitudes towards refugee students of class teachers' in terms of several variables. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 7(2), 310 – 323.
  • Sahin, S., & Sümer, S. (2018). The problems experienced in the integration process of Syrian students into the Turkish education system. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(5), 909-918.
  • Sukamolson, S. (2007). Fundamentals of quantitative research. Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University. Retrieved from http://www.culi.chula.ac.th/Research/eJournal/bod/Suphat%20Sukamolson.pdf
  • Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J. W. (2007). The new era of mixed methods research [Editorial]. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1, 3-7.
  • Taskin, P., & Erdemli, O. (2018). Education for Syrian refugees: Problems faced by teachers in Turkey. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 18(75), 155-178.
  • Toker Gokce, A., & Acar, E. (2018). School Principals' and Teachers' Problems Related to the Education of Refugee Students in Turkey. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 473-484.
  • Topkaya, E. Z., & Uztosun, M. S. (2012). Choosing teaching as a career: Motivations of preservice English teachers in Turkey. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(1), 126-134.
  • Tösten, R., Toprak, M., & Kayan, M. S. (2017). An Investigation of Forcibly Migrated Syrian Refugee Students at Turkish Public Schools. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(7), 1149-1160.
  • Turkey: Key facts and figures (2019, November). The UN Refugee Agency Turkey. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from https://www.unhcr.org/tr/unhcr-turkiye-istatistikleri
  • Türkiye’deki Suriyeli Sayısı (2020, March 26). Refugees Association. Retrieved April 1, 2020, from https://multeciler.org.tr/turkiyedeki-suriyeli-sayisi/
  • Uzun, E. M., & Bütün, E. (2016). Okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarındaki Suriyeli sığınmacı çocukların karşılaştıkları sorunlar hakkında öğretmen görüşleri. Uluslararası Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 1(1), 72-83.
  • Who is a refugee? Who is an asylum seeker? (2016, February 16). Refugee Council of Australia. Retrieved April 7, 2020, from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/definitions/
Year 2021, , 383 - 396, 08.04.2021
https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911458

Abstract

References

  • Alpaydin, Y. (2017). An Analysis of Educational Policies for School-Aged Syrian Refugees in Turkey. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(9), 36-44.
  • Aydin, H., Gundogdu, M., & Akgul, A. (2019). Integration of Syrian refugees in Turkey: Understanding the educators’ perception. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 20(4), 1029-1040
  • Aydin, H., & Kaya, Y. (2017). The educational needs of and barriers faced by Syrian refugee students in Turkey: A qualitative case study. Intercultural Education, 28(5), 456- 473.
  • Başar, M., Akan, D., & Çiftçi, M. (2018). Mülteci öğrencilerin bulunduğu sınıflarda öğrenme sürecinde karşılaşılan sorunlar. Kastamonu Education Journal, 26(5), 1571-1578. doi:10.24106/kefdergi.427432
  • Bircan, T., & Sunata, U. (2015). Educational assessment of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Migration Letters, 12(3), 226-237.
  • Bower, M., Cavanagh, M., Moloney, R., & Dao, M. (2011). Developing communication competence using an online Video Reflection system: pre-service teachers' experiences. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(4), 311-326.
  • Çiftçi, H. (2018). Türkiye Cumhuriyeti vatandaşlarının Suriyeli sığınmacılara yönelik tutum, algı ve empatik eğilimlerinin analizi. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 7(3), 2232-2256.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. California, CA: Sage publications.
  • Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Ekin, S., Yetkin, R. & Öztürk, S. Y. (2021). A Comparative study of career motivations and perceptions of student teachers. Turkish Studies - Education, 16(1), 505-516. https://dx.doi.org/10.47423/TurkishStudies.47210
  • Er, A. R., & Bayındır, N. (2015). Pedagogical approaches of elementary teachers for primary refugee children. International Journal of Social and Educational Sciences, 2(4), 175-185. https://doi.org/10.20860/ijoses.08223
  • Gagné, A., Schmidt, C., & Markus, P. (2017). Teaching about refugees: Developing culturally responsive educators in contexts of politicised transnationalism. Intercultural Education, 28(5), 429-446.
  • Ivankova, N. V., Creswell, J. W., & Stick, S. L. (2006). Using mixed-methods sequential explanatory design: From theory to practice. Field Methods, 18(1), 3-20.
  • Kardeş, S., & Akman, B. (2018). Suriyeli sığınmacıların eğitimine yönelik öğretmen görüşleri. Elementary Education Online, 17(3), 1224-1237.
  • Kiel, E., Braun, A., Muckenthaler, M., Heimlich, U., & Weiss, S. (2020). Self-efficacy of teachers in inclusive classes. How do teachers with different self-efficacy beliefs differ in implementing inclusion?. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(3), 333-349.
  • Kiremit, R.F., Akpınar, Ü., & Tüfekçi Akcan, A. (2018). Suriyeli öğrencilerin okula uyumları hakkında öğretmen görüşleri. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 26(6), 2139-2149. doi:10.24106/kefdergi.428598
  • Kubilay, S., & Kiliç, R. (2019). Awareness Level and Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers Regarding Syrian Students' Education in Turkey. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 5(1), 248-254.
  • Noy, C. (2008). Sampling knowledge: The hermeneutics of snowball sampling in qualitative research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 11(4), 327-344.
  • Parry, S. (2019). Immigration. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/immigration
  • Promoting Integration of Syrian Kids into the Turkish Education System (n.d.). About PIKTES. https://piktes.gov.tr/Home/IndexENG
  • Sağlam, H. İ., & İlksen-Kanbur, N. (2017). Investigation attitudes towards refugee students of class teachers' in terms of several variables. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 7(2), 310 – 323.
  • Sahin, S., & Sümer, S. (2018). The problems experienced in the integration process of Syrian students into the Turkish education system. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(5), 909-918.
  • Sukamolson, S. (2007). Fundamentals of quantitative research. Language Institute, Chulalongkorn University. Retrieved from http://www.culi.chula.ac.th/Research/eJournal/bod/Suphat%20Sukamolson.pdf
  • Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J. W. (2007). The new era of mixed methods research [Editorial]. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1, 3-7.
  • Taskin, P., & Erdemli, O. (2018). Education for Syrian refugees: Problems faced by teachers in Turkey. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 18(75), 155-178.
  • Toker Gokce, A., & Acar, E. (2018). School Principals' and Teachers' Problems Related to the Education of Refugee Students in Turkey. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 473-484.
  • Topkaya, E. Z., & Uztosun, M. S. (2012). Choosing teaching as a career: Motivations of preservice English teachers in Turkey. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(1), 126-134.
  • Tösten, R., Toprak, M., & Kayan, M. S. (2017). An Investigation of Forcibly Migrated Syrian Refugee Students at Turkish Public Schools. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(7), 1149-1160.
  • Turkey: Key facts and figures (2019, November). The UN Refugee Agency Turkey. Retrieved April 3, 2020, from https://www.unhcr.org/tr/unhcr-turkiye-istatistikleri
  • Türkiye’deki Suriyeli Sayısı (2020, March 26). Refugees Association. Retrieved April 1, 2020, from https://multeciler.org.tr/turkiyedeki-suriyeli-sayisi/
  • Uzun, E. M., & Bütün, E. (2016). Okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarındaki Suriyeli sığınmacı çocukların karşılaştıkları sorunlar hakkında öğretmen görüşleri. Uluslararası Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 1(1), 72-83.
  • Who is a refugee? Who is an asylum seeker? (2016, February 16). Refugee Council of Australia. Retrieved April 7, 2020, from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/definitions/
There are 32 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Linguistics
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Semih Ekin This is me 0000-0002-8876-7518

Ramazan Yetkin This is me 0000-0002-4688-509X

Publication Date April 8, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021

Cite

APA Ekin, S., & Yetkin, R. (2021). Teachers’ Attitudes to Syrian Refugee Students in Turkey. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 383-396. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911458