Sucessfull inclusion of immigrant pupils into primary school

Just like many other European Union countries, Slovenia has been coping with the challenge of immigration. The thesis describes Slovenian integration policy, a part of which is also integration in the area of education. In terms of education, integration means the pupil alone has to adjust to the school system, whereas inclusion suggests adjusting the system to the pupil. Consequently, good pedagogical practices that would integrate all students, including immigrant pupils, should be found within the concept of inclusion. The inclusive school concept also includes the multiculturalism principle, which should be realized in different areas of multicultural activity. Each school decides whether it will establish a multicultural school environment, where multicultural contacts are part of everyday life, while cultural, linguistic and ethnical variety is regarded as an opportunity to enrich the school area. Teachers play a key role in successful integration of immigrant pupils as they design and direct the pedagogical process. Good cooperation of school with immigrant pupils’ parents is also of great importance. The thesis focuses on immigrant children of the first generation who were not born in Slovenia, whose mother tongue is not Slovenian and who have entered the primary education system after immigrating to Slovenia. Since immigrant pupils are a vulnerable group of pupils, they need special attention not only during the integration into primary school but during the entire period of schooling. School legislation enables immigrant pupils to enter primary school under the same conditions as their native peers. After immigration they go to regular primary school forms and get different kinds of support. However, despite the fact that immigrant pupils receive some support, the latter does not ensure them equal opportunities for optimal development provided for in the legislation. The empirical part of the thesis is a study of a primary school and its dealing with the problem of immigrant pupils’ integration from the point of view of pedagogical workers, immigrant pupils and the parents of immigrant children. The qualitative research shows that the school in question organizes a pupil’s integration in several areas, as the pedagogical workers are aware of additional help the pupils need. Pupils get numerous ways of support and adjustments. The school stresses the importance of social integration, encourages cooperation with immigrant parents, and takes part in various projects and with different local organisations. Through development of multiculturalism, school includes everyone involved in a pedagogical process: all pupils, i.e. immigrant and other pupils, pedagogical workers and immigrant parents. Research results thus confirm that immigrant pupils’ integration is more successful and efficient if activities are performed in different areas and in connection with one another. Still, the school’s initiative is not enough. In order to make immigrant pupils’ integration more successful, changes are required at the institutional level: change of legislation, teachers’ education and change of syllabus