Integration-of-migrants-into-school-system-guidelines-2012

National Education Institute of the Republic of SloveniaGUIDELINES FOR INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANT CHILDREN INTO KINDERGARTENS AND SCHOOLS Guidelines for a consistent integration of immigra

National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia

GUIDELINES FOR INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANT CHILDREN INTO

KINDERGARTENS AND SCHOOLS

Guidelines for a consistent integration of immigrants (children, basic school and upper secondary students) from other linguistic and cultural environments into the Slovenian

education system

Ljubljana, May 2012

The group of experts that developed these guidelines in 2009:

mag Marta Novak, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, Supervisor

dr Karmen Medica, Faculty of Humanities, Koper, member

mag Stanka Lunder Verlič, Ministry of Education and Sport, Education Development Office, membermag Katica Pevec Semec, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

Mojca Jelen Madruša, Koper Basic School, member

Janez Mežan, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

The group of experts that amended the guidelines in 2010:

mag Mirko Zorman, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, head of group

Andreja Duhovnik Antoni, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

Dragica Motik, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

mag Marta Novak, Educational Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

mag Katica Pevec Semec, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

Marija Sivec, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

Urška Stritar, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, member

Beside the two groups, the workgroup of the Ministry of Education and Sport involved in integration

of immigrants into the education system of the Republic of Slovenia contributed to developing theguidelines, as well

Upper-mag Marta Novak, National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia

Proofreading of the redactial review in 2011: mag Mirjam Podsedenšek

Proofreading of amendments in 2012: Mira Turk Škraba

The Council of experts of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education received was given a brief on the Amendment of the Guidelines for Integration of Immigrant Children into Kindergartens and Schools on 25October 2012 at the 152th meeting

1 INTRODUCTION 1

2 LEGAL / STATUTORY BACKGROUND 2

3 PRINCIPLES 3

4 CONCLUSION 6

5 RECOMMENDED LITERATURE AND SOURCES 8

6 SUPPLEMENT 11

6.1 GUIDELINES AND IDEAS FOR APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES

1 INTRODUCTION

The territory settled traditionally by Slovenians has always been subject to migration of individualsand groups from other cultural environments, for various reasons Immigrants integrated into theirnew environment, while Slovenians have been drawing from influences of other cultures Theglobalisation motivated increased migration supported by the European integration processes is thusonly the continuing of such movements, in different scope and from new environments of origin.However, in contrast to the past, the approach to integration is now better planned We havedeveloped consistent approaches for various fields We now recognise migrations as an importantadvantage in economic development, and acknowledge the courage of immigrants to seek betteropportunities for themselves and their families and their right to equal integration into their newenvironment

The key element for successful integration of immigrant children into the Slovenian society iseducation, which most effectively contributes to the provision of equal opportunities for a successfulpersonal development, labour market entry and social life for all, regardless of origin, gender identity,personal beliefs or other characteristics Through planned integration in kindergartens, schools andresidence halls and through procedures designed for their effective integration we wish to helpimmigrant children to successfully overcome learning difficulties related to their lack of languageskills, differences between family culture and prevailing culture of their environment, as well aspartial integration in the society and the differences between the education systems and programmes

in their country of origin and Slovenia The migration and integration strategies in all social fieldsuphold basic human rights and rights of the child At forefront is the right to right to life, liberty andsecurity of person, at the same time, to develop a stable and coherent society that believes theintensification of cultural diversity because of foreign immigration is to gain advantage and boost

creativity As specified by international treaties, the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia [Ustava

Republike Slovenije] grants all immigrants in Slovenia all rights, except for those, which are reserved

only for Slovenian citizens pursuant to the Constitution or law A specially safeguarded right is theright to express one's belonging to one's own nation or ethnic community, including the fostering andexpressing of one's own culture as well as the use of one's own language and script Everyone is alsoentitled to use their own language and script in proceedings before the state and other authoritiesproviding public services, i.e in a manner as provided by the law

Guidelines for integration of immigrant children lay down measures for integration of immigrants ineducation The document was developed in pursuit of the Strategy for Integration of ImmigrantChildren, Pupils and Upper-secondary Students in the education system of the Republic of Slovenia

(adopted by the college of Minister in May 2007) as an integral part of the national strategy forintegration of immigrant children They aim at various educational institutions providing pre-school,basic and upper secondary education, as well as residence halls in the Republic of Slovenia They laydown strategies, adapted working methods and forms of cooperation and integration of children andtheir parents, in order to assist kindergartens, schools and residence halls to plan educationalactivities with children entering our education system as citizens of other countries Individualchapters of the Guidelines lay down the bases and guiding principles for integration The annexincludes guidelines, proposals and ideas for the implementation of principles which thekindergartens, schools and residence halls can follow also when implementing activities for a bettersubsequent integration of children, basic school and upper secondary students from immigrantfamilies whose problems might have been overlooked until now or attributed to wrong reasons due

to lack of relevant strategies The guidelines take into account an inclusive approach to theintegration of immigrant children, basic school and upper secondary students or second or thirdgeneration immigrants whose parents moved from abroad during their integration into the Slovenianeducation system The guidelines further serve as an incentive for the creation of an effective learningenvironment for all participants, regardless of potential differences in their psychophysical ability,language, family's socio-economic status, etc

Kindergartens and schools in linguistically and ethnically mixed areas in Slovenian Istra and Pomurjealso face increasing cultural and linguistic diversity The guidelines also reasonably apply to theseenvironments with due consideration of the presence of Hungarian and Italian as official languages,

as well as all related effects on the organisation and provision of education Each mention ofSlovenian as the medium of instruction includes Italian and Hungarian, as well, when these languagesare mediums of instruction at schools, kindergartens or residence halls

The Guidelines are available on the website of the National Education Institute of the Republic ofSlovenia (http://www.zrss.si/default.asp?rub=1914), where they will be further supplemented bypractical examples, which will highlight specific recommendations, and on the website of the Ministry

of Education, Science, Culture and Sport - immigrants in Education sub-page(http://www.zrss.si/default.asp?rub=1944)

Immigrant children have the same legal status at enrolment into Slovenian education system as allother children in education

In education of immigrant children in the Republic of Slovenia one upholds the principle of the UNDeclaration of the Rights of the Child1, and the right to education pursuant to the UN Convention onthe Rights of a Child2 One plans the education of immigrant children in line with regulations of theEuropean community and other international organisations.

Among basic goals for the education of immigrant children that apply to areas of activities atkindergartens and schools3, as well as residential halls we aim, in particular, to:

• facilitate optimal development of the individual regardless of gender identity, social andcultural background, religious views, nationality, as well as physical and mental constitution

• educate for mutual tolerance

• foster awareness of gender equality

• have respect for diversity and cooperation with others

• have respect for rights of the child and human rights, as well as fundamental freedoms

• provide equal opportunities for both genders and by that, develop skills for life in a

democratic society

The rights to integration of immigrant children4 in the Slovenian education system is regulated by theOrganisation and Financing of Education Act, Basic School Act, Gimnazije Act, Vocational EducationAct, and the Rules on knowledge assessment and grading and students' progress to a higher classstanding in basic schools (for more information please visit the website Immigrants in Education)

3 PRINCIPLES

In planning and implementing the education programmes at schools and residence halls or thecurriculum at kindergartens, we uphold and pursue the following principles and goals that areimportant in view of an inclusive approach in upholding the rights of immigrant children to education,their effective integration and development of an inter-cultural society:

1 Principle 7 of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child

2 Articles 28 and 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

3 Term "school" includes basic, vocational and technical schools, gimnazije, residential homes for basic school

and upper secondary school students

4 Term "immigrant child" applies to children at kindergartens, basic school and upper secondary school students, and residential halls for basic school and upper secondary school students

Principle of openness, autonomy and professional responsibility of the educational institution and education staf

As specified by primary and secondary laws, kindergartens, schools and residence halls shall makeautonomous decisions on how to organise and work with immigrant children to pursue best theobjectives of their integration in the Slovenian education system Autonomy and responsibility ofeducation staff upholds the concept of diversity as a value and on skills of intercultural teaching andlearning Educational institutions that cater for immigrant children pay special attention to strategies

of working with immigrant children in their annual work plan They plan concrete measures to ensurethat the immigrant basic school and upper secondary school students attain standards of knowledgeand at the same time, support their right to preserving their own cultural identity

Principle of equal opportunities by allowing for diversity among children (respect of the culture of child’s origin) and developing multiculturalism and multilingualism

All children have to have good chances for development Close cooperation betweenkindergartens/schools/residence halls and parents is a significant contributing factor.Kindergartens/schools/residence halls staff assist parents in including the child by developing amutual partnership Kindergartens/schools/residence halls support children in using their mothertongue, while actively encourage them to learn the skills to communicate in Slovenian.Kindergartens/schools/residence halls create environment and organises life to allow all children andtheir parents gain experience of equal opportunities and experience this right

Kindergartens/schools/residence halls develop intercultural education in line with the culturalidentity of participants in the learning process by providing appropriate and culturally responsiveeducation for all Education staff often misguided by lack of language skills of learners (medium ofinstruction) tend to lower their expectations and attribute the lack of language skills to generalignorance They are too quickly content by far too simplified knowledge Thus, it is essential, to assessthe understanding of what has been learned, and use language and graphic tools and other didacticalaids that students understand

The important aims of intercultural education are for all children- become active and full participants

in our society regardless of their cultural background, skills and needs

Staff at multicultural kindergartens/schools/residence halls perceive cultural, linguistic and religiousdiversity as a normal situation that includes both minority and majority populations, tend to it like it

is a unique teaching asset, a precious source of knowledge and understanding, helping all accept andacknowledge diversity

Children being aware that people are different prompts the need to learn about the differences of theother culture that both the immigrant child as well as the child of the majority population mayappreciate as a new value For this reason, content and methods at kindergartens/schools/residencehalls should incorporate values such as equality, democracy, freedom and friendship, as well aspromote the development of multicultural competencies of children/students

The focus of intercultural education and integration of immigrant children should be on developingintercultural competences, namely to build and strengthen the four pillars of knowledge: learning toknow, learning to know how to work, learning to know how to live together, and learning to be Theessential factor of effective intercultural education is the medium of instruction, but the role of themother tongue that is not medium of instruction should not be dismissed nor all other languages thatare within the learner's repertoire UNESCO highlighted already in 2003 that multilingualism is a factand a norm of the modern society and by it, the school process It argues that learning and teaching

in only one language (usually the first language of the majority of students) is not universal form oflearning The Council of Europe (2010) argues the same in its guidelines for the development andimplementation of the multilingual and intercultural education curricula Multilingualism is not onlyusing several languages, it is also overcoming directly intercultural barriers in learning other anddifferent through practical experience Linguistic diversity and multiculturalism contribute to effectivecooperation and creative environment in new life circumstances, in which the society is forced by thefast development of ICT tools, an area in which Slovenia is assuming an important role

Principle of creating conditions for reaching objectives and standards of knowledge

Schools develop relevant forms and methods of work to enable the immigrant students a successfulintegration into school, and to reach the required knowledge standards Schools develop individualactivity plan of activities for every immigrant student they accept The plan includes the internalindividualisation and differentiation, programme of remedial and supplementary lessons, as well asother measures, namely tailored to learning and other needs and specifics of a student that comesfrom another culture Schools should develop learning support networks among students Individualplan of activities includes a plan to follow the realisation of educational goals, as well

Principle of active learning and opening up possibilities for communication and other forms of expression – language learning

Immigrant children should be encouraged using languages (mother tongue, Slovenian or combination

of both) in different functions and activities This way, kindergartens, schools and residence hallspromote learning the language of the learning environment, i.e Slovenian, and mother tongue of thechild All education staff is also a language teacher, therefore they should all be aware of insufficientcommand of Slovenian of both immigrant children as well as children with immigrant background(second generation)

Principle of cooperation with the wider local community

The educational process should involve members of wider community (including children), now andagain, not merely family members of children

At kindergartens/schools/residence halls there should be a confidential counsellor responsible for theinteraction between parents and school/residence hall, as well as interaction between school andlocal community Among other, the confidential counsellor establishes contacts and relationship withlocal NGOs and youth organisations, namely with the ones that deal with integration of immigrantchildren and youth, operate in the close or wider surrounding, have good experience of working withchildren/youth and their parents, and can be helpful in finding effective paths

These organisations pursue various activities that add to quality work of teachers and education staff

as they provide learning support, learning Slovenian support, open their premises for after-schoolactivities, as well as organise active leisure time and cooperate with parents Building a relationship

on cooperation and partnership between school staff and staff of NGOs and youth organisations givespositive results that benefit the immigrant child/ student

Other children, too, have to be encouraged to cooperate in and outside school, one should promotepeer support

Kindergartens/schools/residential halls include in their work programme various different strategiesand methods of cooperation with parents of immigrant children It is important to pursue the sameactivities as one undertakes for all parents, otherwise

The Guidelines for Education of Immigrant Children at Kindergartens, Schools and Residence halls is aframework document providing general work guidelines to facilitate successful integration ofimmigrant children/students, as well as planning of education activities for the entire population of

children/students The content applies the principle of autonomy therefore, educational institutionsdevelop own plan of activities that includes and considers characteristics and specifics of a child/student; work toward most suitable solutions to concrete problems, namely in accordance withapplicable regulations and the guidelines However, institutions may rely on the experience of othereducational institutions in similar situations Schools and kindergartens develop, monitor and amendthe programme for integration of an immigrant child, as well as promote relevant continuousprofessional development of staff.

Education staff foster an environment in which they promote interaction among cultures andlanguages of children with different cultural and language background and in turn, they provideopportunities for co-shaping a culture of cohabitation of all involved The most successful learningenvironments with this are the ones that promote teamwork practices and cooperation amongeducation staff Although, working in culturally diverse learning environments is often challenging foreducation staff, it makes them grow both personally as well as professionally The process is constantchallenge of for the development of the institution as a whole and of individual education staff.Kindergartens, schools and residential halls that work with immigrant children strive to find as manypossibilities for a successful integration in the education process, as possible

The aim of all included in education and the social community is to provide each child with propereducation experience to guide the child and allow him or her to experience acceptance, success andsatisfaction

5 RECOMMENDED LITERATURE AND SOURCES

1 Achermann, B (2004) Gradivo na usposabljanju multiplikatorjev za izvajanje programov zaspodbujanje medkulturnosti v vrtcih in osnovnih ter srednjih šolah v Sloveniji (unpublished materials)

2 Auernheimer, G (2002) Interkulturelle Kompetenz und pädagogische Professionalität.Leverkusen: Leske und Budrich Verlag

3 Bender-Szymanski, D (2002) Interkulturelle Kompetenz bei Lehrerinnen und Lehrer aus derSicht der empirischen Bildungsforschung In: Auernheimer, 2002, pp 153–177

4 Bešter, R (2007) Model integracijske politike v odnosu do drugih modelov imigrantskihpolitik Razprave Gradivo Inštitut za narodnostna vprašanja No 53/54, pp 116–138

5 Bevc, M (2000) Meddržavne selitve prebivalcev Slovenije ter obseg emigrantov in tujcev vSloveniji – devetdeseta leta Dve domovini No 11–12, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana

6 Bogatec, N et al (2008) Projekt MOZAIK Učinki večetičnega okolja na osnovno šolanje Trst.Sian

7 Bufon, M (2005) Med konvergenco in divergenco: dileme evropskih integracijskih procesov.Ann, Ser hist sociol., 2005, Vol 15, No 1, pp 55–68

8 Byram, M (ed.) (2009) Multicultural Societies, Pluricultural People and the Project ofIntercultural Education Strasbourg Council of Europe DG IV / EDU / LANG (2009) 1.www.coe.int/lang

9 Council of Europe (2008) White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue [CM(2008)30 final 2 May2008] Strasbourg: Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe

10 Council of Europe (2009) Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters Strasbourg

108 Council of Europe (2010) Guide for the development and implementation of curricula forplurilingual and intercultural education Available at www.coe.int/lang (accessed on 8 March 2011)

12 Delors, J et al (1996) Učenje – skriti zaklad: poročilo Mednarodne komisije o izobraževanju

za enaindvajseto stoletje, prepared for UNESCO Ljubljana: Ministry of Education and Sport

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14 EUCIM-TE (2010) Evropski jedrni program izobraževanja učiteljev za inkluzivno poučevanjeakademskega jezika (IALT) Available at http://www.eucim-te.eu/ (accessed on 15 March 2011)

15 Fidler, S (2004) Jezikovno in medkulturno uzaveščanje v osnovni šoli Teacher manual.Ljubljana: Faculty of Education

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19 Klinar, P (1981) Družbeni položaj druge generacije migrantov, Teorija in praksa, 1981

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22 Medica, K (2007) Integracijski multikulturalizem ali multikulturnost integracije Monitor ISH,Vol 9, No 2, pp 77–90

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26 Dekleva, B., Razpotnik, Š (2002) Čefurji so bili rojeni tu Pedagoška fakulteta: Inštitut zakriminologijo pri Pravni fakulteti, Ljubljana

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28 Motik D., Veljič I (2006) Spoznavam sebe, tebe, nas Ljubljana: ZRSŠ

29 Norwegian Ministry of Education (2007) Equality in educational practice "Strategy for betterteaching and greater participation of linguistic minorities in kindergartens, schools and education

http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Norway/Norway%20Equal%20education%20in

%20practice.pdf (accessed on 8 March 2011)

30 OECD (2009) Children of Immigrants in the Labour Markets of EU and OECD Countries: AnOverview, Revised version as of 29 October 2009

31 Prengei, A (1995) Pädagogik der Vielfalt Verschiedenheit and Gleichberechtigung ininterkultureller, feministischer und integrativer Pädagogik Opladen: Leske and Budrich (7th edition)

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33 Razpotnik, Š (2004) Preseki odvečnosti: nevidne identitete mladih priseljenk v družbitranzicijskih vic Faculty of Education in Ljubljana

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37 Ule, M (1999) Predsodki in diskriminacija Znanstveno in publicistično središče, Ljubljana

38 Svetlik, I (1993) Indikatorji in regulatorji neekonomskih aspektov družbenega razvoja.Ljubljana : RSS

39 Stern, T (2010) Forderliche Leistungsbewertung Wien: Österreichisches Zentrum fürPersönlichkeitsbildung und soziales Lernen

40 Učni načrt Tečaj slovenščine za dijake tujce Ministry of Education and Sport, NationalEducation Institute of the Republic of Slovenia Available athttp://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/Aktualno/UNdijakipriseljenci.pdf

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Uvajanje rešitev s področja vključevanja migrantov v izvedbene kurikule 2009-2010/ Consortium of sixbasic schools in Slovenian Istra/Koper 2010