Developing Intercultural Education

Abstract

The paper discusses the role of teachers in the inclusion of migrant students and provides some suggestions for the active engagement of teachers in developing intercultural education, with examples from Slovenia. To support teachers who develop intercultural competence among all students, it is important to include concrete learning objectives in the syllabuses, in the framework of which teachers will be able to teach about social diversity. It will also be necessary to introduce content about multiethnic, multilingual, and multireligious society into the academic programmes, so that (future) teachers are more prepared for a diverse school environment and the development of an intercultural society.

Anchoring, feelings of belonging, and the complex identities of migrant teenagers in Slovenia

“…In fact, Albanians are perceived as the ultimate ‘others’ not only by Slovenia’s ethnic majority, but also by members of the other migrant groups, due to their language being of non‐Slavic origin as well as some cultural characteristics such as their strong in‐group boundaries, intra‐group marriages, and tribal community organization. As noticed by Vižintin (2018: 94): ‘There has been an increase in intolerance and a strengthening of the prejudices against Albanian‐speaking children and their parents coming to Slovenia in the 21st century’.…”

Integration of migrant children in Slovenian schools (La integración de los niños migrantes en las escuelas eslovenas)

“…Nevertheless, intercultural education has gained more attention in recent decades, mainly through European initiatives that have resulted in several documents addressing the issue of interculturality and integration of migrant children in Slovenian schools. However, these mostly take the form of guidelines, and there is still a lack of comprehensive policy solution as often pointed out by experts and researchers in the field (see Grobelšek, 2010;Razpotnik, 2011;Sedmak et al, 2020;Skubic Ermec, 2006;Vižintin, 2014Vižintin, , 2018. As Peček Čuk and Skubic Ermenc (2016) critically state, interculturality in Slovenia is currently limited to 'providing additional learning of Slovene, additional learning of the other mother tongues and the provision of individual intercultural activities and lessons' (Peček Čuk & Skubic Ermenc, 2016, p. 21).…”

“…El documento más reciente sobre la integración de los niños migrantes es la Propuesta para un programa de trabajo con niños inmigrantes en el ámbito de la educación preescolar, primaria y secundaria (Rutar et al, 2018). El programa propuesto se basa en la inclusión como principio guía y en la interculturalidad como principio pedagógico-didáctico (Vižintin, 2018). También se basa en sistemas de apoyo, mecanismos de reconocimiento de experiencias, evaluación del conocimiento, planes de acción individual, aprendizaje de la lengua materna y el aprendizaje intensivo inicial de la lengua eslovena.…”

“…No obstante, la educación intercultural ha atraído mayor atención en las últimas décadas, principalmente a través de iniciativas europeas que produjeron diversos documentos en los que se aborda la interculturalidad y la integración de los niños migrantes en las escuelas eslovenas. Sin embargo, la mayoría de estos documentos adoptan la forma de directrices, y todavía es necesaria una solución política global como suelen indicar los expertos e investigadores en este ámbito (véase Grobelšek, 2010;Razpotnik, 2011;Sedmak et al, 2020;Skubic Ermec, 2006;Vižintin, 2014Vižintin, , 2018. Como Peček Čuk y Skubic Ermenc (2016) apuntan en su estudio crítico, en la Eslovenia actual, la interculturalidad se limita a 'ofrecer el aprendizaje de la lengua eslovena, el aprendizaje adicional de las lenguas maternas y actividades y lecciones interculturales individuales' (Peček Čuk & Skubic Ermenc, 2016, p. 21).…”

“…The most recent document on the integration of migrant children is a Proposal for a program of work with immigrant children in the field of pre-school, primary and secondary education (Rutar et al, 2018). The proposed programme is based on inclusion as a guiding principle and interculturality as a pedagogical-didactic principle (Vižintin, 2018). It is also based on system support, mechanisms for recognition of experiences, evaluation of knowledge, individual action plans, mother tongue learning and intensive initial learning of the Slovenian language.…”