ADULT REFUGEES LEARNING GREEK AS L2 FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS: THE CASE OF VOLOS IMMIGRANT CENTER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v6i2.468Keywords:
second language learning, immigrants/refugees, social inclusionAbstract
In this article, I examine the views of asylum seekers with limited schooling experience who attend classes in Greek as a second language, and their teachers, who volunteer in a non-profit organization, using semi-structured interviews. I discuss the role of language in the social inclusion of refugees in a non-formal educational setting and how it affects their motivation to learn the Greek language. Attending classes in a non-formal setting seems to lead to greater social inclusion, broadening the students’ relationships with other immigrants/refugees and their instructors. Social skills in communication and interaction between themselves and also other people are enhanced.References
Androulakis, G., Mastorodimou, E., & van Boeschoten, R. (2016). Using qualitative methods for the analysis of adult immigrants’ L2 needs: Findings from a research project in Greece focusing on school-parents communication. CALL: Irish Journal for Culture, Arts, Literature and Language, 1(1), 1-19.
Beacco, J., Krumm, H., Little, D., & Thalgott, P. (2017). The linguistic integration of adult migrants: Some lessons from research. Council of Europe.
Bernaus, M., Masgoret, A., Gardner, R. C., & Reyes, E. (2004). Motivation and attitudes towards learning languages in multicultural classrooms. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1(2), 75-89.
Călăfăteanu, A. M., & García-López, M. A. (2017). T-KIT 8: Social inclusion. Council of Europe Publishing. https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/youth-partnership/t-kit-8-social-inclusion
Coombs, P. H., & Ahmed, M. (1974). Attacking rural poverty: How non-formal education can help. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Coombs, P. H., Prosser, C., & Ahmed, M. (1973). New paths to learning for rural children and youth. International Council for Educational Development.
Doucerain, M. M. (2017). L2 experience mediates the relation between mainstream acculturation orientation and self-assessed L2 competence among migrants. Applied Linguistics 40(2), 355-378.
Doughty, C., & Long, M. (2003). The handbook of second language acquisition. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Ehrman, M. E., Leaver, B. L., & Oxford, R. L. (2003). A brief overview of individual differences in second language learning. System, 31(3), 313-330.
Esser, H. (2006). Migration, language and integration. AKI research review 4. Programme on intercultural conflicts and societal integration (AKI), Social Research Center.
Fanta-Vagenshtein, Y. (2011). Literacy and second language intervention for adult Hebrew second language (HSL) learners. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 7(1), 79-94.
Hammer, K. (2017). Sociocultural integration and second language proficiency following migration. In J. C. Beacco, D. Little, H. J. Krumm, & Ph. Thalgott (Εds). The linguistic integration of adult migrants: Some lessons from research (pp. 91-96). De Gruyter Mouton in cooperation with the Council of Europe.
Hanemann, U. (2018). Language and literacy programmes for migrants and refugees: Challenges and ways forward. Unesco https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000266077/PDF/266077eng.pdf.multi
Huntley, H. (1992). The new illiteracy: A study of the pedagogic principles of teaching English as a second language to non-literate adults. Information Analyses, 070, 1-47.
Ives, N., Oda, A., Bridekirk, J., Hynie, M., McGrath, S., Mohammad, R., Awwad, M., Sherrell, K., Khalaf, M., & Diaz, M. (2022). Syrian refugees’ participation in language classes: Motivators and barriers. Refuge, 38(2), 1-19.
Jin, L. & Cortazzi, M. (2011). Researching Chinese Learners. Skills, Perceptions and Intercultural Adaptations. Palgrave Macmillan.
Kasimati, K. (2006). The Integration of Albanian Immigrants into Greek Society (From the narrations of Albanians and Greeks). In Ventoura, L. (Ed.), Immigration and migrant integration into Greek society (pp. 353-411). Gutenberg [in Greek].
Kim, Y. Y. (2017). Identity and intercultural communication (pp. 1-20). In Y. Y. Kim (Ed.), The international encyclopedia of intercultural communication. Wiley.
Kovacheva, S. (2014). EU-CoE youth partnership policy sheet: Social inclusion. https://pjp-eu.coe.int/documents/42128013/47261683/Social+inclusion+by+Siyka+Kovacheva/651cf755-ca79-486d-9648-5ae89542650b
Krupar, A., Horvatek, R., & Byun, S. (2017). Does nonformal education Matter? Nonformal education, immigration, and skills in Canada. Adult Education Quarterly, 67(3), 186-208.
Magos, K., & Margaroni, M. (2018). The importance of educating refugees. Global Education Review, 5(4), 1-6.
Marrapodi, J. (2013). What doesn't work for the lowest level literacy learners and why? Apples, 7(1), 7-23.
Mattheoudakis, M. (2005). Language education of adult immigrants in Greece: Current trends and future developments. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 24(4), 319- 336.
Mogli, M. & Papadopoulou, M. (2018). “If I stay here, I will learn the language”: Reflections from a case study of Afghan refugees learning Greek as a second language. Research Papers in Language Teaching and Learning, 9(1), 181-194.
Morrice, L. (2016). Why non-formal language learning can be more effective for migrants. https://ec.europa.eu/epale/it/node/21165
Morrice, L., Tip, L. K., Collyer, M., & Brown, R. (2021). “You can’t have a good integration when you don’t have a good communication”. English-language learning among resettled refugees in England. Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1), 681-699.
Non Formal Pathways in Language Teaching (2017). N.G.O. Civis Plus. https://nonformalmethods.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/booklet-final.pdf
Norqvist, L. & Leffler, E. (2017). Learning in non-formal education: Is it “youthful” for youth in action? International Review of Education, 63(2), 235-256.
Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding second language acquisition. Hodder Education.
Papadopoulou, D. (2006). Forms of immigrant social integration and social inclusion. The case of Attica district. In Ventoura, L. (Ed.), Immigration and migrant integration into Greek society (pp. 353-411). Gutenberg [in Greek].
Plasterer, R. (2011). Investigating integration: The geographies of the WUSC student refugee program at the University of British Columbia. Refuge, 27(1), 59-74.
Radcliffe, D. J. & Colletta, N. J. (1989). Nonformal education. In C. J. Titmus (Ed.), Lifelong education for adults: An international handbook (pp. 60-64). Pergamon.
Rocca, L., Hamnes Carlsen, C., & Deygers, B., (2020). Linguistic integration of adult migrants: Requirements and learning opportunities. Council of Europe.
Tip, L. K., Brown, R., Morrice, L. Collyer, M., & Easterbrook, M. J. (2019). Improving refugee well-being with better language skills and more intergroup contact. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 10(2), 144-151.
Τsiolis, G. (2014). Methods and techniques of analysis in qualitative social research [in Greek]. Politeia.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2022). UN News. Global perspective, Human stories. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/12/1131957
Wedin, A. & Norlund- Shaswar, A. (2019). Whole class interaction in the adult L2-classroom: The case of Swedish for immigrants. Apples- Journal of Applied Language Studies, 13(2), 45-63.
Wiktorin, K. (2017). Inclusion of refugees through non-formal education. Nordic best practice. Nordic Council of Ministers. https://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1155216/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Windisch, H. (2015). Adults with low literacy and numeracy skills – A literature review on policy intervention. OECD Publishing.
Young-Scholten, M. (2013). Low-educated immigrants and the social relevance of second language acquisition research. Second language research, 29(4), 441-454.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
