Teachers’ Perceptions of Immigrant Students and Families: A Qualitative Study

María del Carmen Medina Podadera and Antonio José González-Jimenez ()
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María del Carmen Medina Podadera: Mediation and Vulnerable Groups, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain
Antonio José González-Jimenez: Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: The perception that teachers have of cultural diversity is essential when it comes to the educational attention given to immigrant students. The objective is to determine how teachers perceive students’ cultural diversity and families’ commitment with the education of their children, and if this perception can influence teachers’ expectations regarding students and their families. This is qualitative research study based on hermeneutic phenomenology developed through semi-structured interviews, applied on an intentional sample of 16 Spanish primary school teachers. The results indicate that teachers need the assistance of educational specialists, training in cultural diversity, and intercultural communication skills. They also recognize the importance of enhancing collaboration with immigrant families. Hence, education must be rethought, bearing in mind the perceptions of teachers, empowering students and their families with new innovative formulas aimed at incorporating their cultural references in the curriculum, and providing culturally relevant teaching.

Keywords: teacher perception; immigrant student integration; immigrant families–school collaboration; cultural diversity; culturally relevant teaching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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