Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Congress on Global Practice of Multidisciplinary Scientific Studies-XI..., Munich, Almanya, 13 - 17 Ekim 2025, ss.41-43, (Özet Bildiri)
This
study aims to explore the experiences of parents from diverse cultural and
migration backgrounds and teachers working in multicultural classrooms with
regard to the process of social integration in early childhood. The research
employed a qualitative design with a phenomenological approach, and
participants were selected through purposive sampling. The study group
consisted of 20 participants: 10 teachers working in public preschools and 10
parents of Bulgarian, Kyrgyz, Russian, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Iranian, and
Belarusian origin. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and
analyzed using content analysis.
The
findings revealed that the most prominent barrier to social integration in
multicultural classrooms is the language barrier. Teachers reported
experiencing anxiety, inadequacy, and uneasiness when communicating with
children who do not speak Turkish, which complicated their efforts to support
school adjustment. To overcome this difficulty, teachers developed strategies
such as seeking support from guidance counselors, collaborating with colleagues
with similar experiences, communicating with individuals who speak the child’s
native language, and involving bilingual peers. In addition, teachers
frequently relied on nonverbal communication strategies—such as gestures,
facial expressions, and physical contact—as well as play, songs, and
interaction-based pedagogical practices to foster social adaptation. From the
parents’ perspective, the main challenges in the adaptation process were also
identified as language barriers and cultural differences. The language barrier
not only hindered teacher–parent communication but also complicated children’s
social adjustment. Parents reported using technological tools and translation
applications to support their children’s adaptation, while also emphasizing the
importance of schools providing emotional support and raising awareness about
the benefits of bilingualism for both children and families.
In
conclusion, the findings highlight that achieving social integration in
multicultural early childhood settings requires strengthening family
involvement, language support, and intercultural understanding in addition to
effective pedagogical practices.
Keywords: Early Childhood, Multiculturalism,
Social Integration, Language Barrier, Immigrant Children