Abstract
The surge in immigration over the last years presents a challenge to the educational system as the number of language learners has tremendously increased. Language barriers prevent these students from immediately integrating into regular classes, thus they are often enrolled in special “international classes” beforehand to first foster language acquisition. Additionally, these students often lack content knowledge due to instability in prior schooling, hindering them from participating in age-appropriate regular classes. The project “Biology for Everyone” currently teaches science to these newly arrived students at three partner schools combining action-oriented and hands-on science learning with subject-specific language learning. The concomitant research uses a longitudinal interview to examine students’ perception of the project in terms of content learning, its potential benefits, and the integration process. Results indicate that students experience an easier integration into the mainstream science classroom after taking part in the project.
Key words: Educating refugee students, integration, longitudinal interview study, science education