This report contains the background, purpose, methodological approach, initial findings on the school adjustment of refugee children and youth to the school system in the State of Illinois and Korea.
This study looks at how the refugee youth, ...
This report contains the background, purpose, methodological approach, initial findings on the school adjustment of refugee children and youth to the school system in the State of Illinois and Korea.
This study looks at how the refugee youth, in particular, experience their host educational systems in the Korea while transitioning themselves to different realities of ecological, psychosocial and cultural environment. Since the flight of refugees occur where famine, war, political and religious repression, economic disparity and many other forces of life threatening circumstances exist, such conditions, as aforementioned, often force them to seek out refuges crossing their national boundaries in migration. Those children and youth are at risk while their adult kin are making their best efforts to stabilize their living situations.
So the purpose of this study is to find out the nature of adjustment needs and concerns for the refugee youth and children when they attend to a local school in Korea. What has gained from this study will benefit social workers and teachers. in working with refugees in Korea and elsewhere, This report is based on several American data sources including archival data, interview data, and official reports on the Illinois State Department of Human Services ad Board of Education, International Language and Career Academies/International New Comers Center on refugee matters. And it is also based interview data with social worker . school teacher and NGO worker in Korea.
The methodology for data collection included review of archival literature on refugee, expert consultation, visitation and interview with refugee students, parents, school teachers. The main questions directed at the refugee youth and children, their parents, school teachers and administrators, and refugee service workers for their input are as follows:
1. During the initial phase of entering the school system, what are the major issues confronting a) the refugee youth and children, b) their parents, c) school system including classroom teachers, counselors, school social workers and administrators, and d) refugee service agency staff
2. After the initial stage of resettlement (i.e., the first year as refugees), what are the on-going, as well as emerging, issues involving the youth and children of refugee families a) school, b) at home, and c) in community
3. What are the residual issues (e.g., PTSD), health and other related problems that are carried over from refugees¡* natal countries, and if any that have most adverse impact on their adjustment to the host environment including school systems
4. What are the current policies, programs, services and efforts designed to assist refugee children and their families at local school and community , state and national levels, and how are their effectiveness measured What are the gaps between needs and services
More detailed questions for refugee students, parents, school teachers and refugee service agency staff are developed as guide for interview (See Appendix C).(See Questionnaires in Appendix B), and refugee resettlement social service agency staff (Appendix A).
This report will be continuously more suplemented and revised by interviews with refugee youth , techersis and additional data on the findings from some interviews. The additional tasks will include: 1) Expanding the assessment of narratives from refugee youth and parents, teachers and school administrators; 2) Analysis of narrative data by subjects and emerging themes; 3) More concrete cross-comparison of US and Korean data from policy to practice . The list of refugee service agencies, interview questionnaire, and bibliographic references are included in the appendix section.