3. RESULTADOS ANÁLISIS Y DISCUCIÓN
3.6. Matriz de problemáticas de la mentoría
The appropriate methodology to be used has been the subject of much debate in social and educational research. Quantitative methods are seen as allowing researchers to make generalisable statements about the characteristics of the study population while qualitative methods yield insights into how and why people act in a particular manner or hold particular views. Mixed methods research, which combines both qualitative and quantitative methods, has emerged as a third paradigm (Johnson et al., 2007). This approach has become well established in social and educational research internationally (see Tashakorri and Teddlie, 2003; Johnson, 2006; Sandelowski, 2003; Morse, 2003) and is seen as the ‘gold standard’ in school studies. The mixed method approach is adopted in this study for two main reasons: first, very little is known on actual practice regarding language and social supports for newcomer students across schools so we need to find out about the national picture; second, knowing what schools do is not enough because we want to know whether school staff feel this approach is working and what supports they would like to be able to put in place. For these reasons, our study is based on two data sources: a national postal survey of primary and second-level principals; and in-depth case- studies of twelve schools with varying proportions of newcomers and levels of supports. Using the two sources of information in tandem yields rich insights into the experiences of schools in catering for newcomer students.
3.1.1 SURVEY OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
This stage of the research involved a postal survey of all (733) second-level principals and a sample of 1,200 primary principals selected to be representative of all primary schools in size, location and disadvantaged (DEIS) status. The survey focused on the views of principals as it was felt that they would be in the best position to give an overview of available
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY 37
resources and support structures within the school. The topics included in the survey were based on international research and on prior consultations with key stakeholders in the Irish educational system.
The second-level survey was sent out in March 2007 while the primary survey was sent out in September 2007. This occurred because two other large-scale surveys of primary schools were being carried out in Spring 2007 and it was felt that this might negatively impact on the response rate. The timing is important because it means that the research spans a period of policy change with additional language support resources being allocated to schools following from the DES Circular of May 2007; this issue is further discussed in Chapter 6. A high response rate was achieved from both primary and second-level schools (62 per cent and 63 per cent respectively); analyses presented in the remainder of the study, therefore, reflect information collected from 454 second-level principals and 746 primary principals. The data were reweighted to ensure they are fully representative of the national population of schools.
The questionnaire collected detailed information on a number of aspects of school policy and practice regarding newcomer students, including:
• The number and profile of newcomers in the school;
• Admissions policies in the school;
• General support structures and specific supports for newcomer students;
• Language support provision: practice and perceptions;
• Perceived academic outcomes of newcomers (including
achievement, motivation and aspirations);
• Perceived social integration of newcomers. A copy of the questionnaire is presented in the Appendix.
In the study, we present mainly descriptive analyses, that is, we document the proportion of principals giving certain responses across different kinds of schools. In addition, we use multivariate analyses at certain points, in order to explore the simultaneous impact of different school characteristics on specified outcomes (for example, perceived academic difficulties).
3.1.2 CASE-STUDIES OF SCHOOLS
Information from the postal survey of principals was used to select six primary and six second-level schools for in-depth case-study analysis. In so doing, we are able to place the in-depth case-studies of these schools within the broader context of the school population. The selected schools are outlined in Table 3.1.
38 ADAPTING TO DIVERSITY:IRISH SCHOOLS AND NEWCOMER STUDENTS
Table 3.1: Characteristics of the Case-Study Schools
Low/Medium
Proportion of High Proportion Newcomers of Newcomers Low formal supports
(primary)
Jefferson Street Adams Street
Low formal supports (second-level)
Huntington Road Wulford Park
Medium formal supports (primary)
Greenway Road Durango Street
Medium formal supports (second-level)
Lowfield Street Brayton Square
High formal supports (primary)
Van Buren
Thomas Road Street
High formal supports (second-level)
Bentham Street Ashville Lane
No Newcomers (primary) Glendale Avenue No Newcomers (primary) Dobbins Road No Newcomers (second- Adwick Street level)
No Newcomers (second- Grange Park level)
Schools were selected to capture two key dimensions of the experiences of different schools in managing diversity. First, we distinguished between schools with a low/medium proportion of newcomers and those with a high proportion, using cut-offs which reflected the Irish situation. Because of the different distribution of newcomers across primary and post-primary schools (see Chapter 4), different cut-offs are used to determine ‘high proportion’, namely, 10 per cent or more in second-level schools and 20 per cent or more in primary schools. Second, survey information was used to determine the level of formal supports for newcomer students within a school based on the number of such supports reported and the number of different kinds of personnel involved in providing such support. We distinguish between ‘high’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’ supports in order to capture the differing responses at the school level.
The twelve case-study schools all have newcomer students. However, analyses indicated that not all primary and post-primary schools have newcomer students (see Chapter 4). In order to tap into the experiences of such schools, we selected two primary and two second-level schools without newcomers and interviewed their principals. Analyses of these interviews are presented in Chapter 4 in exploring the nature of school admission policies.
The case-study schools vary in terms of sector, size, location and designated disadvantaged (DEIS) status, thus allowing us to explore the extent to which contextual factors influence policy and practice at the school level. A profile of the case-study schools is presented in Table 3.2; a profile of the schools without newcomers included in the study is also included in this table.
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY 39
Table 3.2: Profile of the Case-Study Schools
School Size Rural/ Urban Disadvantaged (DEIS) Status Proportion of Newcomers Primary Schools
Adams Street Small (<100) Rural Disadvantaged High (>20%)
Dobbins Road Large (>300) Urban
Not
Disadvantaged None
Durango Street Large (>300) Urban Not
Disadvantaged High (>20%)
Glendale Avenue Small (<100) Rural
Not
Disadvantaged None
Greenway Road Large (>300) Urban Not
Disadvantaged
Low/medium (<10%)
Jefferson Street Small (<100) Urban Not
Disadvantaged
Low/medium (<10%) Thomas Road Small (<100) Urban Disadvantaged High (>20%)
Van Buren Street Large (>300) Rural Disadvantaged
Low/medium (<10%) Second-level
Schools
Adwick Street Large (600+) Urban
Not
Disadvantaged None Ashville Lane Small (<400) Urban Disadvantaged High (>10%)
Bentham Street Medium (400- 599) Rural Not Disadvantaged Low/medium (<10%) Brayton Square Medium (400-
599) Rural Disadvantaged High (>10%) Grange Park Small (<400) Urban Disadvantaged None
Huntington Road Medium (400- 599) Urban Not Disadvantaged Low/medium (<10%) Lowfield Street Medium (400- 599) Urban Not Disadvantaged Low/medium (<10%)
Wulford Park Small (<400) Rural
Not
Disadvantaged High (>10%)
Note: Pseudonyms are used to protect the anonymity of schools.
Within each of the twelve schools with newcomer students, interviews were carried out with key personnel, including principals, language support teachers, learning support/resource teachers, other teachers, and home- school-community liaison co-coordinators (where present). Within second- level schools, guidance counsellors were also interviewed. Interviews in the case-study schools explored the issues raised in the postal survey in much greater detail, allowing us to explore potentially different perspectives within the schools. A total of 82 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with key personnel in the primary and second-level case-study schools. These interviews covered topics such as:
• Admissions policy;
40 ADAPTING TO DIVERSITY:IRISH SCHOOLS AND NEWCOMER STUDENTS
• Academic progress of newcomer students and curriculum-related issues;
• Social interaction of newcomer students with peers and teachers;
• Personal and social support available to all the students and newcomers in particular;
• Parental involvement in school life (with the focus on newcomer parents);
• Teacher training and support for teachers teaching newcomer students.
These case-studies yielded more detailed insights into issues relating to diversity ‘on the ground’ in schools than could be obtained from the survey data alone. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded with the qualitative software N6 and later analysed. This approach allowed for the identification of common themes across the case-study schools.
The main focus of the study was on issues at the school level regarding provision for newcomers. However, it was considered vital to obtain students’ own perspectives on school life. Group interviews were, therefore, conducted with primary and second-level students, with separate interviews carried out with newcomer and Irish students. Within primary schools, group interviews were generally carried out with older students in the school. Within second-level schools, interviews were carried out with separate groups of junior and senior cycle students. These interviews took place with parental consent. A total of 43 focus group interviews were conducted with Irish and newcomer students across the case-study schools. Each group included approximately six students so, in total, approximately 258 students participated in focus group interviews. The interviews covered topics such as:
• The process of settling into the school;
• A comparison of Irish and other school systems;
• Social interaction with peers and teachers from both the newcomer and Irish perspective;
• Academic issues and curriculum;
• Parental involvement in schooling;
• Irish students’ contact with, and perceptions of, newcomer students.
As with the staff interviews, group interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded with the qualitative software N6 and later analysed to identify the central themes emerging.
In sum, the use of a number of different sources of information enriches the analyses of school provision for newcomer students presented in the remainder of the study.
OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY 41