ARTICLES

 

Service-based learning experiences of pre-service Turkish teachers: Language teaching to Syrian refugees

 

 

Nurfat Biger^I; Yakup Alan^II

^IDepartment of Turkish Education, Faculty of Education, University of Amasya, Amasya, Turkey. nursatbicer@gmail.com
^IIDepartment of Turkish Education, Muallim Rifat Faculty of Education, University of Kilis 7 Aralik, Kilis, Turkey

 

 

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ABSTRACT

With this study we aimed at determining the service-learning experiences of pre-service Turkish language teachers in teaching Turkish to Syrian refugee students. The Community Service Practices course plays an important role in the integration of pre-service teachers in the society. A phenomenological design was used in the study in which we investigated the opinions of pre-service teachers about the service-learning processes. The study was conducted with 23 pre-service Turkish language teachers in Kilis 7 Aralik University. The community service practice was realised in a state school where Syrian secondary school students receive education. Interviews were conducted to collect data from the participants, and the content analysis method was used to analyse the data obtained from the interviews. Themes were formed by classifying and interpreting the data. In the study, the experiences of pre-service teachers with students, the teaching process, teaching environment, students, and service-based learning process were analysed. The results indicate that pre-service teachers developed their awareness, took social responsibility, attained occupational experience, and improved their communication with the refugees during the Community Service Practices course. Considering the results obtained it could be argued that service-learning practices have significant benefits for pre-service teachers and students.

Keywords: community service practices; experiential learning; refugee; service-learning; Syrian students

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Introduction

In the modern world migration is undoubtedly one of the biggest sociological events faced by various countries. When people leave their own countries for others - due to many reasons -problems such as adaptation and communication arise. Syrian refugees in Turkey are no exception as they want to learn Turkish to solve their communication problems. In this regard, the issue of teacher training for the teaching of Turkish and Syrian students come to the fore. Various programmes exist for pre-service teachers to be able to teach Turkish to individuals with different languages and cultures and enable them to continue their education and gain experience. Service-learning is one of the realisation methods for experiential learning (Berasategi, Alonso & Roman, 2016). With this method, individuals have the opportunity to experience a phenomenon by being immersed in the service (Everhart, 2016).

Some courses in the service-based learning programmes are widely used in teacher training. These courses were added to the curricula of faculties of education in order for pre-service teachers to take social responsibility, identify social problems, engage in activities towards the solution of problems, and volunteering in social responsibility projects developed by various institutions and organisations (Aykin, 2019; Eksj & Cinoglu, 2012). This practice, in which the interaction between the society and the individual is realised can be conducted with individuals of different ages in different strata of the society (Furco, 2011).

In the training process, the pre-service teachers raised sensitivity regarding the social issues as they made professional progress. The refugee students had the opportunity to improve their language skills and had exclusive time with the pre-service teachers. Our study provides data on the experiences of teachers in the process of learning by service, teacher training and how the language teaching of refugees takes place. Considering that many countries are dealing with refugees, it is thought that this practice used in the education of refugees will contribute to education in different countries. At the same time, the result from the study can contribute to the professional experiences of teacher candidates.

Theoretical Framework

As a result of the events that began in Syria, one of Turkey's neighbours, many people had to leave their country (Man, 2015) and migrated primarily to nearby countries. The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest refugee crisis in the world, according to the data obtained from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ([UNHCR], 2016). Many studies are carried out on Syrian migrants' adaptation to life in Turkey. Providing education and training opportunities to school-age Syrian children who make up 24.19% of the Syrian population (Presidency of Migration Management, 2022), is at the forefront of these efforts (Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, 2012:6-7). According to the data of the Ministry of National Education ([MNE], 2020), the efforts to gradually enrol the Syrian population of education age (a total of 1,197,124 children) under temporary protection in public schools affiliated to the MNE are continuing. According to the data, approximately 770,000 students were registered (MNE, 2020). However, in-service training was provided to teachers so that immigrants who are foreign to the language, culture and social structure of the country to which they migrated can be included in the education process. Pre-service teachers can get information about immigrant education through various activities at their faculties. Service-based learning is one of these activities, which enables them to learn by gaining experience.

"Service-based learning establishes the connection between the theoretical knowledge learnt in the classroom and the experiences gained in the society" (Mergler, Carrington, Boman, Kimber & Bland, 2017:69). Service-learning, which is learning through taking on social roles and responsibilities, provides significant benefits for individuals, institutions and the society. Positive outcomes such as dedication to learning, positive values, communication skills, independent study skills, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, social skills, academic performance, personality development, et cetera are obtained through this method of learning (Bowie & Cassim, 2016; Fullerton, Reitenauer & Kerrigan, 2015). The active utilisation of this method, with multiple aspects, would increase the capacity of the society to deliver solutions to many problems.

In addition to the occupational development of the individuals, the service-based approach holds benefits for society (Hildenbrand & Schultz, 2015). This method allows students to establish, non-classroom relations with the individuals to whom they provide the service (Folgueiras, Aramburuzabala, Opazo, Mugarra & Ruiz, 2020). The interaction between the individuals strengthens with the relationships out of the classroom, and the quality of the services provided increases. "By continuing the relation between service and learning, the service-learning method provides help, in line with the requirements of the society, with regard to elaborated learning opportunities and to the development of the emotion of accommodating others by practicing knowledge and skills with the integration of school, curriculum and society" (Billig, 2000:659). This method, reinforcing the relation between the school and the society, also contributes to interpersonal relations and individuals' points of view.

In order to perform learning by serving in teacher training programmes in Turkish universities, the Council of Higher Education decided to include a course, Community Service Practices (CSP) in the curricula in the 2006-2007 academic year. The aim with the course was to enable the students to identify current problems in the society and to prepare projects towards solving such problems (Yüksek Ogretim Kurulu, 2007). This course will probably, in addition to academic activities, become more significant regarding aspects such as the solution of certain social problems, social, cultural and economic development of the society, and raising social consciousness in individuals, (Özdemir & Tokcan, 2010). It has many significant achievements with regard to pre-service teachers' learning their profession by living.

It is argued that CSP increases academic achievement, reinforces citizenship education, and facilitates career planning (Prichard & Whitehead, 2004). Simons and Cleary (2006) found that the students became sensitive to social differences, ensured social self-sufficiency and improved in issues concerning citizenship relations.

Multifarious studies were conducted on the relation of experiential learning with learning and social interaction (Barnes & Caprino 2016; Berasategi et al., 2016; Everhart, 2016; Folgueiras et al., 2020; Larsen & Searle, 2017; Pratt & Danyluk, 2017). Studies on the effects of the CSP course in Turkish universities on the field of education have also been done (Aykiri, 2019; Ek§i & Cinoglu, 2012; Gökce, 2011; Kücükoglu & Kocyigit, 2015; Özdemir & Tokcan, 2010; Talas & Karatas, 2012; Yasar & Amac, 2018).

 

Methodology

Type and Design of the Study

In this study we used the phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative research methods, to investigate the teaching experiences of pre-service Turkish language teachers of Syrian refugee students. This design makes inferences integrating phenomena or experiences (Bodner & Orgil, 2007). In the study, we aimed to embody the experiences and common meanings of the related phenomenon. The meaning and interpretation of the experiences that the pre-service teachers had in the service-learning process were scrutinised. In such studies, a long-term and intense interaction should be created through a cross-section, and the characteristics of the working environment should be looked at holistically (Miles & Huberman, 1994).

Study Group

This study was conducted with 23 pre-service Turkish language teachers (10 males and 13 females) who were in their fourth year in the 20182019 academic year in Kilis 7 Aralik University, where CSPs were performed. The participants selected for the study were placed in schools to improve the language skills of Syrian refugees as their community service. In this respect, the criterion sampling method was used in the study (Miles & Huberman, 1994). The criterion for inclusion in the study was being an individual who studied the CSP course and served at a refugee schools. Data saturation was taken into consideration in the interviews. Refugee students aged 13 to 15 were studying in the seventh grade of secondary school. Students were at the beginner level of Turkish language. Only Syrian students were taught in the school where the study was conducted. The application was made to and approved by the school and the MNE.

Research Process

Information about the research process is presented in Figure 1.

The Roles of the Researchers The researchers in this study were experienced in language teaching of refugees. In addition to teaching Turkish to refugees, they provided in-service training to the pre-service teachers who taught the refugees. The researchers did not score the pre-service teachers' efforts. The scores were given by the teachers in the school where the pre-service teachers conducted their teaching practice. As the researchers were not involved in scoring, more reliable data were collected.

Data Collection

We prepared a guide for the semi-structured interviews used to evaluate the pre-service teachers' experiences of the service process. The pre-service teachers' emotions and opinions about their experiences about the community service were recorded.

Items were created in line with the relevant literature. The opinions of a qualitative research expert and a refugee language teaching expert were solicited to ensure content validity of the prepared interview guide. Using the amended guide a pilot study was done with three pre-service teachers after which, according to the results from the pilot, additions and corrections were made to the guide. The finale version of the guide consisted of eight open-ended questions (see Appendix A). Open-ended questions were used as we were of the opinion that subjects would respond more freely to such questions. In the actual implementation of the study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the pre-service teachers. Volunteer participants were preferred for the interviews and the participants were assured that they could leave the interview at any time. Seven pre-service teachers who choose not to be interviewed were excluded from the process. The participants were informed that the interviews would be audio-recorded and voluntary consent was obtained from all participants. They were also informed that the names of the participants would be kept confidential. The interviews lasted between 20 and 30 minutes each.

Data Analysis

The content analysis method was used in the analysis of the qualitative data obtained through the interviews. By using content analysis, which is a qualitative data reduction and interpretation initiative (Patton, 2002), similar opinions were categorised and interpreted. For analysis, the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Member checking was used to confirm responses that were unclear to the researchers. The collected data were read and discussed by us several times. The analysis process started by the extraction of codes and themes from the data. In order to ensure the reliability of the generated codes and themes, the data were coded by two coders. The coding was compared and after some discussion by the coders the codes and themes were finalised. Sample views were selected from the data and these were interpreted.

 

Findings

Based on the themes created during the coding process we divided the findings into subsections as indicated in Figure 2.

Approach of Pre-service Teachers to Students

In this theme the attitudes and thoughts of the pre-service teachers to and about the Syrian students are presented. These attitudes affected the course process positively and negatively. The pre-service teachers' positive experiences of the service-learning process are indicated by responses like "showing affection", "personal involvement", "using reinforcers", "increasing interest and motivation", "giving responsibility to the students" and "encouraging."

One of the pre-service teachers stated that he was positively affected by the learning process when he showed affection to the students: "As I was kind to the students and showed them affection, they were being more cheerful when I taught them something. They would bring their notebooks to be checked by me" (P13).

From this response it is clear that when the pre-service teachers showed affection towards the students, this was reciprocated. This resulted in the students being more cheerful and more eager to have their homework checked by the pre-service teacher. Another pre-service teacher stated that the process was affected positively when the students received personal attention: "I helped two of my students with lower Turkish skills more. I explained the lesson again, when others were doing their exercises. They came to me during the breaks and we tried to practise" (P10).

Personal attention made the students feel valuable. The students who received personal attention, thought that the teacher valued them, and did not want to leave this attention unrequited. Students approaching the teacher during breaks and their questions and efforts to talk to the teacher indicate greater interest and a greater effort to learn. The use of reinforcers further increased students' interest. A pre-service teacher stated that he used reinforcers in the following way:

Their teacher had given them homework in the previous lesson. I checked them; showed them the correct and incorrect ones; I drew one star in their notebooks for the ones who did their homework, and two stars for those who did it perfectly. It was worth seeing the happiness on their faces. (P12)

The pre-service teacher's homework checks, feedback and reinforcers contributed to the students doing their homework willingly. One of the pre-service teachers gave some of the students who did not do their homework but who were active in class, some responsibility:

I gave responsibility to a student, who does not do her homework, after talking to the teacher of the class. I demanded her to check the homework of other students the following week. However, I had a condition; she would do her homework. Later, I saw that this tactic worked. (P5)

By giving the student who never did her homework some form of responsibility had an important effect on her actions. The pre-service teacher learnt by experience that giving students some form ofresponsibility was effective in the long run.

The pre-service teachers also reported some negative experiences: "being prejudiced against the student", "ignoring personal differences", "not giving right to speak" and "discouraging." A pre-service teacher stated that a student who was not allowed to speak became detached from the learning process:

My friend told me that I constantly gave floor to the same students, and I did not see some students. The next lesson I paid attention, and he was right; because the students who had raised their hands before were not raising their hands anymore. (P14)

One of the biggest mistakes a teacher could make was to always involve the same students in lessons.

The same students were constantly allowed to speak while the others were ignored.

Learning Process

The pre-service teachers' opinions on the effects of materials, methods and techniques used in the learning-teaching process are presented in this theme. When the positive experiences of pre-service teachers about the learning process were examined, it was found that using extra material other than the course book positively affected the learning process and a more pleasant learning process was acquired through educational games. In addition, pre-service teachers experienced that using songs in the learning process, paying attention to learning-teaching principles, using different methods, techniques and technological devices/instruments, writing examples on the board and making concretisations were beneficial to the students. One of the pre-service teachers responded as follows:

In this class we did a reading exercise with the teacher. The teacher had bought a reading book for the students, and she had been making the students read the book every week. Thus, the students' reading skills would improve. Because the texts in the course book is difficult for these children. (P8)

The reading texts in the course books are designed with the average student population in mind. Individual students' differences, interests or level differences are not taken into account. The pre-service teachers thought that the texts in the course book were too difficult for these students and welcomed the use of books suitable for the students' levels and interests:

I tried to introduce the children with occupations and objects, and I made them play a game to make the process more entertaining. At the end of the game we applauded the winner group that collected 100 points. At the end of this process, the students had fun and learnt about many occupations and objects. (P4)

The pre-service teacher taught about occupations using games. She created a competitive environment and enabled the students to have a pleasant learning experience. The pre-service teacher did not focus on the results only, she also paid attention to the students' learning processes.

The use of technological devices was one of the methods that prevented lessons from becoming monotonous. One pre-service teacher commented as follows:

There are not many technological devices in the classrooms but I got permission from the teacher to bring my own computer. Using a computer in the lesson was beneficial for the students; because the videos and images I showed caught their attention. In addition, they willingly participated in the exercises I did on the computer. (P15)

The use of technological devices in class holds many benefits. One pre-service teacher mentioned that the use of these devices ensured that the students paid attention and that it facilitated the teachers' instruction.

Pre-service teachers also commented on some negative experiences in the learning process and referred to the "use of mother tongue in the lessons"; "implementing exercises above the students' level" or "using incorrect methods/techniques." One pre-service teacher commented as follows:

We did an exercise about colours in the lesson, but most of the students did not even know the colours. But we continued to do the exercises. I noticed that the students had not understood the topic. The book included this topic, but the students could not learn. The exercise was not beneficial, and the students got bored. (P18)

Not everybody was doing the exercises correctly in the classroom. I had explained the topic, however, I noticed that the method I used was incorrect. I had chosen the method without considering individual differences. The method I had chosen was not suitable for the students. (P2)

From these excerpts it is clear that the pre-service teachers were of the opinion that using the incorrect or unsuitable methods contributed to the learners not understanding the lesson and becoming bored.

Teaching Environment

The opinions of the pre-service teachers about how the classroom environment affected the learning process are discussed in this section. The pre-service teachers' opinions about appropriately designed learning environments related to "the small number of students", "having education materials such as posters, etc. in the classroom", and "the classroom being warm in winter." Some of the pre-service teachers' opinions were as follows:

When I entered the classroom, the first thing that caught my eye was the small number of students. There were 16 or 17 students. It was a nice environment to attend to all students (P12). The heating in the classrooms is very good. It is good that they are warm like this despite the conditions. It would be impossible to present the lesson if the students were cold (P22).

However, some negative experiences were also commented on:

There was something the teacher complained about that I also witnessed. There were no projectors nor computers in the classrooms. The only means of instruction was the blackboard; thus, not all senses could be addressed (P4).

The students were taking notes standing up since the desks in the classrooms were too high for them. They could not reach to the top of the desks while sitting down (P9).

Both pre-service teachers commented on the inappropriate design of the classrooms or the lack of required equipment. The lack of materials such as televisions, computers, smartboards, projectors, etc. and the poorly designed physical environment were unacceptable. The pre-service teachers acknowledged that the teaching environment should accommodate the students and be conducive for learning.

Students

This theme includes the opinions of the pre-service teachers about how students' interests, attitudes and behaviour affected the learning process. When the pre-service teachers' experiences about students in the service-learning process were analysed, it was clear that their experiences were mostly negative: "students have an inclination to violence", "they are not active in the classrooms due to embarrassment or abstention", "they do not do homework", "some students try to disrupt the lesson", and "some students feel marginalised." The pre-service teachers stated that this negatively affected the learning process. Apart from these, the pre-service teachers also reported some positive experiences regarding students' "higher motivation", "taking responsibility", and "being interested in learning."

One of the most effective student characteristics that affected the learning process was motivation. The pre-service teachers indicated that some students had high motivation levels, thus studied more and achieved better:

The motivation of some students is very high. They really study hard and want to learn. All other students should reach to the motivation level these students have. Here, this does not fall to the students only. The teachers also should make an effort to increase motivation. (P2)

According to the pre-service teacher the students should be motivated to learn with enthusiasm as the number of highly motivated students was very low. The pre-service teacher also mentioned that the teachers should perform activities to increase students' motivation. From this the pre-service teacher had learnt that she should include activities in her teaching to increase students' motivation. Another characteristic mentioned by the pre-service teachers was that some students were more interested in the courses than others:

Some of the students are very curious. They always come to us and ask questions during breaks. Of course, it is pleasing for me, because they learn during the break time. They have quite high interest in the course and learning. However, I saw that some students had lost their interest in time. Students, who were asking questions and were eager to learn, are not come to us. We should take some action to re-evoke their interest. (P15)

From the above it is clear that some students lost interest in the work over time. The pre-service teacher was of the opinion that the teachers should try to engage students in order to keep their interest alive.

The pre-service teachers also mentioned that the students' characteristics, their attitudes and behaviour sometimes negatively affected the teaching process:

A fight among three students disrupted the lesson right at the beginning of the class. We spent our lesson trying to end the fight between the students. This negative environment affected the lessons that followed. That day, nobody wanted to do lessons. (P6)

The pre-service teacher indicated that the negative environment affected not only the relevant lesson, but the rest of the day. Students' negative attitudes or thoughts negatively influenced the learning:

I was moved when the students told me that they felt lonely. I said that they were not alone, first they had their families and they had teachers and friends who loved them. The happiness in their eyes when they heard this made me happier. They had accepted to be alienated, since they were Syrians. (P21)

The assumption that they were alienated because of their Syrian refugee status was among the factors that resulted in the students' troubles. However, this pre-service teacher indicated that his words had influenced the students positively and that this was one of the greatest experiences he has had.

Service-Learning Process

The pre-service teachers were asked whether they were of the opinion that service-learning was beneficial for them, the students and the society. All the participating pre-service teachers indicated that they benefited most from the activities and their experiences. For instance, one pre-service teacher mentioned that he was initially prejudiced against Syrians and was opposed to teaching the refugees. However, his opinion changed over time:

When I first learnt that we were going to a school where Syrians received education, I felt awful. However, when I saw the children and did exercises with them, those ideas disappeared. I think very differently now. I am now even pleased. (P17)

Another pre-service teacher shared his experiences of the service-learning process as follows:

In some undergraduate courses our professors presented information on how we should teach foreign students. However, we did not know how to use this information. When we came to this school, we experienced this. I think that it was beneficial for my friends and I, because I learnt how to behave when working with foreign students. (P16)

The pre-service teacher stated that he had applied the theoretical knowledge that he had acquired in the undergraduate courses in the service-learning process. This experience that he had would be beneficial to him in his teaching profession. Another pre-service teacher expressed his experience as follows:

The experiences I had in this process taught me how important the use of material in lessons was. Teaching only from the course book can become really boring. I have learnt that I should be acquainted with the students and chose methods that suited them. I learnt how students behaved in the classroom and how I should react in such situations. (P11)

From this comment we can deduce how important the service-learning process is. The pre-service teachers learnt what to and what not to do through their own experiences. In a sense, the knowledge of what a teacher should be like was acquired not by theoretical knowledge, but by real-life experiences.

 

Discussion

How the pre-service teachers approached the students and how these approaches influenced the students were analysed in the first theme. It would not be wrong to say that the teachers' approaches affected students positively or negatively. The pre-service teachers stated that the learning process was affected positively when they exhibited behaviour such as showing affection to the students, being personally involved with the students, using reinforcers, increasing interest and motivation towards the course, giving responsibility and encouraging the students. The pre-service teachers reported that the learning-teaching process was affected negatively when they exhibited behaviour such as ignoring individual differences, not allowing students to speak, and discouraging the students. Marshall, Lawrence, Williams and Peugh (2015) argue that the guidance to students at risk helped them to continue with their education.

Teachers' methods and activities used in the learning process were also analysed. The methods and exercises that teachers use in the education process help them to attain their goals more easily and to manage the classroom better. Kuzu Jafari, Tonga and Kiçla (2018) assert that the education process was more efficient with group work and games. Doering and Beach (2002) argue that technology reinforces communication between pre-service teachers and the students and contributes to positive learning experiences. The pre-service teachers reported that the students were affected positively when the learning process was augmented with educational games, songs, technological devices and concretisation. On the other hand, using the students' mother tongue, doing exercises that exceeded the students' level of comprehension, and using incorrect methods or techniques negatively affected the process.

With regard to the theme of the learning environment, there is no doubt that the education environment, the elements in this environment, such as technical equipment, and the materials used in teaching have an important place in the process. In our study, pre-service teachers' opinions about the first encounter with foreign students underlined that the small number of students, the use of promotional materials such as posters, and a comfortable temperature in the classroom positively affected the process. On the other hand, the pre-service teachers mentioned elements that negatively affected the teaching environment such as students of different levels in the same class, poor teaching materials and using the same course material for students of different levels and ages. Similar results were also found in various other studies like Biçer and Kiliç (2017), Boylu and Içik (2019), Duruel (2016) and Sen and Solak (2019).

The students' attitudes and behaviour were also analysed. According to the pre-service teachers, students' motivation, having responsibility in the learning process, and interest in learning affected the learning process positively. However, a tendency to violence, the timidity and hesitation of girls, not doing homework, indifference towards the course, using mother tongue in the lessons, efforts to disrupt the lesson and feelings of alienation affected the learning process negatively. However, it was noted that improvements in the learning of refugee students were achieved through pre-service teachers' service-based practices. Baker (2018) argues that pre-service teachers acting as assistant teachers in bilingual classrooms brought about communicative diversity due to their significant contributions. Coleman and Danks (2016) state that faculty members and pre-service teachers should make significant efforts to realise CSP projects that are most appropriate for the interests of the members of the society. Schools and educators are crucial for students learning a foreign language to overcome the difficulties that they experience and to establish dialogue with individuals from a different cultural background (Rauschert & Byram, 2018).

The last theme was about what the pre-service teachers had gained from the service-learning. All of the pre-service teachers were of the opinion that this process provided them with an abundance of knowledge and experiences of which the following are examples: transferring the knowledge they had acquired in the undergraduate courses into practice; learning what a teacher should be like; getting acquainted with the students; learning student characteristics; learning the importance of using materials; discovering that different methods and techniques enabled easier and more permanent learning. Everhart (2016) states that the participating pre-service teachers' empathy skills had improved during the study. According to Jia, Jung and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2018) service-learning helps pre-service teachers to establish links with real-world problems. Mergler et al. (2017) found an improvement in pre-service teachers' readiness for teaching because of service-learning. Gomez-Estern, Arias-Sánchez, Macarro, Romero and Lozano (2021) report that pre-service teachers achieved personal, academic and behavioural improvements. The results of this study show that service-learning contributed to the multi-faceted development of pre-service teachers.

 

Conclusion

The results from the study indicate that service-learning is beneficial for pre-service teachers, the students and the society. The pre-service teachers gained professional experience, were acquainted with the students, were acquainted with the course materials and the implementation of methods and techniques. The students had received both cognitive and emotional support. In addition, the society also benefited from this process as the refugee students were not only socially included in society, but they had also enhanced their academic achievement.

Suggestions

Considering that many countries are dealing with refugees, it is thought that this practice could contribute to education in similar situations in other countries. At the same time, the pre-service teachers benefited from the professional experiences. Other countries that experience similar problems may also implement service-based learning practices in their teaching. Conducting similar studies in other countries could provide new perspectives for solving such problems.

 

Authors' Contributions

Nurçat Biçer formulated the hypotheses, planned the research methods, collected the data and presented the conclusions. Yakup Alan contributed to the formulation of the hypotheses, analysed the data, reviewed the literature and formulated the theoretical framework. All authors reviewed the final manuscript.

 

Notes

i. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.

 

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Received: 29 September 2020
Revised: 25 July 2021
Accepted: 25 October 2021
Published: 31 August 2022

 

 

Appendix A

Interview Questions

1) What were your attitudes and behaviours towards refugee students during your service period?

2) How did your approach to students affect their behaviours?

3) What are the problems you encounter during the service process?

4) Which activities did you use to teach language to students?

a) Which methods did you use?

b) How did you use the materials?

5) What are your experiences with the course contents?

6) Based on your experiences what should the physical condition of the classroom for effective teaching be?

7) What are your experiences with the attitudes and behaviours of refugee students in the classroom?

8) What are your general opinions on service-based practices?