“The schools try, but…”: A holistic perspective on the social adaptation of Ukrainian refugee students in Czech schools

Abstract

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic faced an unprecedented influx of Ukrainian refugees. This study aims to examine the social adaptation of Ukrainian students in Czech schools from a holistic perspective, incorporating the viewpoints of refugee students and their parents, headteachers, and teachers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with these actors from the six lower secondary schools that enrolled the largest influx of Ukrainian refugee students through the 2022/2023 academic year. The analysis included 58 interviews that were analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Following Berry's model of acculturation, the findings revealed tension between integration and separation among Ukrainian refugee students. Their social adaptation process was shaped by perceptions of the importance of ethnicity, the methods of acquiring the host country language and to what levels, and the approaches to interactions with Czech classmates. These elements combined to form three types of social adaptation: openness to friendship, utilitarian friendships, and (self-)isolation. Additionally, three teacher approaches (intervening, doubtful, and inattentive non-intervening) and their potential consequences for social adaptation were identified. Practical implications are discussed.