Syrian Refugee Children in Australia and Sweden : Education and Survival Among the Displaced, Dispossessed and Disrupted

Both Australia and Sweden are economically, socially and politically well-developed countries and each has responded to the Syrian crisis in its own way with features that define refugee children’s schooling trajectories for transition to life and work. Syrian Refugee Children in Australia and Sweden provides insights into policies influencing the education and schooling of Syrian refugee children in Australia and Sweden. This book uses the perspectives of Syrian refugee children and their voiced experiences to elicit recommendations for education practices and content. Their voices were central to the analysis for the main reason that their viewpoints could contribute in a practical way to the development of pedagogical approaches that would support their schooling, and an effective and productive transition to life in the host countries. The opinions, suggestions and experiences of other stakeholders such as parents, caregivers, teachers and school and state officials, were included for greater understanding so that as many relevant contexts are covered. The recommendations for refugee education proposed in this book will be useful for teachers, principals and policy makers directly involved in educating refugee students and this could positively impact on young refugee students finding their way to a new and better life. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents List of figures Acknowledgements Acronyms and abbreviations Preface 1. Introduction: Refugee children and education Preamble Syrian refugee children The right to education Why Australia and Sweden? Organisation of this book 2. Making education available to refugee children: Innovative theories and effective practices Introduction The challenge to make schooling available ‘As never before’: The need for the education and schooling of refugee children Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed as a theory for educating refugee children Responding to refugee students’ immediate needs Responding to refugee students’ future-oriented needs Countering moral panic-inspired Islamophobia Conclusion 3. Methodology Introduction Case study design Data-collection methods Data analysis Conclusion 4. Policies and education for refugees in Australia Introduction Refugees and asylum seekers in Australia: a summary The post-war programme Education of refugee children The Australian Refugee and Humanitarian Program Australian education and refugee children Syrian refugee children in Australian schools – a snapshot Possible future challenges and recommendations 5. Policies and education for refugees in Sweden Introduction Statistical context Overview of education in Sweden for refugee children Syrian refugee children in Sweden’s education and employment systems Possible future challenges and recommendations Conclusion 6. Discussion and comparison of refugee children in education in Australia and Sweden Classroom description Student–teacher relationship Second-language learning Personal stories and current situations Counsellors and psychologists Feelings about their host country Refugee children’s thoughts about the future 7. Conclusion and recommendations Introduction General findings for Australia and Sweden Recommendations Final remarks Appendix Index "This book analyses the schooling of Syrian refugee children living in Australia and Sweden. It explores the similarities and differences between the educational systems and provisions for education of the two case countries, and examines the refugee children's schooling and trajectories for transition to life and work. The voices of Syrian refugee children are central to the analysis and the work draws on these perspectives as well as those of other stakeholders, such as parents or caregivers, teachers and school and state officials. The work will develop recommendations for the education of children in situations of crisis and displacement"-- Provided by publisher