Immigration to Ireland in the late 20th and early 21st century has transformed Irish society
from being a largely mono-cultural to a more intercultural society. This study is concerned
with the experience of migrant students in a second level school. It explores the experiences
of a small number of migrant students who completed five years of second level education in
a provincial Irish town. The students came from a range of countries in Eastern Europe and
Africa.
This is a one-school insider case study where the principal is the researcher using qualitative
interviews with students and staff to build a picture of intercultural education with its
strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. In-depth qualitative interviews were
conducted with students in the year or two after they completed school. Teachers’
experiences were also analysed using questionnaires and interviews. The portrait that
emerges is that of a school in transition with a vibrant and complex intercultural student
population.
Themes emerging as significant from the research include the school curriculum, bullying
and racism, relationships with teachers, the role of parents, the experience of socialisation and
schooling and pedagogical responses. These complex issues are discussed in light of student
experiences, teacher comments and insights from literature.
Recommendations are made for a more inclusive curriculum, for celebrating the resource that
is an intercultural classroom, for a pedagogy of cooperative learning, peer education and
action research by students and teachers
