The post migration lived experiences of Syrian refugee children in Early Childhood Education and Care in England: four children’s stories

Gaywood, D ORCID: 0000-0002-4169-3638 (2022) The post migration lived experiences of Syrian refugee children in Early Childhood Education and Care in England: four children’s stories. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City.

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

This study is concerned with the lived experiences of four Syrian refugee children in Early Childhood Education and Care. It aimed to capture their voices and tell their stories, using a hybrid praxeological and polyvocal methodology (Formosinho and Formosinho, 2012; Pascal and Bertram, 2012; Tobin et al, 2016) and multi modal methods (Theron et al 2011; Clark and Moss, 2011; Carr et al 2002). Their lives are complex, so Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (1979) was used to understand their context, whilst an intersectional theoretical triad comprising of Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1979); Orientalism (Said, 1978) and Social Learning Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) was developed to frame the research. Issues of power, emotion, positionality, intersectionality, and invisibility are threaded throughout the research, therefore the paradigm, methodology, research design and theoretical frame were carefully chosen, and new models constructed to consider the sensitivities of the field. A chronological layered approach was adopted for the literature review which identified broad themes and illuminated hidden narratives about refugees, these resonated through the findings and subsequent discussions. Other studies concerned with refugee children’s lived experiences informed this research (Kalkman and Clark, 2017; Prior and Niesz, 2013; Wihstutz, 2020; Peleman et al, 2020; Picchio and Mayer, 2019; Stekalova-Hughes and Wang, 2019; El Gemayei, 2019). The findings are presented using the poem No Man is an Island (Donne, 1624). They suggest that elements of the children’s lived experiences act as islands, causing isolation but others which act as bridges, enabling connection. A dynamic power sensitive ethical approach was developed to respond to the challenges of the field, maintain the original ethical commitment to the parents of the children and be true to the participatory methodological approach (Gaywood et al, 2020). This thesis contributes new theoretical, methodological, ethical, and pedagogical understanding to both research and practice, which is transferable for use with other marginalised groups.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Refugee; early childhood; lived experiences; post-migration; multi-modal methods
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1139.2 Early Childhood Education
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Health and Social Care
Research Priority Areas:	Society and Learning
Depositing User:	Anne Pengelly
Date Deposited:	11 Sep 2023 10:19
Last Modified:	11 Sep 2023 10:19
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13147

University Staff: Request a correction | Repository Editors: Update this record