Educators’ perspectives related to preparatory education and integration training for immigrants in Finland

This study explored educators' perceptions of preparatory education and integration training for immigrants in Finland. It included twelve semi-structured interviews of teachers working with adult or child immigrants. A thematic analysis identified: 1. Variances in students' knowledge, skill, and experience complicate integration; 2. Flexibility, the ability to alter classwork to suit students' needs, and the lack of preparatory support or relevant materials in diverse classrooms are problematic; 3. Adult immigrants’ perception as workers, not students, results in a disconnect between expectations. A holistic/ecological approach to addressing the challenges is required to support integration and inclusion better.