The VOITTO research project is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (2023–2025). In this research project, conducted as a consortium between Tampere University and the University of Jyväskylä, we aim to explore how the integration of a newly arrived student into the school community can be comprehensively supported. The research is carried out by researchers specializing in the integration of students with an immigrant background, school engagement, and multilingual school teaching arrangements, in collaboration with participating secondary schools.
We investigate the models of language support that facilitate the student’s transition from preparatory education to grades 7–9. Additionally, we are interested in the kind of school operational and leadership culture that supports the integration of immigrant students. In the project, we develop a pedagogical assessment tool with the aim of supporting a smooth transition from preparatory education to basic education. We intend to share this tool with Finnish schools to support teaching and assessment.
The VOITTO research is implemented using a multi-method approach. We monitor the development of instructional language, subject language, and teaching skills, as well as the students’ attachment to school over time. Additionally, in some of the participating schools, we conduct action research focusing on teachers’ pedagogical practices, students’ activities, and the school’s organizational culture.