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Interim report I of the research project "Evaluation of the integration courses (EvIk)" , , First analyses and findings
Source: BAMF
The Interim report I of the research project "Evaluation of the integration courses (EvIk)" (Research report 33) presents first analyses and findings on the effectiveness of the integration courses, focussing on the participant group of refugees. The report focuses in particular on analyses of factors specific to forced migration influencing the access to and success in integration courses.
The Research Centre at the BAMF is carrying out the research project entitled "Evaluation of the integration courses (EvIk)". The project explores the modus operandi of the integration courses with a special focus on the participant group of refugees. Interim Report I published as Research report 33 presents initial findings regarding two aspects of the project in particular. First, the report analyzes factors at the level of course participants, teachers and course providers influencing course success. Second, the report presents findings on the intersection between federal- and state-provided services of language training and value transmission.
The findings of Interim report I are based on 21 qualitative interviews conducted by the BAMF's Research Centre with participants, instructors and providers of integration courses, as well as on secondary data analyzes using the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees (waves 2016 and 2017), and on special evaluations from the BAMF's integration course business file (INGE) dataset.
The findings of EvIk Interim Report I
Access to the integration course
Refugees are more likely to attend integration courses if they do not attend other, possibly competing, German courses, and if they have a minimum level of education. Female refugees are more likely to attend courses if there are no children under the age of four living in the household, and if they have more contacts with Germans.
Integration course attendance
Refugees who attend integration courses report better German language skills than those who do not attend integration courses.
Acquiring German
The same mechanisms of German language acquisition apply to refugees as to other course participant groups: aspects related to motivation (e.g., asylum status), opportunities (e.g., contacts, length of residence) and efficiency (e.g., education, age, illiteracy) influence German language acquisition.
Risk due to flight-specific problems
Flight-specific aspects (e.g., health problems, separation of family members, cramped housing conditions, etc.) affect only a minority of refugees. However, if these are present cumulatively in the course, this may have a negative effect on the German language acquisition of all course participants.
Literacy courses
Literacy courses often bring together "multiple problems" among the refugee attendees. In light of this aspect, reaching level A2 can already be regarded as a success.
Instructors
Qualitative analyzes show that dealing with conflicts related to attendees' values and political attitudes during lessons can place a strain on instructors. In addition, instructors are repeatedly confronted with other challenges, such as dealing with participants who are unaccustomed to learning, but also with traumatized participants, which often leads to a slow learning progress.
Orientation courses
The orientation course often shows a "test focus" among the participants, but there is often less interest in the actual content.
Intersections with other integration activities
It becomes clear with regard to the interfaces of the integration course that refugee attendees are motivated to attend further vocational language courses, but that only a minority actually follow this path in the period under observation. In addition, there is often little knowledge of appropriate language and counselling measures. Take-up of counselling services is very low, albeit there are also some positive examples of close interaction.
N.B.:
The Brief Analysis 3|2020 "Challenges faced by refugees attending integration courses: Demand for and usage of migration counselling services" and the Brief Analysis 4|2020 "Impact of factors specific to forced migration on the German language acquisition of refugees: Family constellation, health status and housing situation" conducted by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees are based on Research Report 33 (see "Downloads" under "Further information").
Authors of the research report: Anna Tissot, Johannes Croisier, Giuseppe Pietrantuono, Andreea Baier, Lars Ninke, Nina Rother, Christian Babka von Gostomski
The report is only available in German.