Teachers’ opinions on the education of Ukrainian refugee students (in Polish schools)

Research objectives (aims) and problem(s): The research objective was to explore Polish teachers’ opinions on the form and conditions for optimizing the educational process of refugee students from Ukraine, as well as the difficulties related to broadly understood education. Research methods: The study employed a scale created by the author, which covered seven areas: the optimal system and forms of education for refugee students from Ukraine, conditions for optimizing their education (including environmental adjustments), possible difficulties and demotivators, and the priority needs of refugee students. Additionally, the issue of teacher preparedness for working with refugee students was considered. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: Teachers emphasized the necessity of smaller class sizes, psychological support, and access to interpreters as critical for optimizing educational outcomes for refugee students. They also pointed to challenges that refugee students face, such as language barriers and emotional distress, highlighting the need for specialized teacher training in intercultural sensitivity and trauma-informed methods. These findings underscore the growing recognition in the field of the need for inclusive and adaptive educational strategies. Conclusions and/or recommendations: Teacher training programs should prioritize intercultural competence and trauma-sensitive approaches to better prepare educators to support the unique needs of refugee students. Recommendations include integrating structured psychological support and linguistic resources within schools to foster a supportive learning environment in culturally diverse educational settings.