Unveiling Raciolinguistic Ideologies: Pre-Service Teachers’ Insights on Refugee Integration in Schools

This study investigates pre-service teachers' ideologies about refugee students' belonging and integration in Türkiye and examines how these ideologies shape their anticipated pedagogical practices. Using the framework of raciolinguistic ideologies, the study highlights how linguistic and cultural hierarchies influence educational practices, often perpetuating systemic exclusion. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 13 pre-service teachers from various educational programs, utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological design. The findings reveal a predominant reliance on deficit-based perspectives, with refugee students framed as linguistically deficient and culturally "othered." While participants expressed professional commitments to inclusivity, their approaches often emphasized assimilation into Turkish norms, reflecting cultural essentialism. Proposed pedagogical strategies demonstrated adaptability but often lacked depth, reinforcing assimilationist frameworks rather than leveraging refugee students' linguistic and cultural resources. These findings emphasize the need for teacher education programs to promote asset-based perspectives through training in culturally sustaining pedagogies and critical reflection to foster inclusive practices that affirm diversity.