Although children’s voices are now widely recognized and prioritized by many researchers across disciplines (Sudarsan et al., 2022), this approach remains controversial (Espinosa, 2022), especially when working with migrant and displaced children (Due et al., 2014). It remains unclear to what extent such research is truly attuned to children’s lived realities and prioritizes a decolonial methodological logic in its interpretation (Smith, 2021). Objectives: This article aims to explore this question through a research project examining the intersecting points of view of teachers and newly arrived immigrant students (NAIS) in elementary schools in Quebec, regarding pedagogical practices that promote their sociocultural and academic inclusion. Methods: Data collection methods included comprehensive interviews, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews conducted in three classes across different schools in Quebec of three teachers and seven NAIS. By presenting different practices-each involving the teacher and one or more students-we explore the extent to which the concept of student inclusion is articulated and perceived by both groups. Results: Preliminary results reveal a divergence in points of view between students and their teachers, and show that the priorities identified by students differ from those emphasized by teachers. Conclusion: This illustrates that inclusion cannot be defined only from the teachers’ point of view, but instead, needs to attend to its articulation by teachers and students. The study also highlights the importance of creating ‘safe’ spaces in educational research where students can fully express their perceptions and needs, which speaks to the urgent need to attend to the decolonization of methodologies, in this case implying a form of deep listening and attunement to diverse voices.
Toward decolonizing methodologies: intersecting points of view of teachers and newly arrived immigrant students regarding inclusion
