Contributions and limitations of the reception protocols for students of foreign origin: Recommendations for their improvement

Abstract

Between different instruments and devices to facilitate the inclusion of foreign students in schools, reception protocols are being used widely. However, to date the particularities of these devices and their contribution to reception processes have been little explored and discussed. The objective of this study is to analyze the implementation of reception protocols in Chilean schools with a high enrollment of migrant population. From a qualitative methodology, 42 reception protocols were analyzed and systematized and in a second phase interviews were conducted with key actors in the school environment. The main results indicate that the protocols are documents managed mainly by psychosocial teams in order to facilitate enrollment and organize socio-emotional supports for students. However, tensions are observed in its design and implementation, such as the absence of certain central educational dimensions to respond to cultural diversity. The contributions of the protocols and the possibilities of advancing towards a reception program with an inclusive and multidimensional perspective are discussed.