{"id":812,"date":"2025-03-03T13:13:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T13:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/?p=812"},"modified":"2025-03-14T12:28:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T12:28:47","slug":"navigating-mathematics-learning-challenges-for-ukrainian-refugee-students-in-uk-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/2025\/03\/03\/navigating-mathematics-learning-challenges-for-ukrainian-refugee-students-in-uk-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Mathematics Learning: Challenges for Ukrainian Refugee Students in UK Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This blogpost is written by Dr Volodymyr Proshkin and Dr Colin Foster, and edited by Dr Bethany Woollacott.<\/em>
Volodymyr Proshkin is a mathematics education researcher at Loughborough University, UK. His work focuses on the intersection of mathematics education and refugee integration, drawing on his personal and professional experience as a Ukrainian researcher<\/em>.
Colin Foster is a Reader in Mathematics Education at Loughborough University and is interested in the learning and teaching of mathematics in ways that support students\u2019 conceptual understanding. He is particularly interested in the design and use of rich tasks in the mathematics classroom, and in finding ways to support students when solving mathematical problems.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog post, Volodymyr and Colin explore the unique challenges faced by Ukrainian refugee students learning mathematics in UK schools, drawing on their recent paper (linked at the end of this blogpost). In this paper, they analyse interviews (with students and parents), and survey data (from teachers), identifying critical issues, such as language barriers, curriculum differences and the psychological impact of displacement. In this blogpost, Volodymyr and Colin summarise this paper, shedding light on potential solutions to the issues they found, and some implications for educational practices in diverse classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Imagine being a teenager, uprooted by war, and thrust into a classroom where not only the language but also the teaching methods and cultural expectations are entirely unfamiliar. This is the reality for thousands of Ukrainian students currently adapting to UK schools. While mathematics is often described as a universal language, for these students, it has become a maze of unfamiliar terminology, symbols and expectations. This is concerning as mathematics is not only a vital academic subject, but also a foundation for many career paths. In the following, we explore the experiences of Ukrainian refugee students learning mathematics in the UK, highlighting their unique struggles and offering insights that could improve outcomes for other displaced learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the influx of Ukrainian refugees into the UK has brought unique educational challenges. Unlike many other refugees, Ukrainian students often engage in “dual schooling”, simultaneously attending UK schools and continuing their Ukrainian education online. Dual-schooling complicates the integration of Ukrainian students into the schooling system and creates unique challenges, particularly in mathematics, where curriculum expectations differ significantly between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our paper we sought to understand these challenges and consider how they might be addressed, collecting the perspectives of pupils and parents through interviews, and teachers’ perspectives via a survey. We detail four key findings below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Language Barrier<\/strong>s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Language was the most reported challenge for Ukrainian students. Mathematical English, with its complex vocabulary and syntax, appeared to pose additional hurdles beyond conversational English. As one student noted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI didn\u2019t raise my hand in the first months because I didn\u2019t understand anything.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Though the survey indicated that teachers were aware of these barriers, half of the surveyed students reported no specific measures being taken to accommodate their language needs, suggesting that teachers struggled to effectively bridge this gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Differences in Curricula<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian students reported frequently encountering a curriculum in the UK that felt simultaneously less rigorous and more fragmented than what they were accustomed to in Ukraine. While they reported that arithmetic and algebra were often easier, geometry and probability were taught differently or earlier in the UK, leading to confusion. One parent remarked:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Mathematics in the UK appears easier, but this lack of challenge reduces motivation”.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Social and Emotional Challenges<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Adapting to a new socio-cultural environment, compounded by the trauma of displacement, left many students struggling emotionally. Teachers noted that students sometimes withdrew or lacked engagement, hindering their learning. However, the supportive and less authoritarian teaching style in UK schools appeared to help some students feel more comfortable and willing to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Organisational Challenges<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Students and parents felt that difficulties were created by the lack of textbooks, differing expectations for homework, and the integration of calculators into lessons. Ukrainian students, accustomed to a more structured and demanding system, reported often feeling disoriented by the more flexible approach in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussion and Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our research highlights an urgent need for targeted interventions to support Ukrainian refugee students in mathematics. These could include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n