Overcoming language barriers with immigrants in social services
Törnqvist, Heini (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024070323945
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024070323945
Tiivistelmä
The objective of this thesis was to examine immigrants’ language skills related problems and methods that can help overcoming these problems in adult social services. The ability to speak Finnish can become a barrier in accessing services and also affect to the quality of services. The theoretical framework consists of immigrants’ integration process into Finnish society, language skills and second-language learning, Ecological systems theory and Acculturation model describing the factors affecting immigrant clients’ lives, social services for adult immigrants and communication support methods used in social service practice.
The data was collected with a literature review. The thesis was based on the following research questions: What kind of language skills related problems immigrants can face in social services? and which methods are being used or could be used in social services to support the communication with immigrants? Article search was done from ScienceDirect (Elsevier), EBSCOhost combined, ProQuest central and SAGE Premier databases. I chose seven most suitable articles to be part of the literature review, and these articles were analyzed using data-driven content analysis.
The first main finding revealed that communication difficulties are one of the biggest challenges when working with immigrant clients, and language barriers can hinder clients’ informed decision making about themselves and their family members. Second, professionals and students need more training in working with interpreters and about cultural sensitivity. Third, beliefs and attitudes of immigrants’ language learning ability affect to social contacts with immigrants. Fourth, immigrants come from various backgrounds and therefore language training should be more individual.
In conclusion, overcoming language barriers with immigrants requires considering various factors and looking at the situation at a wider perspective. The situation is affected by immigrant’s language skills, motivation and past experiences, relationship between client, professional and interpreter, cultural values and manners, and also structural factors such as training for professionals and available resources.
The data was collected with a literature review. The thesis was based on the following research questions: What kind of language skills related problems immigrants can face in social services? and which methods are being used or could be used in social services to support the communication with immigrants? Article search was done from ScienceDirect (Elsevier), EBSCOhost combined, ProQuest central and SAGE Premier databases. I chose seven most suitable articles to be part of the literature review, and these articles were analyzed using data-driven content analysis.
The first main finding revealed that communication difficulties are one of the biggest challenges when working with immigrant clients, and language barriers can hinder clients’ informed decision making about themselves and their family members. Second, professionals and students need more training in working with interpreters and about cultural sensitivity. Third, beliefs and attitudes of immigrants’ language learning ability affect to social contacts with immigrants. Fourth, immigrants come from various backgrounds and therefore language training should be more individual.
In conclusion, overcoming language barriers with immigrants requires considering various factors and looking at the situation at a wider perspective. The situation is affected by immigrant’s language skills, motivation and past experiences, relationship between client, professional and interpreter, cultural values and manners, and also structural factors such as training for professionals and available resources.