In my dissertation research, I am conducting a multiphase mixed-methods research to investigate the bridging language programs in monolingual countries and reveal what structural (i.e., contextual) factors predict the destination language proficiency of newly arrived migrant students at lower-secondary schools in İstanbul and Hamburg. 

In the qualitative phases, I collected data from distinct sources via semi-structured interviews with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and key informations. To further triangulation,  I undertook persistent classroom observations. The İstanbul phase was completed in Spring 2020 whereas the Hamburg phase is projected to finish in Fall 2020. Comparative qualitative results will be available towards mid-Spring 2021.

The quantitative phase comprises of developing and administering a questionnaire (Turkish, German, and Arabic) and language tests (Turkish / German) to collect comprehensive data on in-and out-of-school variables which are likely to influence the destination language proficiency of the newly arrived migrant students. The quantitative phase in İstanbul is still underway and will be completed around December 2020 whereas it is scheduled to start in Hamburg in late January 2021. The results of this phase will be available at earliest in the second half of 2021.