{
  "abstract": "While extensive research has examined refugee students’ educational adaptation in host countries, the educational reintegration phase following voluntary return remains underexplored. This qualitative study investigates the linguistic and academic adaptation experiences of Syrian students transitioning from Turkish-medium education in Türkiye to Arabic-medium schooling in Syria after voluntary return. The study addresses an overarching question: how do returnee students experience the linguistic, academic, social, and psychosocial dimensions of this reverse educational transition? Using an exploratory qualitative design, data were collected through a seven-item open-ended written questionnaire from 15 middle-school students who had received several years of formal schooling in Türkiye. Qualitative content analysis revealed that return does not constitute a simple linguistic recovery, but rather a reverse academic transition characterized by profound difficulties with academic Arabic, conceptual transfer, written production, and in-class assessment practices. The findings indicate that students’ challenges were shaped not only by uneven Arabic literacy development but also by curriculum misalignment, pedagogical practices that participants perceived as more teacher-directed, limited peer interaction, and assessment practices that they perceived as unclear. Furthermore, psychosocial pressures, including re-migration-related distress, concentration difficulties, and increased family responsibilities, complicated their academic adaptation. Ultimately, these struggles reflect systemic institutional and contextual mismatches rather than individual deficits. By conceptualizing return as a distinct educational phase, this study contributes to the broader discourses on refugee education and bilingualism. The implications underscore the critical need for academic Arabic bridging programs, background-sensitive assessment frameworks, psychosocially responsive pedagogies, and school-based psychosocial support to ensure equitable reintegration into Arabic-medium schooling.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Department of Education Science, Hatay, Türkiye",
    "Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Department of English Language Teaching, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye",
    "Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of National Education, Hatay, Türkiye",
    "Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Department of English Language Teaching, Hatay, Türkiye"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Sevda Dolapcioglu"
    },
    {
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      ],
      "name": "Yunus Emre Akbana"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "İlayda Uzun"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Gülten Koşar"
    }
  ],
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  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361042",
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  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
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  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
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  "native_subjects": [
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      "3304|Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees"
    ],
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive psychology/Language"
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Learning and memory/Learning/Human learning"
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Language"
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Learning/Human learning"
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      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Language"
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      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Learning/Human learning"
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      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Emotions"
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      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Sociology/Education/Schools"
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  "openalex": "W7222715411",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0361042&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f5gh5v06knm1p.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:23Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361042",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
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  "title": "The hidden challenges of return migration: Linguistic and academic re-adaptation of Syrian students to the Arabic Education System",
  "title_text": "The hidden challenges of return migration: Linguistic and academic re-adaptation of Syrian students to the Arabic Education System",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:23Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/f5gh5v06knm1p",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
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}