Promoting academic success in difficult contexts. An effective model in Italian primary school

The present study explores which process can provide a quality learning for all pupils living in difficult contexts, ambitiously aiming at constructing a social justice education model, particularly addressed to migrant students' inclusion. A critical Grounded Theory method in its constructivist approach (Charmaz, 2014) was used to guide this inquiry that involved 26 teachers, 36 parents and 19 students of a primary school in Trentino. The progressive data collection from 2005 to 2011 included 62 focused interviews to key informants, observations and questionnaires. The data analysis was carried out according to the Grounded Theory procedures (Tarozzi, 2008) with a transformation into text and a verbatim transcription of all the material, encoded with the support of NVivo9. The author developed from a systemic perspective the conceptual relations between the seven built categories and identified four stages of the process that, in a progressive temporal circularity, enhance the system in itself in the construction of effective paths to promote quality education for all in complex contexts: (1) choosing ethically, (2) facilitating the experience with effective strategies, (3) constructing social skills, (4) quality of learning for all. In particular, the conditions of transferability that emerge from data - social equity as ethical choice, congruent political contexts, teachers’ competences - could be relevant for designing inclusive scenarios in the Italian primary school.