The research question guiding this work was: How does the flipped classroom method facilitate the adaptation of students from diverse backgrounds in lessons in Kazakhstan?

We had several objectives to answer the research question:

- What are the specific adaptation challenges that foreign students can face?

Is the flipped classroom method effective in addressing these challenges? (The theoretical background)

- What do some teachers and students think about this method?

- Comparison of the traditional and the flipped classroom regarding the effectiveness of students' adaptation. 

The first thing that was taken into consideration in our research was Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and the role of social interaction in learning. As it is known from his theory, children can't learn if they are not in their 'Zone of Proximal Development' (ZPD). Students have different knowledge and different images of the same things. To help them, it should be clear that these images should be represented for them beforehand. If we teach them new things and all the children can listen to them, other children will laugh at them or bully them because children can sometimes misunderstand some facts. To engage during the lesson, all the students ' differences must be taken into consideration. 

The second theory that was studied by us is Krashen's Input Hypothesis (Krashen, 1982). As teachers of different languages, we know the importance of input during the lesson, and pre-recorded videos can provide our international students with comprehensible input before the lesson, engaging all the students. Some of these students may struggle with language, and they need repeated exposure to new material. 

The third theory that supports our research is the Constructivist Learning Theory (Piaget, 1950; Bruner, 1966). Some teachers use a lot of time during the lesson to explain something in theory, and they do not have enough time for practice. It is a great challenge for some students to study under these conditions, and for students who have another background, it must be impossible to study under these conditions. According to Piaget and Bruner's theory, learning occurs only when students are engaged in problem-solving and critical thinking. These students from diverse backgrounds can use their prior knowledge obtained from the flipped classroom activities prepared for them. 

Also, principles of incisive pedagogy (Florian and Black-Hawkins, 2011) support our research. According to these principles, teachers must support all the students regardless of their background and abilities, creating an appropriate learning environment.  Flipped classrooms allow teachers to personalize instructions, taking into consideration learning styles, and provide additional support to students who need it, reducing their stress. 

The main concepts of our research are based on the flipped learning model, which was introduced by Bergmann and Sams in 2012. This method shifts direct instruction to learning, taking into consideration students' differences, their pace, and their abilities. It creates a flexible and supportive learning environment.

Different methods were used in this research. They are qualitative and quantitative methods. It was conducted several surveys and questionnaires were conducted for different groups, such as teachers and students. They assess students' engagement before and after the implementation of the flipped classroom. There were questions with multiple choice and questions with answers such as from 1 - Strongly Disagree to 5 - Strongly Agree. Also, we have pre- and post-tests for assessment of students' knowledge in focus groups in order to compare the results before and after the implementation of the flipped classroom method and the attitude towards it from the teachers and the students. The works of students and all the interviews were transcribed and analyzed. All the data was anonymized, and all the names and surnames were changed to Student 1, Student 2, and so on. Additionally, classroom observations were conducted, including some checklists with information regarding the number of students actively participating in the classroom work, and the percentage of foreign students in these statistics. Two methods of teaching, such as the traditional method of teaching and the flipped classroom method, were compared.

The findings of our research showed that approximately 95% of students feel more confident and comfortable after implementing the flipped classroom because they have the opportunity to review the materials as many times as they would like. Approximately 87% of students feel less anxiety because they have an opportunity to be prepared for the lesson beforehand. It increased their self-confidence. Students using the Flipped Classroom showed higher test scores. 80% of students agreed that now they have a better comprehension of the information, thanks to the exposure to the content of the lesson materials. Usage of our method reduced the learning gap, and it can be proved by pre- and post-tests. 88% of students mentioned that they participate now more actively, and their motivation is higher now than it was before the implementation of the flipped classroom. 80% of students from diverse backgrounds are ready to collaborate with peers. It leads to a reduced level of discrimination. From the teachers' point of view, it was mentioned by 98% that the flipped classroom allows them to implement more personalized learning. 95% of teachers mentioned that they use their classroom time more effectively now.

Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day. International Society for Technology in Education. Bruner, J. S. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Harvard University Press. Florian, L., & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. Cambridge Journal of Education, 41(2), 173–183. Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Pergamon Press. Piaget, J. (1950). The Psychology of Intelligence. Routledge. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.