Supporting Migrant and Refugee Students in Classrooms in 2023
I teach in a masters program for aspiring school leaders. This semester I am teaching a course about educating all students. Each week we focus on a different aspect of student and community identity for us to consider and discuss.
This past week, we discussed the identity marker of language. This has been a long time interest and passion for me. I was an English as a second language (ESL) student myself. I clearly remember the feeling of embarrassment and not-enoughness at the age of five when I was the only child who could not read. I also remember the teachers who endorsed that feeling as they placed me in the back of the room or scolded me for “copying” the person next to me.
While talking about the strengths and needs of our multilingual learners (MLL) is in itself important, I felt that it would be amiss to talk about it without acknowledging the current socio-political climate within our schools today. Currently, the increasing number of migrant and refugee students necessitates a heightened focus on inclusive policies, cultural sensitivity, and language support to ensure their successful integration into the educational system and broader society (Smith & Johnson, 2023). These students face unique challenges that require careful consideration in shaping education policies and practices.
Just take a look at this news clip from CBS News that highlights some of the concerns of schools.
Challenges that Migrant/Refugee Students Face
Language barriers: Many refugee students arrive with limited proficiency in English, making it difficult for them to fully engage in the classroom and integrate into the educational system.
Trauma and mental health: Refugee students may have experienced significant trauma in their home countries or during their journey to the United States, affecting their mental health and ability to focus on academics.
Educational gaps: Differences in the educational systems and standards of the student's home countries may result in significant educational gaps, making it challenging to integrate them into the appropriate grade levels. In addition, they may have missed significant time while traveling from their home country.
Cultural adjustment: Adapting to a new culture, social norms, and expectations can be overwhelming for, well any student, and especially refugee students, impacting their overall well-being and academic performance.
Limited resources: Schools may lack the necessary resources, such as specialized language instruction, counseling services, and cultural support, to effectively meet the needs of the growing refugee student population.
Challenges Schools/Educators Face
Lack of Resources: Schools may lack the resources necessary to provide adequate support, such as qualified language teachers or counselors with expertise in trauma-informed care.
Educational Policies: Sometimes, education policies and practices may not be tailored to meet the specific needs of migrant and refugee students, making it difficult for schools to provide effective support.
Teacher Shortage: In many regions, there is a critical shortage of qualified teachers, especially in subjects like math, science, and special education, which can lead to larger class sizes and limited individualized attention for students.
Overcrowded Classrooms: Overcrowded classrooms can diminish the quality of education by reducing one-on-one interaction and creating a more challenging environment for both students and teachers, potentially hindering the learning process.
Structural and System Supports: Adequate structural and system supports, such as providing nutritious meals in the cafeteria, mental health services, and transportation, are essential for ensuring that students' basic needs are met, which can have a significant impact on their overall well-being and academic success.
Solutions and Supports:
Many of my students are currently working in schools that are dealing with this. Although it is tempting to debate whether or not we should be supporting these refugee students, we pushed our thinking to focus on how we can best support our students and communities now that they are here. These were some of our ideas.
Language Support and Cultural Liaisons:
Hire bilingual staff and interpreters to facilitate communication and understanding between teachers, students, and families. Some of my students felt that bilingual staff should even be incentivized or compensated for the extra work they do to facilitate communications between native and non-native speakers.
Establish a culturally competent support team to help bridge the cultural divide and provide guidance to both students and staff.
Trauma-Informed Care:
Offer professional development to teachers and staff on recognizing and addressing trauma in students and teachers. My students acknowledged that this kind of work, teaching with our hearts, souls, and minds, requires teachers to do the work of trauma-informed care as well.
Collaborate with mental health professionals to develop trauma-informed practices and interventions within the school environment.
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Academic Support:
Conduct comprehensive assessments to identify educational gaps and create personalized educational plans for each student.
Provide additional academic support, including tutoring and extra classes, to help refugee students catch up with their grade levels.
Needs assessments and STRENGTH assessments. We discussed the ways in which even this conversation is undergirded with assumptions about our student’s capabilities. We must acknowledge the depth of knowledge and skill sets that each of our students comes with and intentionally shape our learning environments accordingly.
Community Engagement and Partnerships:
Collaborate with local community organizations, refugee assistance programs, and NGOs to provide additional resources, mentorship, and support to refugee students and their families.
Organize cultural events and workshops to promote a sense of belonging and understanding among the diverse student body.
A friend and mother posted on Instagram that her daughter’s school has a dedicated parent support specialist and assistant teachers from the community.
Advocacy and Funding:
I think that it is too often that teachers feel like we are powerless or that we are deemed powerless by those around us. It is important that we make known the realities of the classroom and advocate on behalf of our students and our profession.
Advocate for increased funding from local and state authorities to support the unique needs of refugee students and their families.
Engage with policymakers to influence policies that facilitate a smoother transition and integration of refugee students into the educational system.
In 2023, the landscape of education continues to evolve as our classrooms welcome an increasingly diverse population of migrant and refugee students. It is abundantly clear that addressing the unique challenges they face and fostering their successful integration into our educational system is not just a moral imperative but a fundamental necessity for the future of our society.
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