It is important to not only engage refugee youth in activities that will help build on and ensure academic success, but that also incorporates a sense of pride and self-confidence. Challenges educators may face in the classroom include:
1. Communication. Students may or may not have English language skills when they arrive in the United States, and translators/interpreters may not always be available. Verbal and non-verbal communication and cues may also differ.
2. Cultural norms & expectations. Students will likely arrive in the U.S. with different cultural norms and expectations around education. They may also arrive with survival skills that helped them navigate life in refugee camps but that are inappropriate in school.
3. Community & systems support. Families and youth may have other pressing needs that interfere with students’ education. It is important that they receive the support they need outside of the school environment.
These challenges, though often a barrier to students’ academic success, may also prove to be a benefit for the classroom. Each of these challenges provides learning opportunities as well regarding another language, another culture, and community engagement. Activities that bridge different cultures with different learning styles will benefit refugee and non-refugee students alike.