Refugee Education in Countries of First Asylum: Breaking Open the Black Box of Pre-resettlement Experiences

Summary

This article examines the pre-resettlement educational experiences of refugee children, which to date have constituted a ‘black box’ in their post-resettlement education. It identifies three themes that are common to the educational experiences of refugees in countries of first asylum that can inform educational practices in resettlement schools: language barriers; teacher-centered pedagogy; and discrimination in school settings.

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Key Takeaways

We offer the following practical steps and actions based on this research below (click to expand).

+ For Policymakers

INSIGHTS		ACTIONS
Upon arrival in a resettlement country, refugee children may have fallen years behind in content learning due to continual shifting of language of instruction and the resulting lack of exposure to subject-matter content.	➟	To meet refugee students where they are, establish processes through which teachers identify educational gaps, assets, and goals based on prior exposure to academic content and language.
Most refugee children transition to a new language of instruction in a country of first asylum and then again in a resettlement context.	➟	Examine strategies through which instruction and assessment can include students of different language abilities and increase language skills in the target language.
Informal, community-based schools in pre-resettlement settings can reflect the kind of education refugee parents seek for their children.	➟	Learn from refugees' prior experiences in education, both formal and informal, to identify and incorporate into resettlement settings educational values and practices that are important to refugee students and their families.

+ For Educators

INSIGHTS		ACTIONS
Refugee education in countries of first asylum is characterized by teacher-centered pedagogy and limits student participation. Classroom observations indicate that in their pre-resettlement education, refugee children often have no experience working in groups, asking questions, or engaging in exploration.	➟	Explicitly teach children how to engage in child-centered activities in order to allow refugee students to gain experience and confidence in different modes of learning within new classroom settings.
In resettlement countries, teachers may assume that silence, failure to ask questions, and difficulty in self-directed exploration means refugee children have few contributions to make in class.	➟	Explicitly teach skills for the kind of participation expected in classrooms. Give students time to adjust within a safe and welcoming class environment.
Refugee children often experience discrimination in pre-resettlement educational spaces, primarily in regards to curriculum content and treatment by peers and teachers.	➟	Establish expectations of how discrimination is addressed in classroom settings and create opportunities to bring students’ personal histories and assets into the classroom. Openly discuss issues of discrimination in schools toward the development of trusting relationships.

+ For Researchers

FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EXAMINE:
How refugee students’ pre-resettlement experiences shape experiences in refugee resettlement; Classroom- and policy-level strategies for identifying educational gaps and assets based on pre-resettlement exposure to academic content and language.
Additional Reading Introduction: Syrian refugees’ encounters with the education system in their initial resettlement in Canada (2019) We are America (2021)

Citation (APA): Dryden-Peterson, S. (2015). Refugee Education in Countries of First Asylum: Breaking Open the Black Box of Pre-Resettlement Experiences. Theory and Research in Education, 14(2): 131–148.

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