Education Commons^™

Holistic Approach To Promoting Student Engagement: Case Studies Of Six Refugee Students In Upper Elementary, Kathleen Mullen

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The pre-migration context experienced by many refugees significantly impacts their ability to develop human capital. This, combined with increased placement in areas with little immigration history, can make it more difficult for refugee students to engage fully with school. This study explores the pre-and post-migration experiences of six upper elementary refugee youth and the experiences of school staff new to working with refugee students. Staff found that these students expanded the skill range they needed to address but, like native-born youth, they were best able to engage with school when staff used a holistic focus to promote student learning.