'It's OK. She Doesn't Even Speak English': Narratives of Language, Culture, and Identity Negotiation by Immigrant High School Students

SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://sagepub.com

Y

29

Foreign Countries; High School Students; Immigrants; Refugees; Blacks; Cultural Background; Cultural Capital; Multilingualism; Student Experience; Self Concept; Language Skills; Acculturation; Identification (Psychology); Culturally Relevant Education

Africa; United States; Cote d'Ivoire; Ghana; Burkina Faso

10.1177/0042085919873696

0042-0859
1552-8340

This study employs narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of two female, first-generation immigrant- and refugee-background students from West Africa. Using interview as conversation for guiding open-ended research questions and Yosso's community cultural wealth (CCW) framework, we present participant narratives that speak to both similar and divergent experiences, which demonstrate a deep understanding of complex social issues presenting both tensions and opportunities for African immigrant and refugee student educational success in the United States. The study draws implications for rephrasing normative thinking about emerging multilingual students of African descent and developing a culturally responsive pedagogy for all students.

As Provided

2023

EJ1362541