Supporting migratory students to excel requires a comprehensive approach that includes culturally responsive and informed practices to assess and teach. Identifying and meeting the needs of migratory students must include family engagement with communication strategies that consider home language and cultural perspective. Simple strategies like these from Colorín Colorado, help to develop a classroom and school culture that integrates the meaningful input and perspectives of all families.
Effective support means school policy and procedures that promote the core values of safety, trustworthiness, choice, empowerment, and collaboration for migratory families. Below are further resources to assist in developing culturally responsive and high quality programs to support migratory students:
- Migrant Students: What We Need to Know to Help Them Succeed - Strategies for Success from Colorín Colorado
- Ten Ideas for Providing School-Wide Support to Students with Interrupted Formal Education from Colorín Colorado
- Ten Ideas for Teaching Students with Interrupted Formal Education in the Classroom from Colorín Colorado
- Culturally Responsive Instruction: Resource List from Colorín Colorado
- WIDA’s Can Do Philosophy: An Asset-Based Approach to Each Student
- This article from WIDA describes how Arcadia changed their school climate and culture around language testing.
- Out-of-School and Secondary Youth Relationship Building Manual This toolkit from the national consortium GOSOSY guides instructional staff through self assessment and planning in developing cultural competence to develop effective communication strategies to engage older youth.
- DPI’s Resources for Resiliency
- DPI’s E-Learning Course: Creating Safe and Health Environments for Immigrant and Refugee Youth