The Multiple Worlds of Ghanaian-Born Immigrant Students and Academic Success

• In Event: 66.057 - Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 66.057-18 - Messages From the Diaspora: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Immigrant Youth

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the factors associated with immigrant students from Ghana on how to combine their multiple worlds of families, schools, peers, and teachers to affect academic engagement within contexts of school and classroom situations. A secondary goal of this study is to explore teachers’ perception and understanding of the sociocultural and past educational experiences of immigrant students from Ghana, sub-Saharan Africa. I analyze two interviews transcripts (students and teachers). Forty Ghanaian-born immigrant students and10 certified teachers in Atlanta metropolitan area, Georgia were recruited and interviewed. The findings suggest that Ghanaian-born immigrant students undergo several complex transitional paradigms combining two worlds of African culture, education, family values, learning new cultures, and adapting to new school settings to achieve success.

Authors

• Alex Kumi-Yeboah, University at Albany - SUNY

• Patriann Smith, Texas Tech University