"Read the Way They Want You to Read": Transitioning to College Literacy After Forced Migration

• In Event: Literacy Education in Adolescence and Beyond

Abstract

Refugee students enter college with diverse language, literacy, and professional experiences, presenting a conundrum to the field of college literacy. The purpose of this study was to understand how students from refugee backgrounds navigate the literacy expectations of an American college program. The program used a competency-based online college model with in-person wrap-around academic support. This study reports results from a collective case study with six focal students from refugee backgrounds. Interviews, observations, and artifact analyses revealed that students often needed extra support to understand assignment expectations and build requisite background knowledge. In addition, students felt most confident when they were able to leverage their past experiences within their projects. The importance of identifying implicit expectations will be discussed.

Author

• Meagan Ann Hoff, Collin College