Charting Directions for Social Studies Research and Practice for Immigrant Students Affected by Undocumented Status (Poster 3)

• In Event: Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Social Studies: Research and Practice With and for Multilingual Youth

Abstract

Objectives:
The objectives of this presentation are twofold: (1) identify gaps in social studies knowledge of teaching undocumented, unaccompanied, and citizen-youth of undocumented parents; and, (2) present ideas for a social studies research agenda that informs practices and influences advocacy for these students.

Perspectives:
Historically, social studies classrooms have played an important role in preparing K-12 students for civic engagement and formal citizenship, and they are consequential for the children of immigrants’ active civic development (Dabach et al., 2018; Salinas, 2006). Further, the children of immigrants are the fastest growing K-12 student population. Yet, there is scant research in the social studies on teaching undocumented students, unaccompanied children, and citizen-youth of unauthorized parents. Teachers are largely unprepared to work with immigrant populations and emergent bilinguals (e.g., O’Brien, 2011; Sattin-Bajaj et al., 2023). This presentation will bring together social studies scholarship on in-service teachers (e.g., Dabach et al., 2018; Hilburn, 2015), pre-service teachers (e.g., Buchanan & Hilburn, 2016; Rodríguez & Salinas, 2019), immigration (e.g., Hilburn & Jaffee, 2020), youth citizenship (e.g., Author, 2015), emergent bilinguals (e.g., Deroo, 2022; O’Brien, 2011), and culturally and linguistically diverse students (e.g., Jaffee, 2016; Ramirez & Jaffee, 2016) to help shape a research agenda that informs practices and influences advocacy for undocumented, unaccompanied, and citizen-children of immigrants.

Modes of Inquiry:
This presentation synthesizes social studies articles that address teaching and teacher preparation for culturally and linguistically diverse students, emergent bilinguals, undocumented status, and citizenship. I obtained articles from databases and Internet searches, including ERIC, JSTOR, Education Research Complete, and Google Scholar. Two principal social studies journals used in this presentation are Theory & Research in Social Education and The Journal of Social Studies Research. This presentation also draws from journals in teacher education (e.g., Action in Teacher Education), bilingual education (e.g., International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism), multicultural education (e.g., Multicultural Education), and critical issues in teaching and learning (e.g., The High School Journal). While interest in teaching immigrant youth is growing, scholarship focused on teaching these youth have yet to make their way into mainstream social studies research and teaching agendas.

Results:
Discussion will center on three themes: (i) emerging research on best practices and teacher preparation for immigrant youths’ civic formations and translanguaging practices; (ii) conceptual frameworks guiding social studies research on immigrant students’ cultural and linguistic assets, communities of belonging, and needs; and, (iii) practical, methodological, and ethical challenges issues in social studies research with immigrant children. The presentation concludes with a discussion of future directions.

Significance:
Given the evolving landscape of immigration, it is important to identify emerging research and future directions in social studies education research and practice for the children of immigration. Children who are culturally and linguistically diverse, undocumented, unaccompanied, and/or citizen-youth continue to lack access to an equitable education. Social studies research must continue with sustained efforts in research, practice, methodological rigor to confront silence around immigration. Doing the right thing means social studies researchers, teacher educators, and in- and pre-service teachers must first embrace immigrant youth.

Author

• Jennifer M. Bondy, Arizona State University