“Friends Who Are Different, Equal to Me”: Cross-Cultural Contact at an Immigrant-Serving High School

• In Event: Supporting the Educational Success of Immigrant Students: Strategies for Inclusive Learning

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study of cross-cultural relations at “Roosevelt High,” an ethno-linguistically diverse school in Philadelphia that is demographically similar to the schools that educate the majority of emergent bilingual students nationwide. In contrast to the intergroup conflict that characterizes many of these schools, immigrant-origin students at Roosevelt overwhelmingly report a positive racial climate. Drawing on surveys, interviews, and classroom observations, we explore these perceptions through the lens of contact theory (Allport, 1954). Regression analyses and qualitative findings show that equal status, shared goals, cooperation, and authority support at Roosevelt facilitate cross-cultural friendships. This research offers directions for promising educational policies and classroom practices in immigrant-serving schools.

Authors

• Barbara Thelamour, Swarthmore College

• Elaine Cristina Allard, Swarthmore College

• Allison Katrina Morales, Swarthmore College

• Sylridge K. Wah, Swarthmore College