Restorative Conflict Resolution with Multilingual Students: Beyond Translation

• In Event: Language, Borders, and Belonging: Multilingual Futures and Immigrant Students

Abstract

This qualitative study examines how elementary teachers navigate conflicts involving emerging multilingual students (MLS) in a Midwestern school district. During the 2024–2025 school year, twenty-six teachers shared insights through semi-structured interviews. Findings from eleven interviews suggest conflicts were fueled by lack of cultural awareness and language barriers, which resulted in misunderstandings. Teachers reported responding to conflicts by clarifying expectations and engaging in restorative conversations, often utilizing visual cues and translation. However, translation challenges hindered restorative conversations. While investment in interpreters and multilingual staff is essential, effective interpretation in restorative contexts requires more than linguistic accuracy. Interpreters must also understand students’ cultural norms and the tenets of restorative practices—such as shared power—to ensure MLS retain agency and conflicts are equitably resolved.

Authors

• Tina Ahmadi, Ball State University

• Kiah Taylor, Ball State University

• Serena J. Salloum, Ball State University