Languaging, Learning, and Shared Narratives: Breaking the Cycle of Subtractive Education for Newcomer Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Learning From and Advocating for Newcomers and Students From Refugee Backgrounds

Abstract

In this qualitative analysis, we examine outcomes associated with a plurilingual, arts- and literacy-rich summer enrichment program for newcomer and emergent plurilingual students in California. Through the analysis of data from 3 school districts – including data collected both pre-and post- the COVID-19 pandemic - we consider what student-authored narratives reveal about how newcomers make meaning of their experiences, identities, and [trans]languaging processes. Key themes include how students see themselves as newcomers and members of educational communities; shifts in students’ languaging practices in response to their political, social, and academic context; and ways newcomer students’ voices can shape educational policy and practice.

Authors

• Alison G. Dover, California State University - Fullerton

• Fernando Rodriguez-Valls, California State University - Fullerton