Language and belonging in Australian schools: perspectives and experiences of families from refugee backgrounds

Abstract

ABSTRACT With increased attention on the school belonging experiences of young people from refugee backgrounds, there is limited understanding of how parents construct and respond to their children’s experiences. Given the important role that parents play in their children’s education, this study explored the perspectives of three mothers from newly arrived refugee backgrounds, as they responded to drawings created by their children about their schooling experiences in an Australian primary school. Employing an arts-based approach, data were collected from students’ drawings and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the mothers viewed language as a mediator in children’s belonging experiences. English language proficiency bridged opportunities for their children’s academic and social success, with translation support providing opportunities for both the children and the mothers to actively participate in the school community. Additionally, mothers felt that peers from the same language and cultural backgrounds contributed to their children’s sense of belonging while ‘local’ peers amplified difference. The study found the mothers often focused on what their children lacked or how they were different when discussing barriers to belonging, suggesting there is a need, particularly within schools, to shift focus from what these students’ lack to what they contribute to their school communities.