Students of Refugee Backgrounds

On commencing school in Australia, students of refugee backgrounds face additional challenges, including:

• Transitioning through different education settings (i.e. English Language School to mainstream)
• Managing new learning environments
• Learning English language and literacy
• Substantial gaps between their educational knowledge and that of their Australian peers
• The impact of ongoing settlement demands on learning

Additional support is often required to help students to develop the language and learning skills they need to succeed in Australian schools, which often adds considerable complexity to mainstream educational settings and teaching practice.

Supportive schools:

• Appreciate young refugees’ experiences
• Consider how refugee trauma impacts children’s and adolescents’ schooling
• Apply a whole-school approach to support students of refugee backgrounds