“It’s OK. She Doesn’t Even Speak English”: Narratives of Language, Culture, and Identity Negotiation by Immigrant High School Students

Authors

Lydiah Kananu Kiramba, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
James Alan Oloo, Gabriel Dumont Institute, Saskatoon

ORCID IDs

Lydiah Kananu Kiramba https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0231-4711

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2019

Citation

Published in Urban Education, 2019, 19pp

doi 10.1177/0042085919873696

Comments

Copyright © 2019 Lydiah Kananu Kiramba and James Alan Oloo. Published by SAGE Publications. Used by permission.

Abstract

This study employs narrative inquiry to explore the experiences of two female, first-generation immigrant- and refugee-background students from West Africa. Using interview as conversation for guiding open-ended research questions and Yosso’s community cultural wealth (CCW) framework, we present participant narratives that speak to both similar and divergent experiences, which demonstrate a deep understanding of complex social issues presenting both tensions and opportunities for African immigrant and refugee student educational success in the United States. The study draws implications for rephrasing normative thinking about emerging multilingual students of African descent and developing a culturally responsive pedagogy for all students.