Meeting invisibilized needs: Youth refugees’ language and literacy development at the tertiary level in Canada

Abstract

Currently, there is a knowledge gap vis-à-vis the educational needs and trajectories of youth refugee students at the tertiary level. Once admitted as domestic students, they are indistinguishable from other domestic students, invisibilizing them as a group, which impedes identifying their specific language, literacy, and socioemotional needs. Their indiscernibility as a group leads to a knowledge gap and absence of supportive policies. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to shine a spotlight on both these students’ language and literacy needs, and their educators’ professional development needs. Educators and key stakeholders in three institutions were surveyed and interviewed online to elicit their views and emic perspectives on key issues and challenges involved in youth refugees’ language and literacy learning, related policies and services, and their own professional learning needs. These results are first steps towards filling the gap in the literature, informing policy, and supporting educators and youth refugees.