Supporting Immigrant Students in a Newcomer High School: A Case Study

Many school districts in the United States have developed special schools or programs designed to meet the specific language, academic, and social needs of recent immigrant students. In this article, we examine the experiences of six immigrant students who were enrolled in a U.S. high school designed specifically for adolescent immigrants. Using a qualitative case study research design, we explore the students' experiences in the school and their perceptions of the three teachers they identified as particularly supportive. We also draw on interviews and observations of these three teachers to explore the specific practices that supported the students' academic and social success in the school. The findings suggest that both school context and positive teacher-student interactions facilitated by the teachers' use of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices were significant contributors to students' learning. We discuss the study implications for practice and offer recommendations for educators working with immigrant students.