First Generation Student Resources

This study explores how students from refugee backgrounds navigate their way into and through a regional Australian university, paying particular attention to their access to and use of different forms of support. “Cold” support refers to university resources that students consider unfamiliar and formal, for example, central learning support services such as tutoring. Students expressed a preference for the “warm” support offered via trusted people who act as literacy/ sociocultural brokers or “hot” support from their family, peers, or experienced community members. Via interviews, the participants shared that they view university study as integral to their social networks and community. The seven participants were from African (n = 6) and Asian (n = 1) backgrounds and were at varying stages of their college education. By opening up the inclusion criteria to include students who both came from “refugee producing countries” and had refugee like experiences, this study broadened the potential participant pool and also brings awareness to students who are often overlooked and marginalized within this already disadvantaged group. Finally, the authors recommend that academic advisors, librarians, counselors, administrative staff, and English language support staff be provided with relevant cultural training and education; universities should seek to participate in the diverse communities in which they reside; and those staff who provide warm support should be properly supported and recognized by their institutions for the work they do.

The purpose of this study is to examine what challenges immigrant and refugee English as a Second Language students face in accessing and participating in higher education, with a primary focus on the students’ perspectives. Immigrant and refugee ESL students are defined as first generation immigrants in the United States for whom English is not their
first language or their English proficiency is considered insufficient for university standards. The researchers interviewed 33 ESL students and seven university personnel at a major public university. The study found that linguistic challenges were not the participants’ primary concerns; rather, the students identified three other barriers to their success: (a) structural constraints at the school that applied only to ESL students (such as course requirements), (b) limited financial resources, and (c) self-censorship or self-doubt that led them to believe that they are not full members of the university community. The findings suggest a need for policy changes that shift away from remediating the students’ academic literacy to policies and resources that address their social, cultural, and linguistic capital. The authors also advocate for multilingualism in classrooms and the incorporation of non-English languages in composition courses. Additionally, they recommend university outreach programs that specifically identify and target ESL students through graduation. Finally, the researchers call for stronger partnerships between community colleges and 4-year institutions, given that these students are more likely to begin their pathway at a community college.