Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students & Families: Ideas from Educators

The following resources highlight strategies that educators around the country are using to support their English language learner (ELL) and immigrant families in a range of districts with varying sizes and diverse populations. Specific ideas for school and district administrators are available in our related resource section.

Immigrant Support Teams

• All Hands on Deck: Creating Immigrant Support Teams for Students in Topeka
• Finding Answers for Our Immigrant Students and Families: An ELL District Leader's Perspective

Social-Emotional / Mental Health

• Social and Emotional Support for Refugee Families: A School Psychology Perspective
• Building Bridges Through Storytelling: What Are Your Students' Stories?
• Finding Where the Hope Is: Supporting Immigrant Students as a School Psychologist

Building Upon Student and Family Strengths

• Using a Strengths-Based Approach with ELs: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence and Chronic Stress
• Getting to Know Our Families’ Cultural and Social Assets: The View from Dearborn, MI

Lessons Learned from School Districts

• Keep Asking Until Someone Responds: How a Small Question Had a Big Impact
• Lessons from Postville: How an Immigration Raid Changed a Small Town and Its Schools
• Moral Leadership and Unwavering Respect for All Kids: A Superintendent's Perspective
• Drawing Upon Strong Community Support: Meeting Immigrant Families' Needs During Uncertain Times
• A Hidden Language: Supporting Students Who Speak Mixtec

Community Partnerships

• Video Project: How Community Schools Can Support ELLs
• "Amazing Race": Building Community at Minnieville Elementary School

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