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13 - Conclusion and Future Directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2026

Theresa Catalano
Affiliation:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Summary

The biggest contribution this book has to offer is its rich and detailed accounts of the lived experiences of migrants from around the world. Besides providing a glimpse of what migration is like, as well as how varied each individual experience can be, the stories provide cultural information that can inform teachers working with migrant students in various contexts. In addition, I hope that teachers are able to use the stories to dispel stereotypes about migrants and to teach others. Some of the many implications for teachers to be gleaned from the stories include numerous ways in which to adapt instruction to respond to the educational needs of migrant students and the knowledge that even small steps such as performing a kind act or recognizing the languages a student speaks or giving an award to a hard-working student can make a great difference in their lives. In addition, stories such as LiHua's indicate a need for teachers to attend to political issues between students' countries of origin and receiving countries, and to recognize that different types of migrants have different backgrounds and needs. Teachers could also benefit from attending to the explicit teaching of humor and intercultural competence, understanding and acknowledging the signifying potential of silence, the teacher's role in helping students access services and knowing about human rights, the importance of explicit L1 maintenance for children of migrants and being aware of the vulnerability of migrant students to bullying and psychological conditions such as depression. Additionally, teachers need to be aware of the stigmatization and social isolation that can sometimes occur with students identified as ELLs (and undocumented students in particular).

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