Refugee students in your classroom? Here's everything you need to know

Many English UK member centres offer English language courses to clients of RefuAid, our partner charity that supports refugees and asylum seekers in continuing their careers or education in the UK.

RefuAid students have an amazing track record of success in their studies but often face many barriers.

RefuAid has published a guide with tips on successfully supporting and integrating displaced students in the ELT classroom, outlining unseen problems they may face.

>> Download the RefuAid guide

What are the challenges that can hinder regular attendance?

Madiha Sultan, RefuAid's language program caseworker, said six challenges hinder regular attendance and full commitment. These include:

• being moved at no notice or becoming homeless if they achieve asylum status
• cost of transportation
• lack of childcare
• mental health issues
• financial instability, and
• unfamiliarity with a liberal academic environment and undiagnosed learning needs

How do you mitigate these challenges?

The guide suggests ways in which teachers can understand and mitigate these.

"The rewards outweigh the challenges for us as caseworkers and you as partner schools; our students contribute to a rich and dynamic environment and cultural understanding. They bring a unique perspective to classrooms and enrich discussions. Teachers feel a level of fulfilment and say whenever a student passes a test or goes to university, they feel they have achieved something."

246 RefuAid students graduated from their English language courses in 2023 thanks to support from English UK members. There are currently 355 RefuAid students learning free of charge in accredited ELT centres in the UK.

>> Find out more about our partnership with RefuAid and how you can support displaced students by working with RefuAid