Afghan students are more than just English learners

Author

Farilla Saboor, Cal Poly HumboldtFollow

Graduation Date

Fall 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Arts degree with a major in Education

Committee Chair Name

Rouhollah Aghasaleh

Committee Chair Affiliation

Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Tristan Gleason

Second Committee Member Affiliation

Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff

Keywords

English learners, Afghan students, education

Subject Categories

Education

Abstract

This thesis examines the strengths that Afghan students and their families bring to U.S. schools and how these strengths are often overlooked. Drawing on my experience as an Afghan immigrant, math teacher, and bilingual instructional aide, I explore how Afghan students, parents, and teachers describe these cultural, linguistic, and relational assets that shape students’ learning and sense of belonging. I use the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Funds of Knowledge (FoK) as guiding frameworks to understand the aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital present in participants’ experiences (Moll et al., 1992; Yosso, 2005).

I conducted qualitative interviews with three Afghan students, three Afghan parents, and three teachers who work directly with Afghan students. Interviews took place in English, Dari, or Pashto. I translated and analyzed each interview before comparing themes across participant groups.

Across the interviews, families expressed strong hopes for their children’s education, deep commitments to maintaining cultural and religious practices, and flexible multilingual strategies for navigating school and community systems. Students often acted as interpreters for their families, negotiated cultural expectations, and built peer networks that supported their adjustment. Parents described routines, values, and forms of care that created stability during resettlement, while teachers highlighted students’ perseverance and willingness to learn, even when schools misunderstood silence or cultural behaviors.

The cross-case analysis shows that Afghan families bring a wide range of cultural and social resources that can enhance school communities, yet these strengths remain unseen when schools rely on narrow labels to describe these learners. This study offers a strengths-based perspective that centers Afghan families’ voices and highlights how schools can build more authentic, culturally responsive partnerships.

Citation Style

APA

Recommended Citation

Saboor, Farilla, "Afghan students are more than just English learners" (2025). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2509.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2509