Pamela Clark, Stephen Cruikshank, Jenna Hopping

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Teaching Afghan Refugee ELLs
Cultural Sensitivity/Diversity Training

• Pamela Clark, Stephen Cruikshank, Jenna Hopping
  Holly Jones

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BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY

• What are the first things that come to mind when
  you think of Afghanistan its culture?

3

• Afghanistan is multicultural multiethnic

It is important to get to know the background of
your students. With Afghan Refugee ELLs, it is
important to realize just how much diversity is
within their home country, Afghanistan. Afghanist
an has 22 different ethnicities living within it,
with various languages religions.
4
Ethnicities

• Pashtuns make up largest percent of Afghanistans
  population and have traditionally been the
  dominant group. They reside mostly in the South.
• Tajiks make up the second largest group and
  reside mostly in the North.
• Some of the other smaller ethnic groups include
  Hazaras, Nuristanis, Uzbekis and Turkmen.

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• Since 1992 there has been polarization between
  the Pashtuns (who are a large part of the Taliban
  movement) and the other ethnicities (many of whom
  are part of the Northern Alliance).

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It is important for teachers to understand that
due to a long history of discrimination, division
and civil wars, there are still tensions between
various Afghanistan ethnicities.
Afghanistan has never had a strongly unified
national culture and war has led to further
fragmentation.
A young Pashtun girl.
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Religions within Afghanistan

• Just as there are many ethnicities amongst the
  Afghan people, there are a few different
  religions.
• The main religion is that of Islam, and the
  majority of the people are Muslims (84 Sunnites
  and about 15 Shiites).
• There are also small groups of Sikhs, Parsis,
  Jewish and Hindus in Afghanistan.

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• Afghanistan is a very religious society and Islam
  is a unifying force within the country and both
  lifestyles and culture are influenced by it.
• Many disputes are settled in Mosques by the
  community elders.
• An important figure in most communities is the
  Mullah, a male religious leader who has many
  crucial duties such as teaching others about the
  ideas of Islam.

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• Important Cultural Aspects Beliefs for
  Educators to know about their Afghan Refugee ELLs.

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Social Relationships

• Some groups in Afghanistan are egalitarian while
  others are based on a hierarchy.
• Social stratification can occur amongst classes,
  different religions and ethnic groups.
• Family is very important within Afghan society.
  There are very strong community and blood ties.
  Honouring the family and community are top
  priorities.

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Gender Roles Statuses

• In order to better understand some important
  things about their students, educators should
  know the gender roles within Afghan culture.

• Afghanistan is a very male-dominated society
  traditionally there are quite strict gender roles
  within society.

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• The public realm is typically the domain of men
  and the domestic realm is the domain of women.
• Womens duties are to take care of the children,
  take care of the home and sometimes create
  weavings and other artwork.
• Both urban and rural men are traditionally not
  supposed to stay home during the day.

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• Women face many obstacles if they try to study or
  work or even get health care.
• Women are supposed to be modest and obey the
  wishes of male figures (husbands, fathers,
  brothers).

• Women are also left out of governmental decision
  making.
• Despite these traditions, many rural women play
  important roles and are less secluded than the
  urban women.

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Under the Taliban rule, Afghan women (especially
urban) have to wear a long veil (Burka) covering
themselves when outside the home. They also must
be accompanied by a male relative when out in
public.
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• It is important for Educators to get to know
  these cultural beliefs of their students because
  with this knowledge comes a better understanding
  of who your students are and where they have come
  from. Knowledge of their religion, ethnicity,
  social relationships and gender roles can help
  educators better prepare for accommodating these
  students in their classrooms.

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Challenges and Resources for Afghan Refugees in
Edmonton
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Frightening Facts

• 1/4 Afghan youths in Toronto thought about
  committing suicide
• 16 have hurt themselves or tried to end their
  livesthese numbers double that of mainstream
  Canadian youth
• majority suffer from emotional wounds left by
  homeland wars and repeated migrations in search
  of safety
• 11 suffer post traumatic stress disorder
• 1/5 belong to a gang
• 1/5 have been expelled or suspended from school,
  mostly for fighting
• 1/3 showed symptoms of anxiety
• 15 showed signs of depression
• 15 always reported experiencing racism/
  Islamophobia in school
• only 9 reported getting help based on a
  survey of 211 youth age 12-18 from GTA

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These statistics are why so many of those youth
turned to gangs, for protection, safety, and a
response to bullying and racism. Majority
reported not seeking proper help for their
symptoms and feelings because of shame,
embarrassment, pride, and a lack of community
counseling services offering linguistic sensitive
services. As teachers and future teachers we
need to educate the community and link up with
proper programing and counseling services for
these youth.
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Developing Resilience in Afghan Refugee Children
So why did only some youth in that survey have
such negative symptoms? A study was published
in 2010 by researchers from Edmonton in a
Canadian city as to why some students survive and
thrive in the face of adversity and some do
not. They studied 7 children between the ages of
13-17, 5 female and 2 male. Each participant was
born in Afghanistan, entered Canada through
Pakistan, had lived in Canada for at least 2
years and had a firm grasp of the English
language. Photo conversations were had with
participants describing the most important
people, objects or celebrations in their lives.
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Challenges These Students Faced
Keeping up with school work -Students learned
basic English while in transition living in
Pakistan however, this is very different from
academic subject area English -In some cases,
students were taking different subjects at
different grade levels which was challenging both
socially and academically -Students found it
challenging to listen and write at the same
time Making Friends -Students said it would have
been easier to make friends if they were younger,
hard to make friends once in high
school -Friends they had made in Pakistan that
were also refugees now lived on the other side of
the city
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Results
Common themes found in all childrens
responses -Believed they were in control on the
events in their lives -Viewed change as an
opportunity for growth -Had the presence of
caring adults in their lives during or after
times of stress -Had routines they followed to
stabilize the chaos following a
crisis -Treasured their own identities and
integrated with other cultures -Were involved in
volunteer work in their spare time and believed
in the importance of helping others
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Researchers' Recommendations

• Provide safe, non threatening environments
• Strengthen skills of teachers, facilitators,
  counselors etc who work with refugee children to
  adapt to the Canadian school system by learning
  the language, understand the Canadian accent,
  getting used to Canadian teaching strategies
• Collaborate with religious community or civil
  society ex volunteers etc
• Stress the importance of interdependency of
  family to support children
• Facilitate integration with other cultures in
  Canada

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Resources in Edmonton
Edmonton Afghan Charitable Society 780-474-2328 Pe
ople of Edmonton Afghan Society Facebook
Page Edmonton Afghan Youth Group Facebook Page
Catholic Social Services -Cross Cultural
Counseling -Host Program -Host Program Homework
Club -Newcomer Children and Youth Program -Youth
Support and Homework Club Program
780-424-3545 www.catholicsocialservices.ab.ca
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Resources in Edmonton Continued
Edmonton Immigration Services Association -Bridge
2-Success Program for Newcomer Students -Summer
Camps -Global Youth Network -In School Settlement
Program www.eisa-edmonton.org 780-474-8445 Millwoo
ds Welcome Center for Immigrants -ESL
classes -Computer Classes -Youth Education and
Counseling Programs 780-462-6924
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Curriculum is not value free (Jones, 2007, p.
28).
http//www.henryjacksonsociety.org/thescoop.asp?pa
geid105m11y2009
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History of Education in Afghanistan

• Throughout history education has been used to
  promote political and/or religious viewpoints
  and to strengthen positions of power (Jones,
  2007, p. 27).

http//www.life.com/image/91847906
27

• After winning their independence from the British
  Empire in 1919 Afghanistan began to move to
  modernize their society, this included their
  education system.
• For a period of time education was promoted and
  provided to all children including girls.
• Although this can be seen as a positive move it
  created a division between the generation that
  had access to this new education system and the
  previous generation
• (Yukitoshi, 2008, p. 66).

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• During the New Democracy period (19631973) the
  education system was expanded and resulted in
  more than 60 of graduates coming from families
  where the parents had little or no formal
  education.
• This further widened the emotional and social
  distance between generations.
• There were not enough jobs for these new
  graduates
• Disconnected from traditional background, youth
  were more inclined to accept foreign ideologies
  (p. 67).
• (Yukitoshi, 2008, p. 66-67)

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Soviet Invasion in 1979

• Tension between those who accept the communist
  and Islamic ideas escalated to violence.
• Pedagogy of violence became more explicit
• Education became a battlefield where teaching
  violence was accepted
• The ruling communist government as well as the
  opposition Mujahidin (holy warriors) used
  education as a weapon in order to achieve their
  respective goals (p. 67)
• Both groups use textbooks to reinforce their
  ideologies throughout the 1980s and 1990s
• Example
• One group of Mujahidin attack 50 Russian
  soldiers. In that attack 20 Russians were killed.
  How many Russians fled? (p. 67)

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• During the transition from the soviet rule to the
  rise of the Taliban there were repeated collapses
  of the formal education system.
• These collapses resulted in parents using
  madrasas (Islamic theological schools) which then
  supplied young troops to the Taliban.
• The ideologies of the Taliban, a puritan Islam
  had been drummed into them and gave their lives
  meaning.
• (Yukitoshi, 2008, p. 67)
• After the end of Soviet rule many people were
  resistant to schools because the associated them
  with a communist regime that played down Islamic
  values.

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Talibans Education

• Continued use of violent text books
• Social studies was removed from the curriculum in
  2000 because some ideas were against the
  teachings of Islam (Jones, 2009, p. 115).
• Girls were no longer allowed to attend schools.
  This policy was backed by conservative readings
  of Islamic texts.
• So while the boys were being taught with messages
  of violence and hate, the girls were being denied
  education in a way that is disempowering and
  silencing.
• The education system was designed to create good
  member of the new Islamic Emirate (Jones, 2009,
  p. 115).
• The Talibans education system resulted in
  generation that have either been unable to be
  educated or exposed to a pedagogy of violence.
• (Yukitoshi, 2008, p. 67)

http//www.afghanpix.com/9.html
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Afghanistans Changing Curriculum

• Since 2001 there has been an emphasis on
  educational access and equity for all girls
  as well as boys (Jones, 2009, p. 113)
• The new curriculum emphasizes that when young
  people enter the world of work, as a result of
  the implementation of the new curriculum, they
  will be good Muslims, civilized human beings and
  true, self-reliant Afghans (Jones, 2009, p.
  116)

http//legacy.lclark.edu/dept/chron/questioningw06
.html
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Resistance?

• The Taliban Leadership Council has threatened to
  attack schools because of curriculum.
• They feel that there is too much governmental and
  foreign influences.
• In 2007 the Taliban opened schools in southern
  Afghanistan that would use the 1980s mujahideen
  curriculum

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Life Skills

• The Life skills curriculum is for Grades 1-3
• The program seeks to teach young Afghani citizens
  skills to achieve peace, justice and equality.
• Life Skill is taught in the early grades to
  increase the amount of children who are exposed
  to peace ideology
• This peace curriculum may not be able to succeed
  while it is being taught in an environment of
  poverty and war.
• (Jones, 2009. p. 118)

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Social Studies

• Taught in Grade 4 6
• Has elements in common with the mujahideen
  curriculum but also includes peace and civic
  topics.
• Teaches that military presence is needed for
  peace.
• Existence of Justice
• (Jones, 2009. p. 119)

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Education for Girls?

• Opposition to new curriculum have sent
  threatening letters demanding changes.
• One letter demanded a girls school to be closed
  because
• They are teaching infidel books to girls and we
  dont want these girls to become infidels (p.
  117)

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What does this mean for you?

• As teachers of students who are Afghan refugees
  or immigrants it is important to understand how
  previous experience can effect their willingness
  to engage.
• Some of their parents may feel resistant to
  schooling because
• They see it as a way for the government to teach
  their ideals.
• They did not have access and therefore do not
  value it.
• If the child is a girl they may be fearful for
  her physical and spiritual wellbeing.
• The curriculum may not be consistent with their
  beliefs.

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A BRIEF LOOK AT THE PASHTO DARI LANGUAGES OF
AFGHANISTAN ??
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WHY RESEARCH LANGUAGES?

• Understand background to L2 acquisition
  challenges.
• Language is a large part of culture therefore
  understanding of language background can help
  with understanding cultural challenges as well.
• Challenges How in depth can teachers research be
  expected to go?

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PASHTO ? ????

• Pashto is an Iranian language and one of the two
  principal languages in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  It is viewed as second in social prestige to Dari
  language, and has no official status.
• Estimated 9.94 million Speakers in Afghanistan.
• Spoken in Pakistan (est. 14,000,000 native
  speakers).
• Spoken in Iran (est. 50,000 native speakers)
• Pashto Speakers "Pashtuns". It is only in the
  last 50 years that the term "Afghan" has come to
  refer to residents of Afghanistan.

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DARI

• Dari refers to the language known as Persian,
  also called Farsi, or Parsi.
• Official language of Iran, Tajikistan, and
  Afghanistan. Approx. 14.2 million Speakers.
• Estimated half the population of Afghanistan
  speaks a dialect of Dari.
• Influenced by Arabic and Persian loan-words, and
  some by Turkish and English.

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APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS

• WHO MAKES THESE CHANGES?
• - By Dari Poet Jualaluddin Rumi
• Who makes these changes?I shoot an arrow
  right.It lands left.I ride after a deer and
  find myselfchased by a hog.I plot to get what
  I wantand end up in prison.I dig pits to trap
  othersand fall in.
• I should be suspiciousof what I want.

• Dari literature and poetry is one of the richest
  in the world having a long history of writings.
• In Afghan culture there is a strong
  appreciation of poetry and song.
• Appreciation of Creativity through Arts and
  Crafts, (weaking work, rugs/carpets, silk
  industry.
•  
• - Can this be useful for teaching integration
  practices?

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LITERACY

•  
• Literacy rate among Afghan Pashtuns has always
  been very low (about 5)
• Literacy rate of Pashto Dari is estimated to be
  around 21. (More Dari literate speakers, than
  Pashto).
• (How would this effect teaching English to Afghan
  refugees?)
• How can knowledge of literacy rates help us as
  teachers?

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PASHTUN/ DARI GROUPS

• Ethnic/ Language Distribution in Afghanistan

• PASHTO 3 Primary dialects (1) Kandahar
  (western) dialect, (2) Kabul (central) dialect,
  (3) Ningrahar (eastern dialect).
• DARI Ethnic groups (various dialects) Tajiks,
  Hazara, Farsiwan, Aimaq).

• Pashtun 42
• Tajik 27
• Hazara 9
• Uzbek 9
• Aimak 4
• Turkmen 3
• Baloch 2
• other 4

• Note There is danger with ethnic grouping
•  
• Nowadays, an increasing emphasis on ethnicity
  has dismayed many of the countrys educated
  citizens, who still see themselves as Afghans,
  rather than as Pashtun, Tajik, or Hazara they
  say that it is the politicians who have divided
  the people, in order to rule them. (Afghanistan,
  Johnson, p.8)

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LANGUAGE ORIGINS

• Pashto belongs to the Indo-European family of
  languages.
• Dari is a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages.

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WRITING SYSTEMS

• Example of Pashto

• Example of Dari

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WRITING SYSTEMS

• Written with a variant of the Arabic alphabet and
  uses a number of Arabic words, but is not related
  to Arabic or Turkic languages. Arabic letters are
  used, but dots are added to allow the writing of
  sounds like "p" and "g" and other more
  specialized sounds.
• Type of writing system abjad - includes letters
  only for consonants. Vowels, when indicated, are
  written with diacritics and/or combinations of
  consonant letters.
• Direction of writing right to left in horizontal
  lines numerals written from left to right.
•  
• Dari language and Pashto and Persian speakers
  share a lot of words and similarities but will
  not understand each other.

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WRITING SYSTEMS

• English 5 Vowel symbols 21 Consonants
• Pashto 9 Vowel symbols 32 Consonants
• Dari 6 Vowel symbols 23 Consonants
• Consonant clusters -Pashto uses a lot more
  consonant clusters than English, incorporating up
  to 3 consonants before and after the vowel.
• English 32 Double consonant clusters
• Pashto Over 100!

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NUMBER SYSTEMS

• - Follows those used in languages written in
  Arabic alphabets.

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SOME PRIMARY GRAMMAR DIFFERENCES

• THINK How do differences in grammar of Pashto
  Dari affect learning ability of L2?
• Unlike English, there is no standardization in
  the Pashto language. There are no universally
  accepted rules for spelling and punctuation, and
  many speakers have never had formal instructions
  in Pashto. 
• Nouns Feminine Masculine nouns
• Adjectives Feminine and Masculine alternatives.
• Pashto Verb system 5 Tenses English 12 tenses,
  17 (French, Spanish)
• Verb conjugations (Dari) Subjunctive, perfect,
  pluperfect ( similar amount as that of French,
  Spanish)
• Case Markings eg/ Accusative Case Explains the
  object of the sentence.
• Questions Uses intonation much like English, to
  relay question.
• Prepositions Act similar to that of English.

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SYNTAX DIFFICULTY

• Syntax The sentence structure does not follow
  even close to the structure of English. This is
  where the primary learning challenges for English
  learners may arise.
• For example a directly translated sentence of
  Pashto may read as such
• "of Asad those five other very big books"
• Meaning "Those other five very big books of
  Asad's."
• The manner of expressing ideas may also differ
• "Pashto very with heart like language is"
• Meaning "Pashto is an interesting language.

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REFERENCES

• PASHTO REFERENCES
• http//lexicorient.com/e.o/pashto_l.htm
• http//www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED399825.pdf
• http//ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/results?hid114sid
  a6b1853e-0be8-470b-8a10-2502317316f740sessionmgr1
  12vid1bquery((pashtoANDgrammar))bdataJnR5c
  GU9MCZzaXRlPWVkcy1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU3d
• DARI REFERENCES
• http//www.khorasanzameen.net/langs/dari.html
• http//linguistics.berkeley.edu/dari/orthography.
  html
• http//www.eric.ed.gov.login.ezproxy.library.ualbe
  rta.ca/PDFS/ED067955.pdf
• BOTH
• http//www.afghan-web.com/culture/poetry/poems.htm
  l

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References Continued

• Jones, A. (2009). Curriculum and civil society in
  Afghanistan. Harvard Educational Review, 79(1),
  113 122.
• Jones, A. (2007). Muslim and Western Influences
  on school curriculum in post-war Afghanistan.
  Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 27(1), p.
  27-40.
• Yukitoshi, M. (2008). Education for
  demilitarizing youth in post-conflict
  Afghanistan. Research in Comparative and
  International Education, 3(1), p. 65-78.

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References Continued

• http//mapsof.net/afghanistan/static-maps/png/afgh
  anistan-flag-map/small-size
• http//photosoffood.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/upl
  oads/2010/12/d45b7_afghanistan_map3.jpg
• www.life.com
• www.everyculture.com
• www.afghanistans.com
• Understanding your refugee and immigrant students
  an educational, cultural, and linguistic guide
  
  Flaitz, Jeffra