Smith, C. (2011) The learning experiences of refugee and asylum-seeker children: a model for meaningful learning. In: Evers, S., Notermans, C. and Ommering, E. v. (eds.) Not Just a Victim: The Child as Catalyst and Witness of Contemporary Africa. The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers. pp. 197-222.
This chapter focuses on the learning experiences of refugee and asylum-seeking children within the context of English schools. It explores children's learning experiences pre-, during and post-migration, and examines both circumstantial and consequential influences. Special attention is given to the way in which educators and children perceive of education and learning. Further consideration is given to the methodological approaches and challenges faced in researching the learning experiences of new students and, in particular, refugee and asylum-seeking children. It further aims to provide a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in carrying out research on refugee and asylum-seeking children. Developing a clear understanding of what a ‘refugee’ is provides important insights into how children's learning experiences are influenced by a variety of factors. Consideration is thus given to the unique, individually diverse and complex qualities of each child involved in this study. While empirical research for this study was undertaken in London schools, it is hoped that the use of board games in research, as explored further in this chapter, will offer a wider range of methodological options for doing research on refugee children. In turn, it was found that focusing on the individual child’s experiences, agency and interdependencies is a necessary approach to such research.