Afghan Evacuee Information

After witnessing their government fall to the Taliban in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, being torn away suddenly from their homeland, families and friends, and then escaping—only to spend several weeks in limbo on American military bases—thousands of young Afghan evacuees are bracing for their first days of class.

For these students, the start of school will likely bring more than the typical jitters. Some will be nervous about what American students and teachers are like, while also worrying about the fates of their former classmates who did not make it out. Many will be eager to hit the books but also overwhelmed by language barriers and meeting basic needs in the face of an under-resourced resettlement process.

The U.S. is currently resettling more than 55,000 Afghans, with an additional 125,000 refugees from around the world expected to arrive by the end of next year. Because a large proportion of newcomers are school-aged children, American schools will be essential in welcoming these newcomers.

In an effort to assist our school and district personnel in supporting these students and families, the CCSD ML Program created a bank of helpful resources and information below.

Bennouna, Stark & Seff (2021)

Articles

How Schools Can Partner with Afghan Refugee Families

Afghan Immigrants in the United States

Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs in the US

How Can Schools Help to Welcome Young Afghan Newcomers?

Websites

Resources to Orient Afghans to K-12 Education in the US

LeadingELLs: Afghanistan

US Department of Education: Keeping the Promise

Webinars

Educational Experiences of Afghans: Learning from Afghan Refugee Students & Families

Lessons from the Field: Supporting the Social and Emotional Learnings Needs of Afghan and Other Newcomer Students

Who are the Afghan Newcomers?

Afghanistan Facts and Information

Country Information

Language

Literacy and Reading

The literacy level in Iran is much higher (84% overall, 83% for women) than in Afghanistan (38% overall, 24% for women). Consider carefully how useful written material is for an Afghan audience and how else you might disseminate information.

Religion

Ramadan 2024 Dates: March 10 - April 9

Eid al-Fitr 2024 Date: April 10

Wudu

Wudu: Islamic Washing Before Prayer

One of the pillars of Islam is that Muslims pray five times a day. Before those prayers, they are expected to perform a purification ritual called Wudu, requiring that they wash their faces, hands, arms, and feet.

Provide a safe space for prayer and access to appropriate facilities for Wudu

Culture/Traditions

Afghan Culture

Food

Bathroom Norms

Men do not stand to use the bathroom. Therefore, they may not know how to use a urinal or be uncomfortable using one. Consider allowing them access to a private or gender neutral facility to use the bathroom.

Classroom Arrangements/Seating Considerations

In Afghanistan, typically boys and girls do not sit together or interact/work together. This is a very big change for students coming to the United States where boys and girls work together and interact on a regular basis. To help ease your new students into this, please gauge their comfortability working with the opposite gender. If your new student is uncomfortable working with the opposite gender, please make arrangements for him/her to work in same gender partners or work groups.

Supplemental English Language Learning Tools

Rosetta Stone

CCSD Login Information

Additional Online Options

Videos

Classroom Resources

Dari/English & Pashto/English Vocabulary Flashcards

Pashto-English Resources

Cultural Adjustment Considerations:

For Afghans, aspects of life in the U.S. may be new and present challenges in their cultural adjustment. In some Afghan communities, men expect their wives to stay home and continue to do their job as they did back before. On the other hand, some women want to exercise their rights, enjoy their freedom, and participate actively in society, creating confusion and tension. Furthermore, Afghan refugees may have never interacted with people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds other than those from their own country.

Tips:

Be aware of the history of Afghanistan, the current events that led to their displacement, and their basic values and cultural practices.
Build trust and create an open dialogue around possible challenges related to differences in social and family life in the United States. To do this, use active listening and give space for Afghans to share their perspectives.
Practice patience and be mindful of different communication styles. It will take some time before Afghans feel comfortable in their new environment and acclimate to the norms and customs of the United States.
Include diversity and inclusion activities during Cultural Orientation and ask Afghans how these concepts may affect them. These sessions should be a safe space for refugees to explore themes of culture, identity, and preconceptions without fear of judgement. See the Cultural Adjustment Activity Bank for ideas.