FAQ

What is an unaccompanied minor?

An unaccompanied minor is someone who is under age 18, who lacks lawful immigration status in the United States, and who is either without a parent or legal guardian in the United States, or without a parent or legal guardian in the United States who is available to provide care and physical custody. Children seek refuge in the United States for many reasons: to escape war, gangs, or violence; to flee abuse; or to reunite with family. Others enter involuntarily as labor or sex trafficking victims. (IH)

Additional info https://www.theyoungcenter.org/big-picture

How can we communicate with parents of SLIFE/SIFE?

1. Talking Points App is FREE and a great way to communicate in an informal manner. You send a text in English, and it auto-translates into the language you have specified for the parents. Then, they can type back in their home language, and it auto-translates to English for you to read.

2. Using community liaisons or older HS students who speak the same language is a great way to create community connections for incoming families.

How are SLIFE/SIFE students identified?

States that identify SLIFE students have as many different ways to identify students with interrupted formal education as there are definitions. For a roundup of states and thoughts on identification, check out this site.

What do I do with a SLIFE/SIFE student in my classroom?

SLIFE or SIFE means limited formal education, not limited intelligence. These students are capable of learning academic content with the appropriate support. Pre-teach critical background knowledge and vocabulary for each lesson. Make explicit connections to real-life situations or experiences. A SLIFE/SIFE student will develop oral English skills more quickly than literacy, so have students respond orally to questions to assess their understanding. Pair or group students with patient, friendly peers for classwork, especially if those peers speak the same home language. Teach class routines to give the SLIFE/SIFE a sense of structure. Use textbooks, workbooks, and interactive notebooks to provide predictable anchors for instruction. Teach appropriate and inappropriate classroom/hall/school behaviors using modeling. While you will make special accommodations for instruction and assessment, the best thing you can do is treat the SLIFE/SIFE student like you would any other student - with high expectations for learning and behavior. Language and acculturation support does not mean lowering grade-level expectations. It just means having some patience and understanding for where they’re coming from.

How do SLIFE/SIFE students miss so much schooling (or never go)?

There are numerous reasons why a student might have limited or interrupted education. In many countries, school is not required for the number of years that is in the U.S. Poverty often prohibits families from sending all children to school, due to high costs for uniforms and other school supplies. Often times, children need to start working at a young age to help support their families. In other cases, a student’s education can be interrupted due to unstable housing situations. In certain countries, political unrest makes it dangerous for children to travel to and from school. Finally, even upon arrival in the United States, it can take a substantial amount of time for family members to procure the necessary documents for registration in our school systems.

What do I do if my SLIFE/SIFE student doesn't know how to read or write in his/her first language?

Even though the student may not be literate in his/her home language, they still have background experiences to draw upon. Identifying important aspects of the students’ cultures allows you to engage them in learning to read and write. For example, if students have fond memories of visiting an open-air food market, use that as your entrance into your lesson. Students can identify nouns and actions that can be found at the market, then place them into sentences using a sentence frame. Ex: I buy ____ and _____ at the market.

Why is my SIFE student not learning English like his/her peers?

Stress, lack of confidence and cognitive impairment are some of the many reasons a student might not learn English as quickly as his/her peers. SIFE often are juggling many roles- from being a student to a caretaker at home for younger siblings. Perhaps the student has to work outside of school hours to help support their family and therefore is not receiving adequate sleep or nutrition. If a child struggles in basic literacy in their first language, that can carry over to the ability to learn English. A third consideration would be of a cognitive nature, and can only be confirmed by specialized analysis and testing to identify if a learning difference exists.

What do front office staff need to know when registering a SIFE student?

Quick Guide: SIFE Enrollment Information

What are resettlement volunteers?

Resettlement volunteers

Resettlement volunteers typically come from churches or synagogues and act as personal advocates that are not based in the school.

Unfortunately, teachers are often told not to speak to anyone outside the school, so the volunteer needs to get permission to speak to the school personnel. Because they go to the students’ home, and meet the parents and guardians, they are critical links between the school and home. The volunteer who works with my SIFEs helps them with homework. She keeps me posted if the family is going to move or is facing a crisis. I tell her how the child is going in school academically and socially. The students know that we are working as a team for their benefit.

Why are SIFE in high school if they were never in middle school?

Like any group of teenagers, SIFE want to be with their peers. Immigrant students are already more than three times more likely to drop out of high school than their non-immigrant counterparts. Moving a student back several grade levels would impede their integration into peer groups. Some school districts have age recommendations and restrictions for students in grade levels, regardless of academic levels.

Should this student be moved back a few grades?

Incoming SIFE should be placed in an age-appropriate learning environment with additional resources to maximize academic and linguistic achievement. If possible, sheltered instruction models of schooling will provide the SIFE with the opportunity to receive a more individualized learning plan.

How do we prepare them for standardized tests?

It is imperative to provide SIFE with specific preparation for standardized exams. Even simple lessons like how to use the technology during testing will assist them in being more comfortable. Teachers should utilize practice exams and test preparation materials to expose SIFE to vocabulary terms and question prompts well in advance. Students should be given strategies to use on questions with unfamiliar content.

How do I teach them content before they learn English?

If possible, sheltered instruction should replace remedial courses for SIFE. This instructional model provides students with grade-level content, but in more comprehensible language. Educators should use a variety of teaching tools including visual aids, project based learning and collaborative work to encourage both mastery of content as well as linguistic improvement. In some instances, instruction in first language might prove to be the most beneficial, though not available in all schools.