Development of Immigrant Children
Running Head: CHILD DEVELOPMENT OF IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
Article Two Review
Teaching the Immigrant Child: Application of Child Development Theories
Leah G. Doughman
University of West Georgia
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Development of Immigrant Children
The article that I chose to review was Teaching the Immigrant Child: Application of Child
Development Theories by Grace Onchwari, Jacqueline Ariri Onchwari, and Jared Keengwe. All
three writers are professors; two at the University of North Dakota and one at the University of
Minnesota. This article focuses on many theories of childhood development and their
application and relevancy to English Language Learners (ELLs) in diverse classroom settings.
Immigrant children are a large, growing sub-group that continues to enter into the
education arena at a rapid pace. They are “under-researched” and their experiences impact
their development much differently than students who are born and raised in the United
States. This article focuses in on six different research theories: Maslow, Freud, Erikson, Piaget,
Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner’s childhood development theories. The article also gives
strategies from each of the theories to try with immigrant children; some of these strategies
can even apply to non-immigrant children as well.
In Maslow’s theory, it talks about the hierarchical needs of children. It is a pyramid and
each need is built upon the other. At the bottom of the pyramid are the physiological needs or
basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Since many immigrant parents are undereducated and lack the necessities to get started in a new country, basic needs may be difficult
to meet. This limits or prevents students from moving up the hierarchy to safety, love, esteem,
and self-actualization.
Freud’s theory focuses on the psychosexual aspect of development. Many immigrant
children may come to classrooms with different cultures and dressings. Certain behaviors are
accepted in other cultures that are not widely accepted here. This can affect how a child is
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Development of Immigrant Children
accepted and recognized in their new society. These behaviors/consequences can be shocking
to both the immigrant child and non-immigrant children. It is beneficial for the teacher to
understand the child’s behavior, so she or he can help all students to understand and respect
others.
Erikson’s theory includes “eight universal psychosocial stages” that include
trust/mistrust, autonomy, and initiative. If students develop trust then they are more likely to
have an easier time adjusting to their new country. If they do not trust due to bad experiences
while entering into the country, they may have issues in the classroom. These feelings and
experiences “are likely to make their adjustment process extremely difficult”.
The fourth theory discussed in this article comes from Piaget’s Cognitive Theory. Piaget
believes that “we can understand children’s development and their view of the world by
looking at their actions and words”. This can be tricky for educators and fellow classmates
since many immigrant children bring different experiences and perspectives into the classroom.
Piaget also discusses a state of disequilibrium; the effects of disequilibrium can be that the
student(s) are quiet and non-active in classroom participation. This does not mean that these
students are slow; they are just trying to adjust to their new environments. Teachers need to
keep this in mind and help with the adjustment period.
Vygotsky’s theory discusses the importance of keeping student’s past experiences in
mind. The student’s past experiences can influence and affect the learning process within the
classroom. Vygotsky states that it is important to “meet students at their cultural and cognitive
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Development of Immigrant Children
levels”. It would also be beneficial for immigrant students to be paired with a student from the
same culture (if possible) or a “well-matched peer”.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological theory occurs in systems: microsystem, mesosystem,
exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. They are separate systems that can and do affect
the other systems. This theory, in regards to immigrant students, puts them in a situation of
“dual-personalities”. Expectations change in a new society, the culture is different from what
they were previously used to, and these students need time to adjust and learn their new
environments.
The article concludes with strategies for the teacher, which I feel are very beneficial and
useful to the classroom educator. Educators need to be sensitive toward immigrant student’s
experiences and challenges. We need to learn about their cultures and share this knowledge
with the other non-immigrant students. We need to teach tolerance—not ignorance. Teachers
need to create lots of opportunities for all parties involved to connect and communicate in an
effective manner. I feel like understanding, empathy, and communication play a key and
critical role in helping immigrant children develop to their full potential in a new world.
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Development of Immigrant Children
References:
Onchwari, G., Onchwari, J. A., Keengwe, J. (2008). Teaching the immigrant child: Application of
child development theories. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 267-273.
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