Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Examining School Practices That Support Immigrant Students’ Feelings of Belonging

ABSTRACT A quarter of all US students are immigrants, children of immigrants, or immigrant-origin youth. In this article, we examine how school practices can either support or hinder these students’ feelings of belonging. Given the important relation between students’ feelings of belonging and a range of academic, motivational, and socioemotional outcomes, in this study, we specifically asked: How do students’ experiences in two very different schools shape their feelings of belonging? To answer this question, we drew from studies of two high schools serving recently arrived immigrant students in communities with distinct immigration histories. Using the nested context of reception as our theoretical lens, our analysis reveals that the symbols, subtle acts, and overt actions students encountered in schools influenced their feelings of belonging. These findings show that belonging operates on multiple levels and have several implications for school leaders, educators, and educational policymakers.