Refugee Youth, Critical Science Literacy, and Transformative Possibilities

Abstract

This study reports on engagement of resettled refugee teens in science learning in a community-based afterschool program, drawing on the theory of critical science literacy. Our analysis of video recordings show the teens engaged in critical science literacy through connecting climate topics with their personalized international experiences, positioning one another as productive scientific sense-makers with multilingual competence, and discussing how climate questions impact underprivileged people. Rich experiences and linguistic resources they bring to their learning helped them engage in CSL and make science learning more democratic, inclusive, and just. Based on the findings, we suggest implications for science education in superdiverse societies in the era of global migration.