Book Review: Creating a Sense of Belonging for Immigrant and Refugee Students

Authors

• Emma L. Johnson, James Madison UniversityFollow

Abstract

This review examines Creating a Sense of Belonging for Immigrant and Refugee Students, by Mandy Manning, Ivonne Orozco Sahi, Leah Juelke, and Sarahí Monterrey, which explores strategies to foster inclusive classroom communities that support newcomer and multilingual learners. The authors argue that belonging is foundational to students' academic success and outline personal anecdotes that influenced the authors' instructional methods. This review considers the book's key themes: community-building practices, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and the role of schools in supporting students navigating displacement and resettlement. It evaluates the text's anecdotal evidence as support for expanding the ELA curriculum to better serve immigrant and refugee students.

Author Biography

Emma Johnson holds a B.A. in English and a Master of Arts in Teaching from James Madison University. She currently teaches high school English in Stafford, Virginia. Her work centers on expanding the secondary ELA curriculum to include diverse and contemporary texts that foster critical engagement. She is particularly interested in how young adult literature can cultivate meaningful classroom dialogue and challenge traditional literary canons.

Recommended Citation

Johnson, Emma L. (2026) "Book Review: Creating a Sense of Belonging for Immigrant and Refugee Students," Virginia English Journal: Vol. 74: Iss. 2, Article 8.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.bridgewater.edu/vej/vol74/iss2/8