Supporting social inclusion of refugees: a funds of knowledge approach

In recent times, the world has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of refugees seeking asylum and refuge from war, conflict, and persecution. This study focuses on five refugee children in Malaysia and how their knowledge, skills, and lived experiences could be harnessed to support their education, well-being, and social inclusion. The study adopts a Funds of Knowledge (FoK) approach, which capitalises on an individual's knowledge, skills, experiences and practices to support one's well-being. Data comprised observations of the refugees both in and out of school, interviews with the refugees and their parents/guardians, and artefacts. Collected over an approximately one-year period, the data were coded to identify the FoK that could be used to support the refugees' learning, well-being, and social inclusion. Five main FoK types centred on Interest, Literacy Practice, Family, Religion and Aspiration were identified. The paper concludes with a discussion of the ways in which FoK can be viewed as a viable approach to facilitate the education and social integration of refugees in Malaysia and beyond.