Written By: Robyn Shulman
Get the facts about ESL students and bullying. From the 1997–98 school year to the 2008–09 school year, enrollment of English as a Second Language (ESL) students in U.S. public schools rose from 3.5 million to 5.3 million, an increase of roughly 51 percent (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, 2011). This rapid growth has stretched school systems that often lack enough bilingual staff, dedicated resources, and professional training to meet the academic needs of these students. Equally important, many schools are unprepared to support the social, cultural, and emotional needs of newly arrived children. When cultural awareness is missing, the consequences for ESL students can be severe.
Bullying is a widespread concern across American schools. Verbal abuse, physical harassment, and persistent online harassment through social media have harmed—sometimes tragically—many children and families. Adults, teachers, and parents share responsibility for recognizing, preventing, and responding when harassment occurs. For ESL students, who may be isolated by language and culture, the risk and impact of bullying can be magnified.
There is a new form of bullying that quietly targets vulnerable students: recruitment and manipulation of ESL students
Rather than only targeting ESL students with exclusion or taunts, some bullies actively recruit newcomers. They approach students who are new to the country, offering friendship and a way to fit in, while subtly encouraging harmful behaviors. Because ESL students may be eager to belong and may not yet understand local norms or the consequences of certain actions, they can be particularly vulnerable to manipulation.
Teachers and school staff must look beyond the most obvious signs of bullying and pay special attention to newly arrived students. Cultural differences in behavior, communication, and expectations can make it difficult for ESL students to know what is appropriate, and a single poor choice can have long-term consequences if not addressed promptly. Awareness, early intervention, and culturally informed support can prevent escalation and protect students from being drawn into harmful peer groups.
Practical tips for teachers, parents, and school leaders to better support ESL students and reduce the risk of bullying:
- Learn and respect cultural differences. Take time to learn about the student’s cultural background. Behaviors and gestures that are normal in one culture may be misunderstood in another. Understanding differences in eye contact, personal space, displays of emotion, and communication styles helps teachers interpret behavior accurately and respond in ways that build trust.
- Recognize adjustment stages. Children who arrive from another country often move through predictable emotional stages: an initial “honeymoon” phase, a period of frustration or withdrawal, and eventually gradual acceptance. These stages are normal, but sudden shifts in mood, unexplained aggression, or social withdrawal should prompt closer observation and support.
- Watch peer dynamics closely. Monitor students who have reputations for bullying and note whether they are spending extra time with newcomers. Invitations that seem overly persistent or that encourage rule-breaking can be warning signs of recruitment. Intervene by providing safe social alternatives and supervised activities that promote positive friendships.
- Establish clear, culturally sensitive rules and supports. Ensure school anti-bullying policies are enforced equitably and communicated in accessible language. Provide orientation sessions for new families, explaining expectations and reporting options. Use interpreters or bilingual staff when necessary to make sure students and parents understand the school’s policies and available supports.
- Promote safe mentoring and peer support. Pair new students with trained peer buddies, staff mentors, or culturally similar role models who can help them navigate school routines, norms, and digital safety. Positive peer relationships reduce isolation and make it less likely that a newcomer will be drawn into negative peer groups.
- Teach digital citizenship and online safety. Many bullying incidents now occur online. Offer age-appropriate lessons that explain respectful online behavior, privacy settings, how to report harassment, and how to block abusive contacts. Make sure students know they can seek help if online interactions become threatening.
- Engage families and community resources. Work with families, community organizations, cultural centers, and local health or social services to create a support network. Schools should encourage family involvement and provide culturally sensitive outreach so parents feel comfortable reporting concerns.
- Train staff in cultural competence and trauma-informed practices. Professional development that covers cultural awareness, language acquisition challenges, and trauma-informed responses equips teachers to recognize signs of recruitment, manipulation, or distress and to respond effectively.
Below is a helpful list of differences that can influence how students behave and respond to school expectations. These contrasts illustrate how cultural norms vary and why teachers must interpret behavior in context:
- Praise: overt and frequent versus praise as potentially embarrassing
- Eye contact: expected in some cultures, seen as rude in others
- Physical contact: common in some cultural settings, restricted between genders in others
- Personal distance: comfortable distance varies widely
- Silence: may be uncomfortable and require instant response in some cultures, while in others silence is thoughtful and acceptable
- Displays of feeling: may be restrained in some cultures and more expressive in others
- Topics for conversation: what is acceptable varies greatly by culture
- Punctuality: highly valued in some cultures, treated flexibly in others
- Status and roles: relative status and strict role expectations are emphasized in some cultures and less so in others
- Approach to learning: competition may be prized in some systems while group harmony is prioritized in others
- Gender expectations around education and mixed schooling vary by country
Detecting and addressing bullying among ESL students requires vigilance, cultural sensitivity, and coordinated action. By learning about students’ backgrounds, monitoring peer relationships, offering language and social supports, and involving families and community partners, schools can reduce the risk that vulnerable newcomers become targets—or recruits—for harmful behavior. Protecting every student, especially those most vulnerable, must remain a priority.
References: British Columbia: The Ministry of Education. (October 2009). Students from refugee backgrounds: A guide for teachers and schools.