Honduras/U.S. Curriculum Translation

*Should have had consistent schooling with minimal gaps in education

**English as a foreign language is sparsely available. Instruction is extremely basic.

Honduras Education System

School Year: February to November | Compulsory Education: 1st-9th | Graduation: 1st – 12th

Honduras/U.S. Grading Scale

Honduras Transition Supports

Honduras Education Practice:

Limited access and availability of schools have resulted in a staggering percentage (25 percent) of Hondurans who cannot read or write. Reforms have been made to address this dismal statistic, specifically by addressing access. Students are now mandated to attend school between 7 and 14 years of age and at no cost. Despite the mandate, economic barriers serve as a major wedge to poor students pursuing education past the primary levels. Additionally, wealthy families have access to the best schools through private education. Because of this great economic disparity, many students who come from Honduras will have minimal academic abilities. It will be critical that U.S. educators ascertain whether Honduran students attended public or private school and ask questions regarding academic history.

U.S. Educator Implications:
Having poor or inconsistent education will make student transition a challenge in multiple ways. Coupled with the likelihood that Honduran newcomers may have experienced violence in their home and on their path to the United States, students will need a holistic approach where all social, emotional, and academic needs are reviewed and supported. A focus on a safe and positive environment would assist in this delicate transition.

Strategies for Transition

• Get to know your students by building positive relationships.
• Provide multicultural education where texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives represent people from different cultural backgrounds.
• Allow a reasonable amount of transition time.
• Honduran culture is more relaxed, and you will find that modes of speaking are generally informal and punctuality is more lenient (Marks 2020h). It will be key for educators to emphasize the importance of punctuality. Providing a rational and initial leniency can assist in students and families transitioning to new cultural norms.
• Hondurans have a communalism culture, which means that families will be more involved in students’ lives. When addressing any particular issue with students, it is normal to speak with family members to better understand the situation or seek insight into offering alternatives, solutions, or ideas. Although U.S. FERPA laws limit the disclosure of some student information, do not be surprised when several family members show up to discuss any concerns.
• Pointing fingers can be offensive or seem rude, so it is better to greet Hondurans with open hands in a general direction.
• “Hondurans can be more personal in space, where it is common to speak and stand in close proximity to one another. It is not uncommon to see friends holding hands with one another or expressing affection openly in public. Younger Honduran students may be more affectionate than other newcomer populations (Marks 2020h).” Having patience and establishing personal space norms early in their transition may reduce future situations arising due to cultural incongruence.”