When two elephants fight the grass suffers: Parents and teachers working together to support the literacy development of Sudanese youth

Reading achievement and academic challenges of Sudanese children were investigated. Sudanese parents, and their children, and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers were interviewed. Parents' and children's interviews were transcribed and four themes were generated from the data: Cultural Differences/Practices; Parent roles and expectations; Home–school relationships/interactions; Teacher expectations and practices. Results reflect the willingness of Sudanese parents to work with teachers; the need for teachers to form strong parent–teacher relationships; and for teacher practices that support students' literacy within the classroom context. Teacher interviews were used to provide a better understanding of Sudanese home–school relationships and educational issues.