Title: Intensive Newcomer Research 2006 - 2007
1Intensive Newcomer Research 2006 - 2007
- Seven Oaks School Division
- Karen Guenther
- (Principal Special Projects)
2Seven Oaks School DivisionIntensive Newcomer
Research
- Purpose
- To conduct research exploring the demographics
and numbers of war affected and recent immigrant
(lt 5 yrs in Canada) families whose children are
registered in Seven Oaks School Division schools
with the aim of informing any educational reform
needed to support newcomer students and their
families.
3Seven Oaks Intensive Newcomer ResearchRESEARCH
QUESTIONS
- What is known about Canadian immigration patterns
currently affecting the make-up of our schools
and community? - Are there common experiences identified by
students families regarding backgrounds,
immigration experiences, re-settlement in
Manitoba, school registration, classroom
placements educational goals? - How many students families, who are recent
immigrants and/or from war affected nations, have
made their homes in the Seven Oaks SD? What are
the ages grades of the students registered in
Seven Oaks? What are the educational goals
families have for their children themselves? - What Seven Oaks supports have been important
useful to students their families? - Are there additional supports and/or professional
development that would assist educators in
supporting students families?
4UNDERSTANDING RECENT CANADIAN IMMIGRATIONDemograp
hic Changes in Canada and their Impact of Public
Education(study done by The Learning Partnership
(OISE), November 2006)
- Our system of public education is apart from
the family the major institutional setting in
which young people acquire values
understandings about citizenship the dynamics
of living in society (p. 1) - Canada is a meritocracy. We are institutionally
committed to advancing people on the basis of
their capabilities their achievements, not on
the basis of characteristics ascribed at birth,
such as gender, race socioeconomic background .
. . . This is especially important in Canada, a
country that welcomes around 250,000 immigrant
newcomers each year. (p. 2) - Education is the institution through which much
of socioeconomic mobility takes place . . . An
effective public education system is all about
fostering choice for the society and for the
individuals who comprise that society. (p. 2)
5Demographic Changes in Canada and their Impact
of Public Education
- Public education plays a key role in shaping
economic social opportunities for newcomers.
Societies that do not establish a basic level of
social cohesion (not to be confused with making
everyone the same) pay a high price in terms of
family breakdown, substance abuse, crime, and
other areas of social dysfunction. (p. 5) - The importance of staying in school cannot be
over-estimated. An urban Canadian resident with
only a high school diploma earns, on average, 70
more than a high school drop out. (p. 3)
6 Demographic changes impact on
public education (cont)
- Immigration Canadas Changing Face
- Canada is facing an increasingly aging population
and a birth rate that will remain low and may
decline further . . . However, we are a nation
that is highly receptive to immigrants. Canada
is a country of immigration. - In the year 2000, 227,465 immigrants came to
Canada. By 2005, this had risen to 262,236
(59.6 economic immigrants, 24.2 family
reunification, 13.6 refugees, 2.5 other) (CIC,
2004, 2006). - 2001 Census revealed that there were 5.4 million
immigrants living in Canada (18.4 of the total
Canadian population). This places Canada among
the OECD countries with the highest proportion of
immigrants (Australia 23, Switzerland 22.4,
Germany 12.5, USA 12.3). (OECD website, pp.
26-27) - By 2017, more than 7.6 million immigrants are
expected to be living in Canada . . . These
immigrants will represent 22.2 of the total
population.
7 Demographic changes impact
on public education (cont)
- Ontario welcomed greater than half the immigrants
who entered Canada between 1990 2004. Manitoba
received, each year, the equivalent of .5 of its
population. It is interesting to note that more
immigrants are choosing rural regions, especially
in the Western provinces. Based on Stats Canada
data the Demographic changes study concluded
that new immigrants tend to choose large urban
centres . . Winnipeg Edmonton will likely
experience a small or no increase of their
immigrant population in the next 15 yrs. (p. 28) - Notwithstanding the conclusions published in the
Demographic changes study recent Provincial
Nominee programs growth in immigrant settlement
numbers are significant when considering the
changing face of Manitoba (rural urban). CIC
documentation in 2005 concludes that Manitobas
recent immigrant population growth is tied to the
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which allows
provincial and territorial governments to
actively participate in the immigration process.
This program has grown five-fold in the past five
years (2000-2005). The PNP has proven to be a
model with great potential for supporting the
regionalization of immigrants to centres outside
Canadas three largest cities. The most active
PNP, that of Manitoba, accounted for over 4,000
landings in 2004, representing more than half of
the 7,427 landings in that province that year.
(CIC, Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration,
2005, Section 3) - Total newcomers to Manitoba in 2006 was almost
11,000 (23) greater than 2005. (Citizenship
Immigration Canada). Manitoba, for the first
time ever, has the highest rate of immigration in
Canada. (Winnipeg Free Press, Sept. 28, 2007,
p. A3) Manitobas goal through the PNP is to
double this number in the next 10 years. (see
following slides 2006 CIC graphs Youth
Immigration Urban/Rural Manitoba Immigration by
Age Group) - Like the immigrant population, the population of
visible minorities is increasing rapidly in
Canada. By 2017, one person out of five would
have a visible minority identity in Canada. When
combining immigrants visible minorities
(immigrant Canadian born) we obtain a portrait
of a population with a largely foreign origin.
(pp. 30 32). By 2017, Manitoba should expect
20,000 newcomers per year. (CIC)
8Youth Immigration by Urban / Rural Destination
Source Citizenship and Immigration Canada
9Manitoba Immigration by Age Group
Source Citizenship and Immigration Canada
10Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- Asia remains the main source area (120,000 each
year, about 50 of the total). The only source
area that is increasing is Africa the Middle
East. When looking at settlement patterns from
West to East (Canada), the proportion of Asians
diminishes while the proportion of Africans
immigrants from the Middle East increases. (p.
24) - Nearly 80 of all immigrants to Canada are
members of visible minority groups. Most of
these immigrants are adults almost half are
between 25 44 yrs old. The population of
children (0 14 yrs) represents 20 of the
total. In 2001, the median age of new immigrants
was 24 yrs, as compared to 34 yrs for the
Canadian born population (CIC, p. 14) (see also
next slide Youth Immigration by Source Country) - Visible minority immigrants were more
disadvantaged than immigrants who were not
visible minorities over 35 yrs visible minority
immigrants have higher unemployment rates, lower
incomes and higher poverty levels. (p. 45)
11Youth Immigration by Source Country
Source Citizenship and Immigration Canada
12Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- Since 1995 more than 50 of all new immigrants
are considered economic immigrants (CIC, pp.
16-19) One of the changing Canadian immigrant
recruitment strategies to attract more economic
immigrants has been to increase the general level
of education required of new immigrants . . .
There is a striking difference in education
attainment between economic immigrants on one
side and family class refugees on the other.
70 of principal economic applicants are
university educated with 40 of their spouses
dependents. Less than 20 of family class and
even lower for refugees are university educated
(CIC, 2004, 2005) (p. 21) - Quebec Manitoba have occupied an intermediate
position . . . Both have received a more balanced
proportion of the 3 categories of immigrants
(refugees, economic, family reunification) (CIC,
2004, 2005) (p. 20) - The immigration population without a school
diploma or with only a trade diploma has
decreased or stabilized (1994-2004) in both
groups of immigrants, while the number of
immigrants with a university diploma has been
increasing (CIC, 2004 2005)(pp. 22-23) - The impact of this evolution of parental
education levels on the school age population is
noteworthy. A population with a higher level of
education should have a positive effect on their
children (p. 23)
13Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- However, increasing levels of education among
immigrants has not translated into better
knowledge of French or English knowledge of
official languages has declined among economic
immigrants. This decline will have a variety of
implications for Canadas education system
economy including such factors as literacy
skills, labour market integration and skills
shortages, etc. (CIC, 2004 2005) (pp. 25-26) - The proportion of immigrants visible minorities
with one or the two official languages as mother
tongue has decreased between 1986 1991.
Levels of linguistic assimilation in Canada are
noticeable. . . . In the case of Canadians who
are not visible minorities, linguistic
assimilation to one of the two official languages
affects half for whom neither English nor French
is their mother tongue (European immigrants).
Linguistic assimilation is lower for immigrants
in general, just over 20, especially for
immigrants with a visible minority identity. (p.
43)
14Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- The immigration rate to Canada is high and will
remain so at least for the next 15 years
featuring an increase in the visible minority
population. This group is still very young its
population growth will ultimately exceed the pace
of current demographic changes. (p. 47)
15Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- School Performance of Visible Minorities
Immigrant Children - . . . Children of immigrants general do on
average at least as well as the children of the
Canadian-born along each dimension of school
performance (Canadian Composite Learning Index) .
. . The children of immigrant parents whose first
language is either English or French have
especially high outcomes. The children of other
immigrant parents have lower performance in
reading than do other children however, their
performance in other areas is comparable to that
of the children of Canadian-born parents . . .
With more years in the Canadian education system,
the performance of these children converges to
that of the children of Canadian-born parents . .
. by the age 13. (Worswick, 2001, p. 13) (p. 81)
(See following slides Manitoba Refugees by
Country of Last Permanent Residence and Youth (0
to 30) Immigration by Top First Languages) - Gluszynski Dhawan-Biswal (2006) found that even
though recent immigrant children perform less
well than Canadian-born children, they are able
to catch up in reading skill after 5 years in the
country . . . Immigrant children are less likely
to drop out of high school than are Canadian-born
children. (p. 82)
16Manitoba Refugees by Country of Last Permanent
Residence
Source Citizenship and Immigration Canada
17Youth (0 to 30) Immigration by Top First Languages
Source Citizenship and Immigration Canada
18School Performance of Visible Minorities
Immigrant Children (cont)
- The belief that all immigrants do very well in
school can be misleading. Lee Gunderson of UBC
(2004) found amazing differences in achievement
between Mandarin speakers other groups such as
Spanish Vietnamese speakers. These
differences in socioeconomic status highlighting
the high risk nature of some groups of immigrant
students. - Gunderson found that 40 of all immigrant
students drop out of high school before
graduation. - In reviewing Stats Canada data on 26,000 15 yr
olds from across Canada . . . it was found that
immigrant and visible minority youth face
incredible barriers in getting an education.
They may struggle with language or
discrimination, their culture may not be
represented in textbooks or stories or their
families might be poor . . . (Krahn Taylor,
University of Alberta, quoted in Edmonton
Journal, April 5, 2006 New Canadians Aim Higher
than Native Born Counterparts) - A pattern is emerging Aboriginals, Latin
American immigrants and Black people born in
Canada have lower educational attainment levels
than other groups (less than 20), while Chinese
(80) and Asians in general appear to have higher
attainment levels. (p. 94)
19Demographic changes impact on public education
(cont)
- School Performance of Visible Minorities
Immigrant Children (cont) - Future research also is needed on the transition
from the school system to the labour market to
see whether children of immigrants visible
minorities continue to succeed at a level
comparable to the children of the Canadian-born.
. . . Or whether goals and opportunities are
impeded as youth become more exposed to systemic
racism or other factors. (p. 83) - 2001 unemployment rates clearly affected
ethno-cultural groups in very different ways.
2001 unemployment data closely correlated with
education data (low school performance low
level of education higher unemployment rates)
(p. 96) - Group Unemployment Rate
- Aboriginals gt 20
- Cdn born non visible minority 6.3
- Africans gt 20
- West Asians gt 20
- UK and USA lt 6
- Long term Europeans lt 6
- Cdn born Chinese other Asians lt 6
20What Communities Need to Understand About the
Immigrant Experience
- A more effective approach to immigrant settlement
would greatly benefit newcomer families and their
children in the school system. - The immigrant settlement experience is a
multi-stage process involving several different
competing jurisdictions - Many newcomers experience a sense of isolation
powerlessness. Neighbourhood programs designed to
invite and include newcomers (sports, monitoring
initiatives, befriending programs) are needed in
most all Canadian communities. - Newcomers need information to make a successful
transition to Canadian society. - Successful labour market entry the opportunity
to use the skills experience they bring with
them is fundamental if newcomers are to enter
the social economic mainstream of Canada.
Policy / practice necessities ESL programs that
focus on language skills that are labour market
related better faster ways to assess prior
learning experience credentials bridging
programs preparatory programs for educators
delivering high relevance ESL. (pp. 110-112) - Source Demographic Changes in Canada and
Their Impact on Public Education, November 2006,
The Learning Partnership (OISE)
21Questions to Consider as We Learn about the
Seven Oaks S.D Newcomer Data
- How can schools best support newcomers dealing
with cultural dislocation? How much emphasis
should be placed on rapid assimilation to
mainstream educational materials language?
versus How much emphasis should be placed on
maintenance of the students home language and
culture? - How can we best blend at the classroom level
the maintenance of a students cultural roots and
strengths while achieving the objectives of a
socially cohesive society? How can we develop
valuing diversity programs experiences in all
classrooms? How can we build bridges between a
students family life and classroom experience?
How can we maximize the opportunities for
students from different backgrounds to learn from
one another? How can we most effectively use
mentors community role models in the classroom
setting? - How can we best approach educating teachers to
become perceptive about students different
cultural backgrounds effectively link this
understanding to their own teaching methods
supporting teachers with curriculum materials
that value diversity developing teachers whose
vision includes an understanding of students
family community dynamics forging connections
between these other social realities and what
transpires in the classroom? (p. 114) - Source Demographic Changes in Canada and
Their Impact on Public Education, November 2006,
The Learning Partnership (OISE)
22Seven Oaks School DivisionQUANTITATIVE DATA
(collected Jan. March, 2007)
- Data from 22 Schools in Seven Oaks SD
- Recent immigrants (lt 5yrs)
- 751 students
- Recent Immigrant Families 575 families
- War Affected Families
- 81 families
- War Affected Students
- 101 students
- War Affected Countries
- Columbia, Sierra Leone, Congo,
- Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan,
- Uganda, Iraq, Afghanistan,
- Serbia, Ethiopia Israel,
- Russia/Israel, Libya, South Africa
- Quantitative
- Source Seven Oaks SD Schools
- of students families from war affected
countries of students families who are
recent immigrants (in Canada lt 5 yrs) - Identification of students from war affected
students including homeland yrs in Canada
birth date, age, grade, first language EAL yrs
of interrupted schooling
23April/2007, Seven Oaks Data by School
SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM WAR AFFECTED COUNTIES RECENT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS (less than 5 years)
A E WRIGHT 4 (Sudan, Israel) 131 (Philippines, India, Russia, Israel, England, USA, Sudan, 53 Unknown)
BELMONT 1 (South Africa) 5 (Philippines, Macedonia, S Africa)
COLLICUT 3 (Russia/Israel) 20 (Russia/Israel, Uruguay, Philippines, Russia/Bosnia, Russia, Vietnam, China)
FINNEY 0 28 (India, Philippines)
ELWICK 5 (Iraq, Uganda, Ethiopia) 74 (Philippines, Kenya, India, Iraq, Uganda, Ethiopia)
FOREST PARK 0 6 (Italy, Philippines, Poland, Iran, Philippines/Japan)
24April/2007, Seven Oaks Data by School
SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM WAR AFFECTED COUNTIES RECENT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS (less than 5 years)
GCCI 14 (DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Israel) 53 (Philippines, Ukraine, Israel, India, Bosnia DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Poland, Macedonia, Germany, Portugal, Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Russia, Israel/Ukraine, Vietnam)
GOV SEMPLE 0 2 (Russia, Philippines)
H C AVERY 4 (Israel) 27 (Armenia, India, Ukraine, Israel, Philippines, Russia, Italy, Russia/Israel)
JAMES NISBET 2 (Sudan, Afghanistan) 72 (Philippines, India, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iran, Germany, USA, Korea, Laos)
25April/2007, Seven Oaks Data by School
SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM WAR AFFECTED COUNTIES RECENT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS (less than 5 years)
Leila North 2 (Afghanistan) 36 (Philippines, India, Afghanistan, Laos)
MAPLES 29 (Afghanistan, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sudan, Israel, Sierra Leone, Rwanda/Congo 138 (China, Hong Kong, Croatia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Burundi, Rwanda/DR Congo, Sudan, German, India, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Sierra Leone)
MARGARET PARK 14 (Russia/Israel, Israel) 31 (Poland, Israel, Russia/Israel, India, Russia, Israel/Russia, Israel/Ukraine, Philippines, Vietnam)
O V JEWITT 8 (Sierra Leone, Sudan, Israel 43 (Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sudan, India, Ukraine, Israel)
MORRISON 0 24 (Ukraine, Philippines, 1 Unknown)
RIVERBEND 2 (Columbia, Libya) 7 (Philippines, Columbia, Germany, Libya, India, Poland-USA)
26April/2007, Seven Oaks Data by School
SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM WAR AFFECTED COUNTIES RECENT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS (less than 5 years)
ESOMS 0 12 (Macedonia, Romania, Ukraine, Philippines, Poland)
VICTORY 7 (Israel) 17 (Israel, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Albania, Moldova, Romania)
WKCI 0 9 (Macedonia, Russia, Philippines)
W ST PAUL 0 1 (Poland)
7OAKS ADULT LEARNING CENTRE 3 (Serbia, Afghanistan) 16 (Philippines, Serbia, Afghanistan, India)
27Seven Oaks SD Data (continued)
- Quantitative data (cont)
- ESL/EAL numbers reported by 7Oaks SD 2001 - 2006
- War affected students with current Educational
Clinical Student Services Files involvement - Seven Oaks Newcomer Survey data collected
February June, 2007 (Student Survey, Teacher
Survey, Family Survey)
- 7Oaks ESL/EAL students
- 2001 227 students
- 2002 233 students
- 2003 255 students
- 2004 313 students
- 2005 336 students
- 2006 428 students
- 2007 637 students
- Sept. 30 enrolment reports
- 2007 enrolment report under revision
- Clinical Files (March 2007)
- 4 open psychology files
- 4 open speech language files
28Seven Oaks Intensive Newcomer ResearchQUALITATIVE
DATA
- Interviews and/or focus group discussions were
used as a follow-up to written surveys completed
by students and educators. The research focus
was on the collection of stories describing the
immigrant student and family experience
re-locating to Winnipeg Seven Oaks Schools.
Data collected from educators focused on
educators experiences learning about and
supporting newcomer students. Qualitative data
collection has included - In person interviews with newcomer students
enrolled in the EAL program at Maples Collegiate
(Jan/Feb, 2007) - In person interviews with a war affected family
focus groups individual war affected families
(January, June July, 2007) - Surveying interviewing educators to identify
current or emerging experiences, trends and
challenges regarding the support of newcomer
students their families. - Seven Oaks Intensive Newcomer Advisory Group
research advisory group round table discussions
29INFORMATION GATHERING CHALLENGES
- Newcomer information such as country of origin,
of years in Canada, yrs of interrupted schooling
are not routinely collected by schools when a
family registers a child. Hence, it is difficult
to ascertain accurate divisional numbers of war
affected and recent immigrants and related
demographic information. Also, no previous
comparable data is available. - Teachers are reluctant to ask students questions
about their families immigrant experiences. - The nature unpredictability of parents /
guardians work schedules makes it difficult to
conduct newcomer family interviews. Meetings
arranged with the assistance community immigrant
outreach worker, and, by chance (one interview
was conducted with a parent seated next to me
during a domestic air flight) proved most
effective in gathering meaningful info. - Newcomer parents/guardians are reluctant to allow
their children to participate in research surveys
or interviews. This was especially seen with war
affected families whose experiences have left
them leery of anyone who appears to work for the
government.
30 STUDENT INTERVIEWS (Senior Years EAL class)
- All students interviewed indicated that their
families came to Canada due to military conflicts
and/or economic strife. - Most war affected students interviewed arrived in
Canada without their parents or other adult
members of their families. - Some war affected students spoke in matter of
fact, emotionless terms about horrific
experiences (e.g. witnessing friends eaten alive
by wild animals while walking from one refugee
camp to another). - All students felt under pressure to learn English
quickly, progress beyond the EAL class and
graduate to university as soon as possible. Each
felt that their families were depending on them. - All students with university educated parents
shared that their parents had not been able to
get their homeland countries university
educations recognized in Canada (e.g. the only
jobs theyve been able to ascertain are at min.
wage like midnight shifts at 7Eleven). Hence,
the male EAL students have been required to work
18 25 hrs / week to help make ends meet to
send money back to family in the homeland.
31 STUDENT INTERVIEWS (Senior Years EAL class)
- All students expressed that they are very lonely.
There is little time for anything but school
part time work. Most have made very few social
connections in school or in Winnipeg. - Most indicated difficulty learning about
understanding Canadian culture and school
culture. - Each EAL student interviewed fit Canadian
researcher profiles of Newcomer students eager to
progress beyond the EAL class into regular High
School classes despite their English language
skills (spoken, written) being weak. Inadequate
EAL progress leave them at risk of following the
Canadian trend of the 40 drop out rate before
graduating high school. (Lee Gunderson, 2006,
English Only Instruction Immigrant Studies in
Secondary Schools). - Canadian American Research have revealed that
EAL students marks suffer greatly if they do not
take advantage of 4 5 years of EAL instruction.
Gundersons Canadian study revealed that even
highly motivated EAL students grades drop below
C once removing themselves from ESL (EAL) classes
making transitions to graduation post secondary
very difficult.
32Newcomer Teacher Survey Data
- 67 surveys distributed 37 surveys completed
returned - Surveys were completed March, April May, 2007
- Respondents included 26 classroom teachers, 6
resource teachers 5 school or divisional
administrators 1 immigrant outreach worker - Instructional grade levels 17 Early Years 10
Middle Years 13 Senior Years 1 Adult Ed - 25 respondents had taught children from war
affected countries - 34 respondents had taught children of families
who have lived in Canada for fewer than 5 years.
33Newcomer Teacher Survey Data (cont)
- 26 of 37educator respondents had taught war
affected students. Surveyed educators said - war affected student s arrived in our classrooms
without adequate schooling for their ages and
lacked adequate English language proficiency for
school success (42) - war affected students arrived in Canada with
interrupted or no schooling (54) - war affected students speak one or more languages
other than English. (65) - language barriers hinder a students progress in
school (62) - war affected students require the support of a
resource teacher (73) - war affected students require the support of a
guidance counselor or clinician (65) - war affected families depend on a child to
interpret all communications from school (65) - war affected families live in poverty (62)
- war affected families live in Winnipeg because
they have family or friends here (46) - war affected families expect their children to
get college / university educations (31)
34Newcomer Teacher Survey Data . . .
- 34 of 37educator respondents had taught recent
immigrant students(lt 5 yrs in Canada). Surveyed
educators said - newcomer students arrive in our classrooms
without adequate schooling for their age (74) - newcomer students have conversational proficiency
in English but inadequate English for school
success (65) - newcomer students require the support of a
resource teacher, early learning support teacher
and guidance counselor or clinician (85) - newcomer students speak one or more languages
other than English (91) - language barriers hinder a students progress in
school (71) - parents depend on a child to interpret all info
sent home by the school (71) - newcomer families expect their children to get
university educations (65) - newcomer families often live in poverty (53)
35School Reception Student Placement(from
teacher surveys parent interviews)
- School Registration Reception
- 32 of educators surveyed indicated that their
school had developed and practiced a reception
procedure geared to meeting the needs of newcomer
students and their families. Most also indicated
that the reception practices were difficult to
implement. - All families interviewed indicated that they were
warmly received by Seven Oaks school personnel
however, there was much they did not understand
about Seven Oaks Schools (policies, routines,
homework, school contact info, class placement,
etc.) Parental focus group participants would
like to see a newcomer info DVD or package on
Seven Oaks Schools and opportunities for their
children and families
- Student Placement
- 87 of educators surveyed said that newcomer
students are routinely mainstreamed into regular
classrooms - 76 of educators indicated that a resource
teacher did the testing to determine a language
literacy needs and 54 indicated that learning
adaptations are determined by a resource teacher - 58 said that classroom teachers do testing to
determine newcomer students needs and 76
indicated that classroom teachers make the
learning adaptations to a students program - All parents (of senior yrs students) did not
understand why their children were repeating so
many things taken previously in their homeland
schools) Early years parents had many unanswered
questions about multi age classrooms
36Professional Development(from Newcomer Teacher
Survey)
- 22 educators surveyed had not recd info or PD to
assist in understanding the situations likely
experienced by war affected students families
11 did research on their own to improve
understanding 6 had attended PD workshops with a
newcomer student theme. - Most all respondents indicated a need for
professional development opportunities. Topics
requested EAL (20) supporting children and
youth from refugee backgrounds with EAL needs
interrupted schooling (17) Canada as a
multilingual multicultural nation (17) Cross
cultural communication education (15)
Aboriginal Language, education equity (18)
Community and parental partnerships in education
(11) Information sessions relating to the
experiences of war affected families other
recent immigrants (possibly with the immigrant
outreach workers) (15).
37What educators are saying asking in focus
groups. . .
- Recent immigrants, who are skilled labourers,
seem to arrive with less formal English language
education. Their children require much more EAL
support than what 7Oaks educators have
experienced in the past. - A language rich environment is best regardless of
the learner. - A students success is dependent on that
students willingness ability to make
connections. - Middle Sr Yrs students with poor English
language comprehension skills quickly exhibit
behaviours that eventually lead to early school
leaving. - Without adequate support at all levels, the
newcomer experience quickly morphs from immersion
to submersion (e.g. there is a 20,000 30,000
word deficit for a middle yrs EAL learner) - We know very little about what happens to our
newcomer students after leaving our high schools.
Have supports been sufficient?
38WHAT EDUCATORS ARE SAYING ASKING IN FOCUS
GROUPS . . .
- There is a need for all schools to engage in many
bridging activities with students their
families (de-mystifying our schools, education,
culture, values, routines, Cdn family laws
values, etc). Focusing on greater understandings
bridging will foster the growth of each
schools capacity to support newcomer students
families. - When registering a newcomer student how do we
plan for that students success? How do we
bridge the gap between academic rigour and a
students feelings of self worth? - Teacher professional development is key in
understanding the needs for bridging with
students families (e.g. learning about culture
language differences knowing about the
different phases that characterize the immigrant
experience, etc.) - Given the number of newcomer families, each
school should develop a bank of cultural knows
resources to foster a school staffs
understanding support. - Although First Nations Peoples migrating to our
communities are not considered, by most
definitions, to be newcomers similar to recent
immigrants, they appear to have many of the same
needs and fewer supports within communities than
most recent immigrant newcomers.
39WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING ASKING IN FOCUS GROUPS
. . .
- Why can I not have my child in a before after
school program at my neighbourhood school? - Why are my children repeating all of the same
things in school this year as they learned in our
homeland school last year? - We were warmly welcomed by the staff at our
childs school. However, all information was in
English with no one to translate and no material
in languages other than English. The schools
need materials to explain about schools in
Winnipeg. Winnipeg schools are very different
from our homeland. - Our middle and senior years children sometimes
get some help with English. Many times the
teacher is not available to help them with
English. - My son never read a book before. Now he is
reading books all of the time (even when he goes
to the toilet)! - My child is very shy and I wanted to stay with
him at the school for his first few days. The
school would not allow me to stay with him. - My child came home with many bruises from a
fight at school. No one from the school informed
me. When I asked the teacher, the teacher did
not think it was serious. - We feel very involved, respected and cared for
in our sons school (early years). We have been
invited to be involved. - Great activities with students, teachers and
parents together including student lead
conferences. We could use more of these
activities with everyone working and having fun
together. - Our schools infrastructure is impressive (book,
computers, equipment).
40What Next?Currently the Global, Canadian and
Manitoban situation, when it comes to the living
conditions of the poor, displaced,
disenfranchised, is to shame all levels of
government, NGOS and other groups into
recognizing a broader picture of concerns and
issues hopefully resulting in pro-active policies
and actions. (Keynote Human Rights Social
Justice Conference University of Wpg, Feb.
2007)Let the Seven Oaks Educational Community
continue to be the leaders we publicly are viewed
as being by acting on the following
recommendations . . .
41RECOMMENDATIONS
- Given increasing newcomer and EAL student and
family numbers in the Seven Oaks School Division - Develop a divisional reception registration
process for newcomer families their children
including multi-lingual school/division info
(general school info, school calendar/routines,
etc.). Include or follow up with the community
immigrant outreach worker. Consider the
development of a multilingual DVD website link
in which music pictures may be most effective
in sharing who we are in 7Oaks. Translate
divisional school websites, newsletters and key
informational letters into the most common
languages found in the division and schools
catchments. - Annually review newcomer registration numbers,
ages grades of children, homeland countries and
languages. Follow up by providing support and
resources to match newcomer registrant numbers
where needed. - Study middle senior years EAL student numbers
years of EAL support/instruction graduation
rates social development and post secondary
directions. Are we providing adequate
instruction support to ensure all students
develop the level of English proficiency reqd
for school and workplace success?
42RECOMMENDATIONS (cont)
- Consider the development of an EAL transition
program for middle senior years newcomer
students. Its purpose would be to support
students in language cultural transitions
without having to feel overly self conscious in
front of their Canadian born peers. examples
LEAP program (Toronto) sheltered classroom
(Louis Riel SD) - Host a student leadership workshop for newcomer
students where they would share experiences,
challenges, aspirations, needs, etc. and learn
avenues to achieve their goals. - Develop more EAL Adult Education courses and
opportunities within Seven Oaks School Division.
Many newcomers do not have vehicles or childcare.
Explore the possibility of workshops and/or
courses available (at cost) at locations on both
sides of McPhillips (evenings and weekends)
43RECOMMENDATIONS (cont)
- Professional Development for teachers and all
Seven Oaks staff - Consider the development of a divisional
committee that would review divisional newcomer
numbers and coordinate workshops / courses
fostering - - generative thinking (the ability to add to
understandings in complex dynamic settings all
the while applying knowledge to learn new topics
and solve new unfamiliar problems (generative
thinking, Dr. Arnetha Ball, Stanford
University, November, 2006) (knowledge becomes
generative when the learner sees the need to
integrate new knowledge with existing knowledge
while continually reconsidering existing
knowledge in light of new knowledge). Given the
ever changing face of our communities it is
essential that we think generatively in order to
understand people, cultures and ways of meeting
educational needs. - - greater knowledge understanding of newcomer
students families (their experiences, stages
of the immigrant experience, refugee experiences,
cultural language similarities differences) - - supportive EAL strategies (consider the
parallels between French Immersion the English
immersion experienced by newcomer students) - - effective communications with non-English
speaking families (school home partnerships) - - development of multi-lingual resource banks
(print non print materials featuring
languages and cultures)
44REFERENCE LIST
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http//www.ames.net.au/education.asp?articleZoneID
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memoirs of a boy soldier. Toronto Douglas
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Grade 12 Action Plan for Ethnocultural
Equity.(2006) Manitoba Education, Citizenship
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population rise StatsCan CanWest News
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Helping Immigrant Students Succeed in U.S.
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