Critical Question What do we need to know to promote the success of immigrant students?

Goals Strengthen cultural awareness and competence Deepen understanding of the challenges immigrant families face Provide classroom and school-wide strategies for working with immigrant students and parents.

Use the polling buttons to indicate yes (check) or no (X) Were you born outside of Alberta? W HO WE ARE

Were you born outside of Canada?

Were one or more of your parents born outside of Canada?

Do you speak more than one language?

Have you traveled outside of Canada?

Have you lived outside of Canada?

Permanent Residents Admitted in 2011 RankCountry of originNumberPercentage 1Philippines34, % 2People’s Republic of China28, % 3India24, % 4United States of America8,8293.5% 5Iran6,8402.7% 6United Kingdom and Colonies6,5502.6% 7Haiti6,2082.5% 8Pakistan6,0732.4% 9France5,8672.4% 10United Arab Emirates5,2232.1% Total Top 10134, % All Other Source Countries114, % TOTAL248,748100% Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Facts and Figures 2011.

Permanent Resident Immigrants 2012 Family class 64,901 25% Economic Immigrants—Principal Applicants 68,208 62% Economic Immigrants—Spouses and Dependants 92,409 Refugees 23,056 9% Other Immigrants 8,936 3% Total 257, % Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, RDM, Preliminary 2012 Data.

Permanent Immigrant by Class Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

,06857,56165,61857,68158,228 Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta

Calgary9,27111,18611,24613,03913,70816,10715,060 Edmonton4,8106,0166,5407,5178,50811,00810,457 Medicine Hat Lethbridge Red Deer Other Alberta1,2371,5032,0652,4903,6124,1863,989 Alberta15,83919,40420,86024,20127,01732,65030,963 Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Permanent Resident Immigrants

PositiveMinusInteresting W HAT WAS P OSITIVE, M INUS OR I NTERESTING ?

New Immigrant Challenges

Language and Culture Climate Lack of social support Employment barriers Debt burden Discrimination Benefit waiting period Housing Psychological trauma experienced as a result of fleeing a conflict zone New Immigrant Challenges

Language and Culture  Different foods, housing, clothing  Different way of life  Different rules and expectations  Culture shock New Immigrant Challenges

What do you see ?

Employment barriers  No recognition of credentials  No Canadian experience, poor job network  Many live in poverty, in spite of holding two jobs New Immigrant Challenges

Debt burden  Refugees have to repay government loans for medical exams and travel expenses New Immigrant Challenges

Discrimination There are stories of exclusionary and discriminatory practices in the workplace and community such as:  Denied jobs for lacking Canadian work experience  Devaluation of foreign credentials  Denied rental accommodations, etc. New Immigrant Challenges

Benefit waiting period  90 day wait for health care  Temporary Foreign Workers do not qualify New Immigrant Challenges

Housing Primary concern for new immigrants May be unaware of their rights as renters Landlords may require letters confirming employment which may not be possible New Immigrant Challenges

Will have a major impact on both the student and his/her family and may impede a smooth transition into their new life Will impact all aspects of student’s well being including: academics, socialization, emotional health, etc For support, CONTACT: School guidance counsellor District psychologist Local Immigrant Services Agency Psychological Trauma experienced as a result of fleeing a conflict zone

W HAT D ID YOU FIND S URPRISING OR I NTERESTING FROM THE I NFORMATION THAT WAS JUST SHARED ?

D&doc_id= New Moves: An Orientation Video For Newcomer Students

New Moves: An Orientation Video for Newcomer Students

What are we already doing well to support immigrant students?

The total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions, which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group. The attitudes, feelings, values, and behaviours that characterize and inform society as a whole or any social group within it. Define culture

Surface Culture LANGUAGE ARTS, LITERATURE RELIGIONS, MUSIC, DRESS DANCE, GAMES, SPORTS, COOKING Folk Culture //////// awareness level boundary/////\\\ NOTIONS OF MODESTY CONCEPTS OF BEAUTY EDUCATION CHILD RAISING RULES OF DESCENT COSMOLOGY RELATIONSHIP TO THINGS, ANIMALS & PLANTS COURTSHIP PRACTICES CONCEPT OF JUSTICE MOTIVATION TO WORK CRITERIA FOR LEADERSHIP DECISION MAKING PROCESSES DEITIES DEATH IDEAS OF CLEANLINESS LOCUS OF CONTROL THEORY OF DISEASE PHYSICAL SPACE DEFINITION OF SANITY, FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, MURDER, LIFE, GENDER, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ROLES IN RELATION TO STATUS BY AGE, GENDER, CLASS, KINSHIP, OCCUPATION, RELIGION, CONVERSATIONAL PATTERNS IN VARIOUS SOCIAL CONTEXTS, CONCEPTION OF TIME & SPACE PREFERENCES FOR COMPETITION, COOPERATION, INDIVIDUALISM OR GROUP NORMS, SIN, GRACE NOTION OF ADULTHOOD, NOTION OF LOGIC AND VALIDITY, PHYSICAL SPACE ARRANGEMENTS, LIFE Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg (Gary Weaver)

Scaffolding for Instructional Success

Tap into prior knowledge Model what students are to do Give students time to process new ideas Pre-teach vocabulary Use visual aids Attend to your language Build and nurture learning community Constructivist Scaffolding Strategies

Tap into prior knowledge  Relate topic to their own lives and experiences  Make connection to student background  Ask students to share their experiences (give hints and suggestions, if needed) Scaffolding

Model what students are to do  Give an example of how final product should look  Provide criteria for evaluation  Demonstrate the process through think-aloud  Make goals explicit Scaffolding

Give students time to process new ideas  Provide structured talking time  Students verbally make sense of the ideas and articulate that sense with their buddies Scaffolding

Pre-teach vocabulary  Introduce words in context  Have students develop illustrations  Use dictionary definitions last Scaffolding

Inside Story Flash Cards  printable vocabulary flashcards with striking images and unforgettable definitions Tech tricks!

an online encyclopedia for "people with different needs, such as students, children, adults with learning difficulties and people who are trying to learn English"learning difficulties articles are usually shorter and present only basic information Simple English Wikipedia

Use visual aids  Demonstrations, graphic organizers, photos, charts, films, manipulatives, timelines  Skim the chapter looking at photos and discussing, take a “picture walk” through the materials before reading the text Scaffolding

Attend to your language  Not too fast, not too slow  Use body language  Be careful using humour, idioms, figures of speech  Use translation when necessary  Check if you are understood, paraphrase Scaffolding

Build and nurture learning community  Work in groups whenever appropriate. Scaffolding

What other scaffolding strategies have you used?

“Before teachers and administrators put expectations on parents regarding their involvement in the child’s education, they need to understand parents’ cultural backgrounds as it relates to education. For example, it is unlikely that South Sudanese parents will expect to be involved as partners in the education of their child since in South Sudan, the responsibility for children’s education rests solely with the teacher.” Working with South Sudanese Immigrant Students – Teachers Resources. Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation How do we promote parental involvement in our schools?

Parents sometimes work two or three jobs to make ends meet when they immigrate to Canada. When immigrants first arrive in Canada, like their children, they too are enrolled in school taking English lessons provided by the Canadian government. Increase Awareness of Immigrant Challenges

Find out about the family and be sensitive to their cultural practices. Reach out to families and invite parents to become involved. Initially, whenever possible, this should be done with the support of intercultural consultants and other community leaders. (page 9 Teaching Somali Immigrant Children: Resources for Student Success. Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation and the Alberta Teachers Association) Where To Begin? Connecting your School with the Immigrant Family

Meetings for high school completion requirements Student award nights, art exhibits, math & science fairs Vision screening and dental checks Car seat safety checks Clothing exchanges Heritage language clubs taught by volunteers Haircuts and Styling Help with reading bills, mail, junk mail, etc. Teaching Somali Immigrant Children: Resources for Student Success. Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation and the Alberta Teachers Association Reaching the Community through Programs, Meetings and Events

Working with Parents for Student Success For Our Kids Settlement.org

W ORKING WITH S OUTH S UDANESE AND S OMALI S TUDENTS RESOURCES FROM ATA

School/Home Communication Handbook for Parents

ATA Publication Learning Together — Public Education in Alberta

S TRATEGIES I WOULD LIKE TO TRY WITH MY I MMIGRANT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES