Just imagine, you come to a country... you don't speak the language very well, if at all... you don't understand the customs... what is this white stuff that we always have on the ground?! There will be many overwhelming parts about coming to a new place. School can be a big cause of anxiety with the children of these new families because they may come from a place where school is entirely different or their previous schooling is non-existant. It is our job, as teachers, to help aid in the transition to a new country as well as make them feel comfortable within a classroom full of other students.
As part of my final semester of study for my Bachelor of Education degree I have chosen to do my inquiry project on creating safe spaces for new immigrant and refugee families who are coming into our school systems.
My broad question is:
- What are the most effective strategies teachers can use to create safe spaces within schools for immigrants and refugees?
My sub-questions are:
- How can we make community education spaces comfortable for immigrant and refugee students? Does place based education help EAL learners gain valuable English skills?
- What are the benefits of having EAL students use their native language in order to make them feel comfortable? How can we incorporate space into this strategy?
- How can different places assist for our assessment of English benchmarks according to the Common Framework of Reference (CFR)?
Through taking part in various community engagement opportunities (both in and out of schools) I will strive to provide practical ways to make these students feel comfortable. These practical applications will be backed up by readings that support the theory behind the practice.
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