Newcomer Programs are a common solution around the world, particularly in major urban centers. Typically these are temporary, segregated programs for older students. Newcomer programs often have smaller class sizes, specially developed resources and/or teachers with specific training. There may also be a focus on providing the sort of cultural and emotional supports needed by refugees who have often experienced trauma and deprivation. The goal of these programs is to give students enough English language skills, literacy skills, and academic knowledge to function in mainstream programs.
There are challenges and drawbacks associated with newcomer programs, however. Because of the need for clustering, students may need to be transported significant distances to attend these programs. This is simply not practical in many jurisdictions and for many families. Students in these programs also tend to spend most of their time with other students with limited English and limited schooling, which can restrict their language development and acceptance by peers outside those circles. In addition, these programs are typically less able to accommodate students for whom the interruptions are an ongoing event (eg. children of migrant agricultural workers or students who hold either part-time or seasonal employment). Even among students who do not have ongoing interruptions in education, there continue to be needs beyond that first year or two which newcomer programs are designed to address. As such, they do not eliminate the need for responsive, flexible programs in other schools.
Examples of these programs can be found in Teaching Refugees with Limited Formal Schooling under sample programs. One key local example would be Calgary Board of Education's LEAD (Literacy, English and Academic Development) Program. A number of sample units from that program have been posted online.
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There are challenges and drawbacks associated with newcomer programs, however. Because of the need for clustering, students may need to be transported significant distances to attend these programs. This is simply not practical in many jurisdictions and for many families. Students in these programs also tend to spend most of their time with other students with limited English and limited schooling, which can restrict their language development and acceptance by peers outside those circles. In addition, these programs are typically less able to accommodate students for whom the interruptions are an ongoing event (eg. children of migrant agricultural workers or students who hold either part-time or seasonal employment). Even among students who do not have ongoing interruptions in education, there continue to be needs beyond that first year or two which newcomer programs are designed to address. As such, they do not eliminate the need for responsive, flexible programs in other schools.
Examples of these programs can be found in Teaching Refugees with Limited Formal Schooling under sample programs. One key local example would be Calgary Board of Education's LEAD (Literacy, English and Academic Development) Program. A number of sample units from that program have been posted online.
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Outreach or Alternative programs are also often called upon to try to address the unique needs of SLIFE. They tend to be a more practical approach in rural areas where SLIFE are too small of a minority to be clustered into segregated Newcomer programs or where interruptions in education may be a result of ongoing cultural norms and practices, rather than past experiences. These programs can be positive for SLIFE in that they allow for greater flexibility in programming and greater sensitivity to unique cultural differences. As these programs allow for greater degrees of personalization, however, they often require greater levels of independence and higher levels of literacy. These requirements can prove overwhelming for many SLIFE. In addition, the students in these programs tend to remain separated from students of more traditional educational backgrounds and mainstream culture.
The Outreach and Alternative Program options have been popular in Southern Alberta where many SLIFE are of Low German speaking Mennonite background. Enrollment in these programs consists of children of Mennonite background whose parents request that option. These Horizon programs use Alberta Curriculum and Alberta certified teachers, unlike many of the Mennonite church sponsored home-school "learning centers." Some of these programs use Alberta Distance Learning materials or courses from Tools for Teachers at http://www.learnalberta.ca, particularly at higher grade levels. At these levels, locally developed courses may also be an option for some individuals. Some of these programs have been moving to more of a Blended Learning approach in order to provide greater support for learner differences.
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Organizing for Instruction is a section of Alberta Education's Supporting English Language Learners website which contains many excellent recommendations for selecting courses and planning programs for ELL students (including SLIFE). In particular, this resource describes methods of using flexible grouping to provide programming for English Language Learners, and describes the supports necessary for ELLs to be successful in grades 1-9. The section on organizing for high school focuses more on course selection and long term planning.
The Outreach and Alternative Program options have been popular in Southern Alberta where many SLIFE are of Low German speaking Mennonite background. Enrollment in these programs consists of children of Mennonite background whose parents request that option. These Horizon programs use Alberta Curriculum and Alberta certified teachers, unlike many of the Mennonite church sponsored home-school "learning centers." Some of these programs use Alberta Distance Learning materials or courses from Tools for Teachers at http://www.learnalberta.ca, particularly at higher grade levels. At these levels, locally developed courses may also be an option for some individuals. Some of these programs have been moving to more of a Blended Learning approach in order to provide greater support for learner differences.
- - - - - - - - -
Organizing for Instruction is a section of Alberta Education's Supporting English Language Learners website which contains many excellent recommendations for selecting courses and planning programs for ELL students (including SLIFE). In particular, this resource describes methods of using flexible grouping to provide programming for English Language Learners, and describes the supports necessary for ELLs to be successful in grades 1-9. The section on organizing for high school focuses more on course selection and long term planning.
