Schooling in Diversity: The Education of New Immigrant Students in an Elementary School

Abstract

<p>A participant observation study was conducted at a public elementary school (using the pseudonym Blossom School) situated within a medium sized industrial city in southern Ontario. Along with this, documentary research was also done using census material and other government statistics. Through examination of the development of immigration policies the pattern of changes became evident. Canada has shifted from a relatively homogeneous nation founded on the two cultures of English and French, to one that has great cultural diversity. This has had an impact on the education system where many schools have been challenged to develop a programme that meets the needs of new immigrant students and the needs of the Canadian-born. Since the early 1980s the neighbourhood in which Blossom School is situated has been a favoured destination for many new immigrants, especially those from South East Asia. The most significant adjustment to accommodate the change has been the introduction of the English as a Second Language programme. This could have been a source of division between the immigrant and non-immigrant students. However, the language classes are closely linked to work in the regular classroom. This has required close cooperative planning between language and classroom teachers which has facilitated the emergence of a sense of community within the school. The effect of the language programme then has extended beyond language acquisition and has become a strong influence on the general direction of the school.</p>