Children for Whom English /French Is Not Their First Language

From NSEL Report Wiki

Esther Geva (OISE/University of Toronto) & Alexandra Gottardo (Wilfrid Laurier University)
with Fataneh Farnia (Hincks-Dellcrest Institute/Centre-University of Toronto)
& Julie Byrd Clark (OISE/University of Toronto)

Read the full paper

This policy paper focuses on the language and literacy skills of Canadian English as a Second Language (ESL) and French as a Second Language (FSL) students in elementary and secondary school. It aims to provide an integrative overview of knowledge and practices in the following areas:

1. provincial policies pertinent to the learning needs of ESL/FSL students
2. province-based practices and support targeting the learning needs of ESL/FSL students
3. language and literacy development of Canadian-educated ESL/FSL students
4. second language and literacy development of children and adolescents who immigrate to Canada later

This document begins with a province-by-province review of policies and practices, educational funding, and accountability as they pertain to the education of ESL and FSL students. It follows with a province-by province description of assessment procedures, community support, and graduation requirements for ESL/FSL students. We highlight provincial sensitivity to the educational needs of children of immigrants and the degree to which the needs of ESL/FSL students are considered. We also identify gaps in knowledge or service provision and make reference to international evaluation studies such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS). In a subsequent section, we discuss heritage languages, as well as complementary resources that might be available to students and parents. We then review the critical issues facing educational systems in the instruction of elementary and secondary school ESL/FSL students, such as higher school dropout rates.

The paper then turns to a review of the most recent research evidence concerning the language and literacy skills of ESL/FSL students. We begin with an overview of the conclusions reached by the National Literacy Panel (NLP). This U.S.-based panel conducted a systematic review of the research evidence pertaining to English language learners in 2006. Because of Canada’s immigration policy and demographic characteristics, research conducted on English language learners in the U.S. context and in other countries might not be applicable to Canada. We therefore proceed in a separate section to highlight recent, state-of-the-art Canadian research on the development of language and literacy skills of ESL students. The paper culminates with a set of recommendations that are based on the review.