Download File - IVEA

IVEA Recommendation:
It must be acknowledged that bilingual/EAL learners may come from
different cultures where different educational attitudes and practices
prevail. Schools and teachers should recognise that all students bring
their own strengths to learning derived from their cultural identity and
previous learning and life experiences. Schools need to be open to
and creative in utilising these experiences to the students’ benefit.
IVEA recommends that each school provides parents/guardians with a
comprehensive overview of how the school operates, its policy and ethos;
the curriculum etc. In case of conflicting values, it is recommended that
schools engage in dialogue to reach agreement. For communication to
be effective, it may be necessary to provide a translator.
5.5 PROMOTING STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
The CDU report A Whole School Approach to Interculturalism and
Inclusion makes the following recommendations in the context of
supporting and empowering students:
• Ways should be explored to give students greater voice in school
decision-making, including ongoing review of Student Council
structures by schools to assess their impact and to allow for
more involvement of younger students and those of minority
background.
• Appropriate induction and monitoring for all students’ social and
academic welfare should take place.
• Mentoring programmes should be considered, with the possible
development of peer-mentoring. This needs careful planning,
training and ongoing guidance and evaluation
• Work that builds self-esteem, values diversity and supports
understanding of interculturalism and anti-racism should be
carried out with students, both as distinct programmes
embedded in the different subject areas and approached
periodically through cross-curricular theme and project work.
• Consideration should be given to how students who have
experienced and are still affected by trauma can be supported
through pastoral care, counselling and monitoring by the
psychological, health and social welfare services in tandem
with the school.
• All sectors dealing with student needs will benefit from training in
anti-racism and interculturalism.
5.6 PROMOTING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
The CDU report A Whole School Approach to Interculturalism and
Inclusion makes the following recommendations in the context of
supporting and empowering parents:
• Different ways of involving parents in the development of the
school and in the celebration of school activities should
be explored.
• Schools should be pro-active in their support of parents
from minority backgrounds and engage in active dialogue with
representatives of minority linguistic groups in order to increase
awareness of issues of common interest.
• There is a need for effective structures to facilitate communication
with parents from minority communities. Financial resources
should be provided for translation of key information pertaining
to school-life and for the services of interpreters (where it is
deemed necessary) as supports to students and parents with
limited English.
Part of the CDU’s project involved consultations with a range of
stakeholders in Maynooth Post Primary school. The findings
suggest the following initiatives to promote parental involvement in
the school:
Suggestions for greater parental involvement arising from
CDU/Maynooth PP Survey Report 49 :
• An open day for new students and parents to ease students into
first year;
• Open days for students to display their work;
• More parent-teacher meetings;
• More inclusive parent-teacher meetings;
• The establishment of a committee to deal solely with academic
issues (not fund-raising issues);
• More home-school liaison;
• More information to issue from school (particularly in respect of
future plans);
• Newsletter from management should be more concise;
• Occasions other than religious ceremonies to give parents an
opportunity to visit the school;
• Get all (parents, teachers and students) involved in school plays,
debates, drama, art, etc.;
• Sunday barbeque and sports day for families – to promote
interaction and raise funds;
• Meetings and social events for parents of minority linguistic students;
• Information and resources to be provided to staff to enable them
to relate better to parents of minority linguistic students;
• School to facilitate local parents in getting to know the parents of
new students;
• Language support for parents to promote communication and
integration;
• Organise a multi-cultural awareness day for parents and school;
• More interdenominational services.
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49
Maynooth Post Primary Survey: pp. 9-12. The survey comprises part of Research Report compiled by Maírín Kenny on behalf of the CDU as part of the CDU project A Whole School Approach to Interculturalism and Inclusion,
CDVEC: 2002 (unpublished).