Integrating Immigrant Children into Schools in Europe

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Conclusionslevel of provision best suited to the educational attainment of immigrant pupils if their knowledge andability are assessed in their mother tongue. This is also a sign that the authorities are flexible, attentive tothe requirements of newcomers to the host country, and committed to close intercultural relations.However, as Figure 1 illustrates, different types of linguistic measure aimed at helping immigrant childrento integrate into host education systems are not all granted the same priority. Some of them (thoseitalicised in the Figure) are at present implemented in only a few countries.When the two main forms of linguistic support are considered in relation to their aims, severalpossibilities become apparent. In many countries the active involvement of immigrant parents appears tobe prominent in the performance of their children at school. The publication of information on the hosteducation system in the mother tongue of immigrant families and the provision of interpreters are fairlywidespread measures. On the other hand, the proficiency of immigrant pupils in the language ofinstruction is in general assessed at the outset to determine the level of provision that suits them best.Finally, in order for these pupils to perform as well as possible at school, a sizeable majority of countriesuse intensive tuition to teach the language of instruction, whereas the mother tongue is taught on amore limited basis (only some languages are taught and, in most cases, outside the normal schooltimetable).Figure 1: Linguistic support measures for immigrant childrenin pre-primary and full-time compulsory education, 2003/04Help with guidanceand parentalinvolvementLINGUISTIC SUPPORT MEASURESHost country language of instructionMother tongue of immigrant pupilsProvision for teaching the parents of immigrantpupils the language of instructionPublishing information on the education systemin the one or more languages of immigrant pupilsProviding interpreters for parents and immigrantpupilsAssessing theappropriate level ofprovisionInitial assessment of how far immigrant pupilsmaster the language of instructionInitial mother tongue assessment of the previouseducational attainment of immigrant pupilsFurthering progresswith learning atschoolIntensive teaching of the language ofinstructionProgrammes to promote the language ofinstruction before children reach compulsoryschool ageInitial and/or in-service teacher training in howto teach the language of instruction as a secondlanguageTeaching of the mother tongue of immigrantpupils (in the case of certain languages oftentaught outside the normal school timetableand/or as optional subjects in the curriculum)Bilingual teaching provided partly in the languageof instruction and partly in the mother tongue ofimmigrant pupilsitalics: Measures introduced solely in a limited number of countriesSource: Eurydice.69
Integrating Immigrant Children into Schools in EuropeIntercultural Education as a General ApproachIntercultural education involves an approach to teaching that is conducive to interaction betweencultures whose origins differ widely. It is intended for the benefit of all pupils and points up the role ofschools in developing values of respect and tolerance vis-à-vis cultural diversity (Chapter 6). At present,the majority of European education systems take account of this dimension, which is concerned as muchwith the content as with the methodology of teaching. In general, national curricula develop interculturalprovision on a ‘horizontal’ basis (i.e. across the entire curriculum in each case), or establish specific areasof school subject content that are liable to encompass intercultural issues. Quite often, curricula inEuropean countries combine both approaches.Certain countries broaden the intercultural approach by regarding it as an integral aspect of how thewhole school community should function, over and above just ways in which the approach can betaught. As a result, extracurricular activities in some countries are organised on the basis of dialogue andinteraction between the different cultures represented in their schools. Where this novel open outlook ispresent, integrating pupils of immigrant origin may be experienced more positively and naturally byeveryone, whether members of the immigrant or indigenous community.Teacher Education and the Development of New SkillsThe challenges posed by immigration, and the expansion of the intercultural approach in the educationof all pupils inevitably mean that teachers in Europe will have to mobilise new skills.As the survey emphasises, there is a demand for teachers and other professionals in the following threeareas of action:support for immigrant pupils in school-based measures for their benefit, especially as regardsteaching the language of instruction (Chapter 4); teaching the mother tongue and culture of origin to immigrant pupils (Chapter 5); developing the intercultural approach for the benefit of all pupils (Chapter 6).Teachers do not always have the necessary skills to perform the tasks required in these three areas.Organised provision for teacher education and, above all, for the continuous professional development ofteachers is gradually starting to include in its curricula topics associated with multiculturalism in schoolsand society. Certain countries tend to concentrate on integrating immigrant children by offering thosewho teach them training modules or specialised instruction that often focus on teaching the language ofinstruction as a second language.As far as teaching immigrant children their mother tongue or aspects of their culture of origin isconcerned, provision of appropriate teacher training is far more limited. Furthermore, professionalteachers for these tasks are often recruited under bilateral agreements between the host and homecountries. The teachers are thus not trained in the former but in the native country of the immigrantpupils concerned. Quality control of their training is more difficult, necessitating closer cooperationbetween EU Member States and third countries in the recognition of qualifications.Finally, a few European countries are taking fresh action to support teachers, who now work with pupilsin increasingly multicultural and mixed language groups. For example, some countries are funding thedevelopment of teaching materials geared to the intercultural approach, or provide schools that so wishwith specialist services in this area.70
Page 2 and 3:
EURYDICEIntegrating Immigrant Child
Page 4:
PREFACE‘How do education systems
Page 7 and 8:
Integrating Immigrant Children into
Page 9 and 10:
Integrating Immigrant Children into
Page 12 and 13:
CHAPTER 1EUROPEAN POLICIES IN EDUCA
Page 14 and 15:
Chapter 1 - European Policies in Ed
Page 16:
Chapter 1 - European Policies in Ed
Page 19 and 20: Integrating Immigrant Children into
Page 34 and 35: CHAPTER 3RIGHTS TO EDUCATION AND TO
Page 36 and 37: Chapter 3 - Rights to Education to
Page 38 and 39: CHAPTER 4MEASURES FOR THE INTEGRATI
Page 40 and 41: Chapter 4 - Measures for the Integr
Page 50: Chapter 4 - Measures for the Integr
Page 68 and 69: CONCLUSIONSThe question of how to i
Page 72: ConclusionsThe Evaluation of Outcom
Page 78 and 79: ANNEXESANNEXE 1 (Chapter 1)Figure 1
Page 80 and 81: AnnexesD. Children of immigrant par
Page 82 and 83: ANNEXE 2 (CHAPTER 4)Figure 2.1: Typ
Page 84 and 85: Language-learning support measuresI
Page 86 and 87: UK-SCTLanguage-learning support mea
Page 88 and 89: AnnexesAT Curricula for German as a
Page 90 and 91: AnnexesPerson responsible for suppo
Page 92 and 93: TABLE OF FIGURESChapter 2: Demograp
Page 94 and 95: REFERENCESLEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTSCoun
Page 96 and 97: ReferencesUniversity Research Insti
Page 98 and 99: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSEURYDICE NETWORKA.
Page 100 and 101: AcknowledgementsIRELANDEurydice Uni
Page 102: Integrating Immigrant Children into
show all

Integrating Immigrant Children into Schools in Europe

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?