New Online Tutorial- Understanding Children’s Settlement: The Basics
International research shows that young immigrant and refugee children experience settlement needs in five key areas. To build responsive programs for newcomer children, CNC staff need to understand these unique needs and how they can help.
Understanding Children’s Settlement: The Basics is a 15-minute tutorial that describes each settlement need and strategies you can use in your program. It will also give you tips on how you can tell if a child is settling successfully! At the end of the tutorial, you’ll also find suggested resources, a facilitator guide and added group discussion questions so that you can easily facilitate your own team training.
A Guide for Newcomer Parents About School in Canada
The
Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation has
a guide that will help to address some of the questions that immigrant and refugee parents may have about the school system in Canada, and give them the opportunity to address how their parenting role may be different in Canada than it was in their home country.
Supporting the Settlement of Young Immigrant Children and their Families by Julie Dotsch
Written by child care and diversity expert Julie Dotsch, with strategies and ideas from caregivers working in the field of newcomer child care,
"Supporting the Settlement of Young Immigrant Children & their Families" builds on caregivers’ professionalism, knowledge and experience to provide a greater understanding of the new immigrant and refugee experience from a child’s and family’s perspective.
Four reasons children should learn their home language
To speak or not to speak? How important is one’s home language or mother tongue? These are questions that immigrant families ponder. While there is no clear answer to the questions, here are four factors to consider.
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A Blueprint for Supporting Emergent Bilinguals in Your Program: Roma Chumak-Horbatsch’s Linguistically Appropriate Practice
At one time or another, all child care professionals in Canada—whether in a newcomer-focused program or not—will likely look after non-English speaking children.
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Creating a Welcoming Program for Newcomer Children
After the trauma of fleeing their home country, refugee families need safe and stable environments. To create this kind of “safe haven”, programs can develop a space where children can hear English but are not pushed to use it, and where they can observe activities and are encouraged to join in but are not required to.
Learn about the many other things you can do to reduce stress and help ease this difficult transition for families.
Making Room for Diversity in Your Program: Q&A with Valerie Rhomberg
When you walk into a program that cares for newcomer children, it is common to see multiple cultures and languages represented in the physical child care environment, as well as through the people in it: the staff, the children and their families. Multiculturalism is supported and embraced in countless ways.
But what about diversity? Isn’t it just another word for multiculturalism?
Not necessarily, according to Valerie Rhomberg, Manager of Academic Programs at Mothercraft College and co-author of "The Affective Curriculum: Teaching the Anti-bias Approach to Young Children".
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Incorporating Diversity – Julie Dotsch
Diversity refers to all the ways that humans are unique. It influences many things, including how we judge others, how society values individuals and the outcomes individuals will have in life. Julie Dotsch, an ECE Diversity consultant for One World, explores ways to incorporate diversity in your program.
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Welcoming Newcomer Children with Judith Colbert
Judith A. Colbert, PhD is an experienced writer, researcher and training specialist. She is the principle author of both the National LINC Childminding Requirements and Occasional Child Care Requirements. As an early care and education consultant with an international perspective, her goal is to build bridges between research and practice, mainstream and newcomer experiences.
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Culture Shock – Julie Dotsch
Culture shock is a reaction to the many changes involved in exposure to a new culture. Children exhibit culture shock in various ways, from physical and emotional signs to cognitive and social indicators. Julie Dotsch, an ECE Diversity consultant for One World, discusses culture shock, including the connection with separation anxiety, signs, influencing factors and stages.
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