Culture and Diversity
Multilingual Learners Need Materials With Intrinsic Meaning
When young children are new to the language spoken by their teacher, they depend on useful materials to provide content and comprehension for their learning. That’s why multilingual learners need materials with intrinsic meaning. When children understand the teacher’s language, they may benefit from spoken explanations. But, when a child does not understand what the teacher is saying, they may not guess what the purpose of the activity is… and that blocks both comprehension and skill development. Here are some examples and tips for making materials and activities meaningful.
Connecting with Foods from Around the World
With many families gathering to celebrate a variety of holiday traditions, a theme is often food! Traditional meals and sweets are baked into celebrations from around the world, pun intended! Because child care programs reflect the broader community, it is safe to say that the children enrolled in your program will also be celebrating and enjoying these culinary traditions. This newsletter shares ideas for cooking with children and exploring foods from different cultures, not just during the winter holiday season, but year-round.
WEBINAR: An Introduction to ‘Welcome Sesame’
Follow along for an introduction to resources designed to support families experiencing displacement or resettlement as a result of crisis. In this webinar, Sesame Workshop’s Shanna Kohn and Tara Wright introduce caregivers and providers to resources designed to support children and families experiencing displacement and/or resettlement after crisis.
A Very Angry Preschool Song… Will it Work for Multiple Languages?
"This is an Angry Song” is a popular early years song in England that is a simple way to enable a child to express their anger with words and actions, and help other children understand the feelings a friend is experiencing. When we're working with multilingual groups of children, it's important to consider: Are the expressions and actions meaningful within the children's cultural context? Do they actually understand the words? Here are some tips for adapting songs like this for your CNC group.
Saskatchewan Newcomers Explore the Importance of Learning Indigenous History, Truth and Reconciliation
It's important for newcomers to understand how residential schools, and other harmful policies and laws, were imposed on Indigenous people so they can better understand the setbacks faced in terms of mental health, addiction, lack of housing, and more. As the Saskatchewan newcomer population learns about this land's First Peoples, truth, and reconciliation, some are finding similarities in how Indigenous peoples are treated in their home countries.
Helping newcomer families prepare for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Refugee 613 and Circles for Reconciliation have partnered up to create a multilingual infographic explaining the commemoration of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and why newcomers should participate. It’s currently available in English, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Arabic and Swahili, with more languages still to come! You can access the full infographic here for free. Please share it with your friends and personal networks.
5 Indigenous Games to Try
Canada is home to more than 1.6 million Indigenous people, including 600 First Nations communities, as well as Inuit and Métis communities. These distinct nations and groups have diverse histories, traditions, and cultures—as well as games and activities. Here are 5 traditional indigenous sports and games that you can try with the children in your program.
Video Supports Dialogue Between Indigenous Peoples and Newcomers
Welcome to our Homelands is a seven-minute video featuring six Indigenous individuals extending a welcoming message to newcomers to Canada. The video provides a glimpse of aboriginal history in Canada including its more complex aspects, and reflects the wide diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada and their cultures, and introduces viewers – particularly newcomers – to the vast richness of Indigenous people’s values and views. The accompanying guide provides helpful information, links and terminology to increase awareness of Indigenous peoples in Canada.7 Critical Components of Empathy
Empathy isn't something we are either born with or without, but a more complex way of being that is shaped by our experiences and relationships. Here are seven ways we can nurture empathy for the little ones in our lives everyday - both at home and in the classroom. After all, the magic of connection and learning happens when we are present for the little moments of everyday life.Ahlan Simsim Research Findings
Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee launched Ahlan Simsim in 2018 to address a humanitarian crisis: a generation of children raised amidst conflict, with limited access to early childhood learning and development opportunities. Another goal was to share our research and findings. Now, NYU has released the results of three landmark studies, with some good news for children.