Author: Michelle Lam
Language is Essential for Successful Integration Although integration is a contested and complex term which has been problematized as being too linear and simplistic and too emphasized on outcomes and measures (Guo 2015; Lam, 2018; Li, 2003), when defined broadly, integration means“ the ability to contribute, free of barriers, to every dimension of Canadian life, that is, economic, social, cultural, and political” (Shields, et al., 2016). This ‘ability to contribute’ is greatly impacted by language ability and the importance of language learning for both economic and social integration has been well documented (Derwing & Waugh, 2012). According to the Canadian Index of measuring integration, there are four major dimensions of integration: economic, social, civic Lam Journal of Rural and Community Development, 14, 1(2019) 77–9780 and democratic participation, and health (Jedwab et al., 2017). Although paths to integration are individual and complex, all four dimensions are greatly impacted by the level of language ability. This may be particularly noticeable in rural centres, where access to interpretation and translation services, as well as access to specific ethnocultural communities, may be limited or nonexistent. In these locations, language learning becomes essential. Positionality I do not approach this review abstractly, but as someone who has worked in rural settlement for over a decade. I have taught adult EAL through a rural settlement office, and over the years have seen the impacts that policy shifts have made on my students. Although I aim to present a critical engagement with literature related to rural settlement and the importance of language learning services, it is important to recognize that I speak as someone for whom the topics of this literature are keenly felt. For example, when discussing the necessity of foreign credential recognition, I instantly call to mind students for whom this has been a major barrier. Both challenges and strengths in rural areas are ones I have lived and experienced with students. References Lam.M. (Vol. 14, Nov. 1, 2019). Language Education for Newcomers in Rural Canada: Needs, Opportunities, and Innovations https://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/article/view/1596 Image: freepik.com
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USWe are a collective Group of Educators in many different fields, all completing (or have completed) a Masters of Education at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. we all have an interest in teaching and learning with equity in mind. Archives
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