Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

Multiple

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion

Pre-K
Elementary (K-5)
Middle School/Junior High
High School

Refugee families, many of whom have parental illiteracy, familial poverty, lack of community infrastructure, and lack of linguistic and pedagogical resources are uniquely disadvantaged when creating a heritage language school. This paper outlines how heritage language schools may require additional and special supports in refugee communities.

Unfortunately language loss is a sad reality in many Canadian immigrant families (Swindinski & Swindinski, 1997). Many new immigrants struggle to help their children learn their mother tongue once children leave for school (Mady, 2012). One of the chief causes for this forfeiture of language is a lack of time with children so that languages can be fully acquired (Wong-Fillmore, 1991). Some families find support in maintaining language within the family by sending their children to heritage language school where they get exposure to the language in an academic context and establish relationships with same-language peers. While most immigrant families experience language loss I will demonstrate how this problem of language transmission to one’s children is even further complicated in refugee families because of parental illiteracy, familial poverty, lack of community infrastructure, and lack of linguistic and pedagogical resources.

The data in this study have been organized through Fishman’s (1991) Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale which examines language endangerment and Hornberger’s (2005) Language Policy and Planning which works towards reversing language shift. Five semi-structured interviews/focus groups were used to understand participants’ experiences as they relate to heritage language learning in refugee communities in Alberta: Cindy (a community development specialist), Monique (a school leader with both refugee and immigrant families), Fritz (a school leader from a no-longer operating school), Fabian (a multicultural heritage camp leader & former HL school leader), and Fane’s community’s focus group. Interview questions asked about multiculturalism, HL school history, curriculum, teachers, parents, HL school costs, and community benefits. Understanding some of the barriers that communities face in establishing schools allows for supports to be designed. Canada, a multicultural nation, has a unique opportunity to assist these refugee communities in the conservation of their languages many of which are endangered. Available supports to heritage language schools are discussed.