Newcomer Integration and Academic Support in Newfoundland and Labrador

Abstract

This article extracts eight points for discussion from many years of research in newcomer academic support and social integration in Newfoundland and Labrador. These points include: transportation to school for newcomer students; resources and support for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers; coordination of the ESL program; workload and student-teacher ratio in ESL & LEARN (Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers) programs; hiring criteria and qualifications for ESL and LEARN positions; assessment of newcomer learners for placement and learning disability; non-ESL teachers’ in-service training on working with newcomer students; and collaboration of educational stakeholders. Some of the points were elaborated in other articles (e.g., Doyle, Li, & Grineva, 2016; Li & Grineva, 2016; Li, Que, & Power, 2017) while others are first-time mentions. The majority of these points were highlighted in the last stage of our previous SSHRC project that focused on best practices and policy recommendations in the education sector. For the purpose of this discussion article, we summarize information from multiple data sources without using direct quotations from the participants.