Finding Their English Voices: EAL Students from Senior Years Schools Connect for a Day of Learning, Laughter, and Lyrics
RETSD schools embrace Canada’s multicultural identity and provide programming to support newcomer students. Among them are students who do not speak English when they arrive, which not only makes school difficult, but also harder to form connections with peers.
“It takes courage when you have to learn English while also attending high school in a new country where everything is different,” said Jennifer Jantz, RETSD’s consultant for newcomer Canadians. “Some students experience a loss of self-confidence in their ability to participate in class. They often know the content, but don’t have the language to express themselves. Other students may have experienced limited or interrupted formal education, so they’re learning how to be in school.”
Recognizing the challenges these students have faced and overcome, the divisional English-as-an-Additional-Language (EAL) team wanted to create a special event for senior years EAL students.
“We wanted to celebrate our EAL learners and community,” said Jennifer. “EAL students from across RETSD’s senior years schools were invited for a fun day of language and building connections with other language learners in the division.”
Students had the opportunity to work in teams on a design challenge where they built structures like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Empire State Building out of mini marshmallows, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, and tin foil. Building structures required communication between the participants to devise solutions to overcome design challenges. They also worked in pairs and small groups to introduce themselves to each other and draw a self-portraits.
“I liked it because I made lots of friends, new friends,” said one student. “We had fun speaking with other people and working together.”
A fun pizza and salad lunch was provided for the students, but even more fun was the karaoke event. EAL teacher Ariel Fernando first taught the students a song, Wavin’ Flag, because of its themes of struggle and resilience. Students sang:
“Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher,
See the champions take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud,
In the streets, our heads are liftin’ as we lose our inhibition,
Celebration, it surrounds us, every nation, all around us.”
“There was some apprehension at the start of the karaoke,” said Shawn Porteus, a SY EAL support teacher, “But the collective confidence of students increased quickly. Many students selected and sang songs in their home languages. We had more song requests than we could accommodate within our time limits.”
EAL teachers in RETSD always try to employ innovative teaching methods to support their students’ development of language skills and to understand their new home.
“This event is just a snapshot of the amazing work that EAL teachers provide for EAL students,” said Jennifer who noted that the day also benefited teachers by providing an opportunity to collaborate in ways they wouldn’t normally. “The senior years EAL teachers support students in the classroom and beyond. They support and advocate for student well-being, help students adjust to a new school environment, and help students build confidence and social connections.”
