Creating Programs for New Immigrant GroupsRebecca Clarke, Exec. DirectorGulf of Georgia Cannery

My Confession

Place TheoriesI believe it is important to create a sense of place for newcomers and that cultural organizations like ours have an valuable role to play.

What is place?

“Place is more an event than a thing.” – Edward Casey

“Place plays an active role in the constitution of culture, society and identity.” – Tim Cresswell

“Place is a point of departure from which we orient the world.” – Edward Reph

Newcomer Service OrganizationsThere are a variety of organizations that offer services for newcomers. These include career services, settlement services and/or language courses. The main organizations are:

1) Immigrant Service Society of BC (ISSBC)• Locations in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond,

Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Langley, Squamish

• issbc.org

2) S.U.C.C.E.S.S.• Locations in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond,

Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Moody• successbc.ca

3) School districts’ Continuing Studies programs

4) Colleges – Langara, Douglas, Kwantlen, Capilano

5) Other private post-secondary schools

ELSA ProgramsPart of the objective of most ELSA programs is to orient the students to their new community.

Most of ELSA curricula revolves around the following themes:

• Food • Retail• Money & Banking• Health & Nutrition• Emergency Services• Law & Courts• Transportation• Library• Employment

• Housing• Community Services• Canada & Canadian

Culture• Sports & Leisure• Education & Learning• Family• Clothes• Media & Communications

ELSA LevelsWhat is ELSA? English Language Services for Adults

Literacy – Intro to reading & writing. Little to no English skills.

Level 1 – Expand reading & writing, practice listening & speaking, basic grammar.

Level 2 – Listening, speaking, reading and writing function satisfactorily for most real life situations. Writing sentences and paragraphs.

Level 3 – Refine skills beyond survival needs. Function independently in familiar situations. Practice verb tenses.

Level 4 – Has skills to function in new social and familiar work situations. Communication needed to interpret cultural differences and solve problems independently. Write essays.

Level 5 – Refine fluency and communication skills.

Level 6 – Can pass TOFEL exam for university entrance.

Challenges and OpportunitiesOpportunities• Thousands of individuals taking these classes• Not many organizations offering outing designed for ELSA

classes• Very appreciative• Building community – will come back with family, will

volunteer

Challenges• Wide range of language abilities• Stay in the program for multiple years – may have come to

site before• Working with adults – drive themselves, bring young

children, take phone calls• Group size varies widely (8-28)• Funding for field trip limited

Programs at the Port Moody Station Museum

Daily Life in the Home – for Levels 1-2Students practice daily vocabulary by matching

objects from the home to corresponding household activities.

Community Services Then & Now – for Levels 3-4Students role play community services of the past by acting as service providers and customers.

Transportation & Communication – for Levels 4-5Students use travel information and guides from the past to determine how to get to a destination.

Tips for Working with ELSA Students

a) Speak slowly.

b) Don’t talk too long.

c) Use pictures or gestures when possible.

d) Use present tense for beginner groups.

e) Incorporate geography when possible – maps for how to get to your site, relevant geographical features.

f) The more practical – the more marketable.

g) Give teachers pre- and post-visit activities with new vocabulary.

h) Give time for taking photographs.

i) Remember everything may be new – they will get what they can.