Resources: New Canadians in the Classroom: In the Classroom

In the Classroom

Here Comes Everyone—Teaching in the Culturally Diverse Classroom
The demographics of Alberta’s schools are changing dramatically. Teaching practices and strategies that once worked may no longer be effective. This workshop will explore approaches for examining beliefs, attitudes, policies, structures and practices to enable schools to work effectively cross-culturally. Participants will begin to learn how to develop a greater capacity to engage in cultural self-assessment and become more conscious of the dynamics of intercultural interactions.

Bridging Refugee Youth & Children Services (BRYCS): Schools
BRYCS supports teachers and other school personnel working with refugee children and families by providing consultations, training, and other kinds of technical assistance. Whether you are new to working with refugee students or a veteran, these resources are a good place to start your search for information.
Canada: Orphans (educational resource)
With this lesson pack, students learn the histories of immigrants in Canada by interviewing people in the community and classmates. They discuss ways to make immigrants feel welcome in their new homes. Students can discuss the relationship between Canada's national identity and the maintenance of a multicultural society.
Creating a Compassionate Classroom
The Alberta Teachers' Association and Canadian Mental Health Association created this booklet to help teachers understand mental health, mental illness, and how they can help their students, colleagues and themselves. Learn how to develop more compassionate classrooms, schools and communities by changing how we look at mental health and mental illness and school culture.
Helping Students Deal with Trauma Related to Geopolitical Violence and Islamophobia
This resource from Islamic Social Services and the National Council of Canadian Muslims provides background about what some Muslim refugees may be experiencing as well as guidance for teachers and others working in education.
MediaSmarts: Diversity in Media
These resources explore diversity representation in media, including Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, queer and religion. You will find resources for both parents and teachers.
MediaSmarts: That's Not Me portal page
This tutorial examines how entertainment and news media represent diversity and the impact these media portrayals can have on the value we place on individuals and groups in society. There are several lesson plans about the media and cultural diversity to explore.
A New Life in a New Land: The Muslim Experience in Canada
This documentary series and media project provides a history and overview of Islam and Muslims in Canada. The project includes a three-part documentary television series accompanied by a 100-page Educator's Guide.
New Moves: An Orientation Video for Newcomer Students
This video features 14 youth talking about their adjustment to school in Canada and what helped them be successful.
Respectful Schools: Newcomers and Refugees
This section, part of the Respectful Schools online toolkit, addresses questions about newcomers and refugees in the classroom and provides further guidance for getting information from government and community partners.
Simple English Wikipedia
Try out this online encyclopedia that uses Basic English vocabulary and shorter sentences. This may assist people with reading challenges or people whose first language is not English to understand complex terms or phrases.
Teaching Refugees with Limited Formal Schooling
This website provides access to information – publications, educational materials, exemplars from the field – that promote effective programming for students of this profile. This site has been made possible by a grant from Alberta Education to the Calgary Board of Education.
Understanding the Acquisition of English as an Additional Language
This resource provides information about the process of learning English as an additional language and the factors that can affect language acquisition.
Welcoming Refugee Children to the Alberta Classroom
This issue (April 2017) of Just In Time provides statistics, background and guidance for welcoming refugee students. (from the ATA's Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Committee.)