The Canadian Multiculturalism education system
Research question: How youth immigrants adapt to the Canadian educational system in Toronto/GTA?
Thesis statement
The most critical part of Canada’s multicultural influence persists as the education system. Moreover, it can get reflected based on the following three aspects, the transformation of education and teaching model, which includes languages, the campus multicultural construction, and multicultural education policy.
Introduction
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of young immigrants has rapidly increased to nearly 3 million as a result of the influx of refugees and the influx of educated, skilled workers needed to support economic growth. The surge in immigration coincides with the emergence of multiculturalism. As the population of different races grows, Canadian multiculturalism comes into play. However, the multicultural concept significantly impacts the education system more so for the international students who come in the country for various studies. To accommodate such a group of individuals, the federal and various province governments focus on putting in place necessary measures to ensure a suitable learning environment. For the case of Ontario, the ministry of education formulated different policies and actions which create favorable conditions of then immigrants students to achieve their success in studies. Relevant authorities across Canada focus on factors such as language in teaching models, which gets transformed to accommodate all students from different cultural backgrounds. Equally, both federal and province education systems aim at creating an excellent atmosphere and practices that would enhance the learning of international students. Moreover, multiculturalism policies ensure recognition and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the immigrants and international students, which eliminates the incidences of segregation. Therefore, Canada takes various measures in the education system that ensures multiculturalism in the education system hence favoring the learning environment for the immigrant students.
Annotated Bibliography
- Jean-Pierre, J., & Nunes, F. (2011). Multicultural education before and after the federal multiculturalism policy: A case study of the board of knowledge of the city of Toronto. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 43(1), 153-174.
This article identifies the paradigm shift in the post-multiculturalists federal policy of a school board in Ontario, and the board combines the ideal type of multiculturalism with effective practices. It shows the school board’s emphasis on multiculturalism and different educational models. I chose this article because it illustrates the fact that this school in Toronto focuses on integrating into a multicultural education empowerment model that shows the different educational models experienced by Toronto’s younger generation of immigrant students.
- Carla L. Peck Hope for Canadian Multiculturalism (2014, January 27). Hope for Canadian Multiculturalism. Education Canada. Retrieved from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/hope-for-canadian-multiculturalism/
This news focuses on the author’s study of students’ attitudes toward racial diversity in different parts of Canada. She advocated the promotion of cultural diversity, respect for the religious culture of immigrant students, and the open-mindedness of her students, who were willing to accept racial diversity and more willing to learn about diversity. Besides, clear learning outcomes and teaching related to diversity are essential factors in breaking down misunderstandings and helping students understand key ideas related to democracy.
- People for Education (2019). What Makes a School? Annual Report on Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools 2019. Toronto, ON: Author. Retrieved from https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/2019-annual-report-on-schools-what-makes-a-school/
The report summarizes the survey responses of some principals in several Ontario schools. It identifies the school environment, as well as all adults, as a critical factor in the overall success of students. I chose this story because it mentions how to create a school for students of different races and cultures, including indigenous students, immigrant students, and so on.
Multiculturalism and Education System in Canada
Canada occurs as a multicultural country experiencing vast immigrants for various purposes. Furthermore, Canada persists as a nation with high cultural diversity hence profoundly focused on addressing factors such as integration of immigrants more so the youth in the education system (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). on the same note, considering factors such as linguistic, religions diversities as well as racism and cultural identity plays a significant role in incorporating students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Jean-Pierre and Nunes (2011) assert that the education system through federal and provincial authorities formulate various policies that ensure the inclusion of immigrants and native people in an equal manner. The Council of Minister of Education in Canada and the federal government support different techniques in providing accommodation of the immigrant students from the diverse cultural origin. Such programs in the educations system include bilingual and multiculturalism practices.
Languages
English and French occur as the official language in Canada used in various institutions such as colleges and universities; hence the introduction of bilinguals in learning facilities would significantly accommodate students from different languages. According to Jean-Pierre and Nunes (2011), adapting different languages and techniques help substantially in offering the immigrants student who lacks knowledge of English and French. For instance, the federal government established the Official Languages in Education Program in 1970 and 197. Carla (2014) posits that the plans aimed at in support other minority languages such as immigrant students. On the same note, the immigrant student gets to talk English and French under special programs, which ensure their success in academics and adaptation to the new environment (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). Under the heritage language program, the students from different language backgrounds can learn in their native dialect. Equally, the education system in various states such as Ontario includes the international language programs which offer the immigrants students opportunities to learn in their languages (People for Education, 2019). Furthermore, in Ontario, the educations system includes more than two million students from diverse cultural backgrounds from foreign nations as well as local ones. As a result, the Ontario ministry of education continuously commits itself in the promotion of a multicultural system in education, which inclusivity of the international students from various states around the world making them feel accepted (People for Education, 2019). For instance, the ministry offers various assistance to non-English and French-speaking immigrants students to access critical information about their studies in various learning institutions (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). Therefore, considering, changing, and incorporation of the languages for the inclusion of the immigrant students fosters multiculturalism in the Canadian educations system.
Practicing Multiculturalism in Learning Institutions
The federal government, as well as different provincial authorities, focuses on establishing the environment that ensures multiculturalism for the international students who may require specific attention for their success. According to Jean-Pierre and Nunes (2011), the programs aim at elimination and prevention of the misunderstanding of the cultural diversity in the education system throughout Canada. Thus, different participants, such as institutions, tutors, and students, should focus on the cohesion of students from the diverse cultural origin (Carla, 2014). For example, embracing the student’s culture by the educational institutions would encourage the international students from various countries to engage in the learning process, which acts as a facilitator to their success (Carla, 2014). On the same note, the dual role of the education system created in most parts of Canada ensures incorporation and assimilation of the immigrant students from different cultures (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). For instance, the education ministries and federal governments mandate all the learning institutions to contribute to promoting the cultural diversity of the learners as well as maintaining standards of social cohesion.
In Ontario, the ministry persuades the instructors to create the classroom conditions that significantly reflect on the diversity of the province. As per People for Education (2019), such programs include asking the tutors to handle various issues of immigrants students such as anti-discrimination factors and recognizing and appreciating the background, experiences, and interests of the students. Furthermore, the education system in Ontario through its ministry ensures teachers include different viewpoints while carrying out their duties and responsibilities, which provides a suitable multicultural environment for international learners (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). Notably, Ontario province through its Ministry of Education considers many measures to ensure incorporation of a global perspective in its learning institutions through offering encouragement of creating equal and inclusive studying conditions for the student from diverse cultures (People for Education, 2019). Therefore, various efforts by the province and the federal government to create a suitable environment for multiculturalism learning facilitates the success of international students.
Government Policies
The federal government, as well as the province, formulated various multiculturalism policies to ensure appreciation and recognition of multiple immigrant students’ cultural backgrounds, which enhances integration. As per Jean-Pierre and Nunes, F. (2011), multiculturalism policies aimed at recognizing and fostering the cultural identities of the immigrants as well as foreign learners. On the same note, the systems ensure immigrants learners participate in various academic activities without facing obstacles from discrimination based on language or cultural differences (Jean-Pierre & Nunes, 2011). Such multiculturalism policies further aimed at promoting exchanges of ideas between the immigrant students and local students hence eliminating the cases of segregation and isolation in the education facilities. Moreover, the policies further fostered language acquisition by international students and other immigrants, thus ensuring participation in various activities (People for Education, 2019). Ontario province focuses on inclusive and equity policies for all the public-funded learning institutions that value diversity for all students (People for Education, 2019). Therefore, multiculturalism policies facilitate the recognition and accommodation of various international students in Canada.
Conclusion
Canada experiences a high rate of influx from different countries in which immigrants possess various reasons and originates from diverse cultural backgrounds. The high immigration rates accompany factors of multiculturalism in which the federal government put in place different measures to ensures the inclusion of cultural diversity and identities. The education system exists as one of the most affects perspectives with the high number of international students coming for various studies. Based on this fact, federal and provinces, through their ministry of education, ensure establishments of polices and measures that provide conducive learning environments. Hence, various education facilities incorporate different languages for the efficiency of international students, encourages practices that would foster multicultural studies and creating policies that appreciate and recognizes immigrant learners. Therefore, the government of Canada ensures the multicultural education system through various measures that enhance learning by immigrant students.
References
People for Education (2019). What Makes a School? Annual Report on Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools 2019. Toronto, ON: Author. Retrieved from https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/2019-annual-report-on-schools-what-makes-a-school/
Carla, L.P (2014, January 27). Hope for Canadian Multiculturalism. Education Canada. Retrieved from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/hope-for-canadian-multiculturalism/
Jean-Pierre, J., & Nunes, F. (2011). Multicultural education before and after the federal multiculturalism policy: A case study of the board of education of the city of Toronto. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 43(1), 153-174.