Gerarty, Barbara Jean E. Conacher: Intercultural contact, language learning and migration

On-going knowledge mobilization and migration take place on a daily basis in the globalized world. Canada is a multilingual and multicultural country with a large number of visitors and immigrants. One in five Canadian speaks a foreign language other than English and French (Postmedia News, 2012). This case study examined six-year-old Chinese children’s heritage language learning in a community school from multiliteracies perspective using observations, interviews, and artefacts to understand children’s literacy learning. The findings indicated that Chinese children’s literacy learning was not in the traditional repetitive way but involved multimodal communication at school. Useful implications are made for heritage language educators regarding ways to support meaningful heritage language teaching and learning.

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A macro-level analysis of language learning and migration

German Economic Review ◽

10.1515/ger-2020-0067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Silke Uebelmesser ◽

Ann-Marie Sommerfeld ◽

Severin Weingarten

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Distance Measures ◽

Macro Level ◽

Free Access ◽

The European Union ◽

Adult Age ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Skilled Immigration ◽

And Migration

Abstract This article investigates the macro-level drivers of adult-age language learning with a focus on migration based on a new dataset on German language learning in 77 countries (including Germany) for 1992–2006. Fixed-effects regressions show that language learning abroad is strongly associated with immigration from countries of the European Union and the Schengen Area whose citizens enjoy free access to Germany, while language learning in Germany is strongly associated with immigration from countries with restricted access. The different degrees of uncertainty about access to Germany seem to be of importance for preparatory language learning. To shed light on country heterogeneities, we substitute the location fixed effects with a vector of country characteristics, which include several distance measures among others, and we estimate a random-effects model. Last, we provide some tentative arguments in favour of a causal interpretation. The main results related to the role of uncertainty are mostly unaffected. The Skilled Immigration Act from 2020 removes part of this uncertainty with potential positive effects on preparatory language learning and economic and social integration.

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Language Education for Forced Migrants: Governance and Approach

Languages ◽

10.3390/languages4030074 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 74

Author(s):

Chick ◽

Hannagan-Lewis

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

English Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Barriers To Education ◽

Language Classes ◽

Speakers Of Other Languages ◽

And Migration

: This article stems from research conducted into the barriers to education, employment and language learning for refugees resettled into the convergence areas of Wales, UK. The authors consider that effective language programmes should play a key role in migration policies designed for multilingual, multicultural societies. The provision of English language classes for speakers of other languages (ESOL) ensures equality of opportunities, and in doing so, enriches the culture of our societies. By highlighting the challenges to language learning faced by refugees on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons’ Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), this article draws attention to the fact that government directives for language provision commissioned under VPRS often do not sufficiently meet the needs of teachers and learners at grassroots level. Recommendations for greater flexibility in the organisation of ESOL provision for those resettled under VPRS are put forward. While this paper focuses on the specific case study of VPRS participants in Wales, it is hoped that recommendations around changes to policy and practice in language learning may be applicable to teachers, policy-makers, and community organisers working at the nexus of language and migration.

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