Research Library

This comprehensive report provides insights into the state of language training in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The report is based on a survey of front-line workers in the newcomer-serving sector and identifies key areas that require further reflection and action to promote improved sector health. The report highlights the challenges faced by front-line staff in delivering language training and provides recommendations for addressing these challenges. The report is an essential resource for policymakers, service providers, and other stakeholders interested in improving the quality of language training services for newcomers in the PNT region. This comprehensive report provides insights into the state of language training in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The report is based on a survey of front-line workers in the newcomer-serving sector and identifies key areas that require further reflection and action to promote improved sector health. The report highlights the challenges faced by front-line staff in delivering language training and provides recommendations for addressing these challenges. The report is an essential resource for policymakers, service providers, and other stakeholders interested in improving the quality of language training services for newcomers in the PNT region.
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In this report, Edmonton City Council is being asked to approve the Anti-Racism Strategy to support the equity of racialized communities in Edmonton, structural changes within the City of Edmonton Administration, as well as the development of an implementation and financing plan to activate the Strategy. This work will be prioritized in Administration’s work for the long-term City Plan alignment. The proposed anti-racism strategy outlines 3 elements to advance anti-racism in Edmonton, and is asking Council for both approval of the strategy as well as an increase in operating expenditure budget. In this report, Edmonton City Council is being asked to approve the Anti-Racism Strategy to support the equity of racialized communities in Edmonton, structural changes within the City of Edmonton Administration, as well as the development of an implementation and financing plan to activate the Strategy. This work will be prioritized in Administration’s work for the long-term City Plan alignment. The proposed anti-racism strategy outlines 3 elements to advance anti-racism in Edmonton, and is asking Council for both approval of the strategy as well as an increase in operating expenditure budget.
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The Community Newcomer Needs Assessment is an opportunity for municipalities to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of local services and supports for newcomers, and challenges the communities to develop a plan to address gaps and weaknesses; help municipalities assess challenges for newcomers provide information about the immigration process. Key strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in services and various challenges and opportunities for newcomers are identified in this report through the lens of the newcomer journey and the newcomer developing a sense of belonging. The Community Newcomer Needs Assessment is an opportunity for municipalities to learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps of local services and supports for newcomers, and challenges the communities to develop a plan to address gaps and weaknesses; help municipalities assess challenges for newcomers provide information about the immigration process. Key strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in services and various challenges and opportunities for newcomers are identified in this report through the lens of the newcomer journey and the newcomer developing a sense of belonging.
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Children with disabilities are among the most at-risk groups for marginalization due to compounded disadvantages from the intersection of risk factors such as refugee status and disability status. Despite this high risk, there is no systematic data collected on this group and scant literature on the topic contributing to a feeling of invisibility. We conducted a narrative inquiry on the experiences of two Syrian refugee families with children living with disabilities. Narrative inquiry is a way to understand experience as a storied phenomenon. In order to understand the complexities of the experience as a refugee with a child living with disabilities, attending to the lived and told stories is essential. In hearing the narration of these experiences across time, place, and social contexts various narrative threads emerged. The narrative threads that resonated across the experiences of two families included waiting and a struggle for agency, as well as disruption and continuity. Children with disabilities are among the most at-risk groups for marginalization due to compounded disadvantages from the intersection of risk factors such as refugee status and disability status. Despite this high risk, there is no systematic data collected on this group and scant literature on the topic contributing to a feeling of invisibility. We conducted a narrative inquiry on the experiences of two Syrian refugee families with children living with disabilities. Narrative inquiry is a way to understand experience as a storied phenomenon. In order to understand the complexities of the experience as a refugee with a child living with disabilities, attending to the lived and told stories is essential. In hearing the narration of these experiences across time, place, and social contexts various narrative threads emerged. The narrative threads that resonated across the experiences of two families included waiting and a struggle for agency, as well as disruption and continuity.
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The entire healthcare system, including primary healthcare (PHC) services, has been disrupted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis threatens all citizens significantly, further barriers to accessing care exist for those who are most vulnerable, experience marginalization, and have pre-existing challenges. We aimed to explore immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC services during the pandemic. A multiphase mixed-methods study using a sequential explanatory design was employed. The first study includes a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the experiences that immigrant patients have receiving PHC. Study two provides insights from a recently employed “COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts Survey” data and compares the experiences of Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed, using STATA. The third study is a qualitative inquiry that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the newcomers’ (living in Canada ≤5 years) and providers’ experiences in PHC during the pandemic. A thematic analysis was applied, using NVivo software. Immigrants reported many challenges in accessing and receiving PHC, and these challenges have been increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this thesis yielded six recommendations that can inform PHC quality improvement initiatives and PHC policy. The entire healthcare system, including primary healthcare (PHC) services, has been disrupted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis threatens all citizens significantly, further barriers to accessing care exist for those who are most vulnerable, experience marginalization, and have pre-existing challenges. We aimed to explore immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC services during the pandemic. A multiphase mixed-methods study using a sequential explanatory design was employed. The first study includes a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the experiences that immigrant patients have receiving PHC. Study two provides insights from a recently employed “COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts Survey” data and compares the experiences of Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed, using STATA. The third study is a qualitative inquiry that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the newcomers’ (living in Canada ≤5 years) and providers’ experiences in PHC during the pandemic. A thematic analysis was applied, using NVivo software. Immigrants reported many challenges in accessing and receiving PHC, and these challenges have been increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this thesis yielded six recommendations that can inform PHC quality improvement initiatives and PHC policy.
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Through focus groups with educators working with newcomer children, this study asked: 1) For newcomer families, what are indicators of quality in early learning and child care?, and 2) What are the essential dispositions child care educators demonstrate that meet the needs of newcomer children and families? 5 key themes were identified, including language barriers and tensions, the need for flexibility, and how educators can grow, seek and co-learn with newcomer families. Through focus groups with educators working with newcomer children, this study asked: 1) For newcomer families, what are indicators of quality in early learning and child care?, and 2) What are the essential dispositions child care educators demonstrate that meet the needs of newcomer children and families? 5 key themes were identified, including language barriers and tensions, the need for flexibility, and how educators can grow, seek and co-learn with newcomer families.
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The civil war in Syria caused an upheaval to all aspects of life for its citizens, resulting in an unprecedented number of Syrians arriving in Canada as refugees. While government and settlement agencies responded by addressing their immediate needs, other aspects of their integration, specifically their social integration, were much less prioritized and minimally resourced. This study drew on Ager & Strang’s (2008) Domains of Integration Framework and their description of social bridging to explore this aspect of social integration of refugees in greater detail. A qualitative descriptive methodology was applied to explore how Syrian refugees describe their experiences of building social bridges in Canada, and how these bridges impact their sense of belonging and overall integration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve adult members of the Syrian refugee community, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The civil war in Syria caused an upheaval to all aspects of life for its citizens, resulting in an unprecedented number of Syrians arriving in Canada as refugees. While government and settlement agencies responded by addressing their immediate needs, other aspects of their integration, specifically their social integration, were much less prioritized and minimally resourced. This study drew on Ager & Strang’s (2008) Domains of Integration Framework and their description of social bridging to explore this aspect of social integration of refugees in greater detail. A qualitative descriptive methodology was applied to explore how Syrian refugees describe their experiences of building social bridges in Canada, and how these bridges impact their sense of belonging and overall integration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve adult members of the Syrian refugee community, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This thesis examined the narrative abilities of bilingual, English L2 newcomer and immigrant children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Typical Development (TD). Compared to the monolingual research, there have been fewer studies examining narratives in clinical bilingual groups, especially bilinguals with ASD, and no study so far has compared bilinguals with ASD to bilinguals with DLD. This thesis asked: (1) Is macrostructure an area of weakness in DLD? (2) Do children with ASD experience difficulties with structural language, i.e., morphology and syntax? (3) Are narrative skills requiring perspective-taking abilities equally vulnerable in ASD and DLD? (4) Do bilinguals with ASD and DLD use the second language input they receive to the same as bilinguals with TD? Identified differences between newcomer children with ASD, DLD or TD can be utilized to create tailored interventions. This thesis examined the narrative abilities of bilingual, English L2 newcomer and immigrant children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Typical Development (TD). Compared to the monolingual research, there have been fewer studies examining narratives in clinical bilingual groups, especially bilinguals with ASD, and no study so far has compared bilinguals with ASD to bilinguals with DLD. This thesis asked: (1) Is macrostructure an area of weakness in DLD? (2) Do children with ASD experience difficulties with structural language, i.e., morphology and syntax? (3) Are narrative skills requiring perspective-taking abilities equally vulnerable in ASD and DLD? (4) Do bilinguals with ASD and DLD use the second language input they receive to the same as bilinguals with TD? Identified differences between newcomer children with ASD, DLD or TD can be utilized to create tailored interventions.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Systemic and overt racism exist within education systems. If we are serious about addressing the problem of systemic racism and its effects within Edmonton Public Schools and on our students then we must first collect data that shows the race of the students we serve and the outcomes that these students experience. Currently, the lack of race-based data is making it difficult to measure educational inequalities and to identify inequities that exist because of racism and discrimination. This report describes recommendations to the Board of Trustees of Edmonton Public Schools to implement race-based data collection in their school board. Systemic and overt racism exist within education systems. If we are serious about addressing the problem of systemic racism and its effects within Edmonton Public Schools and on our students then we must first collect data that shows the race of the students we serve and the outcomes that these students experience. Currently, the lack of race-based data is making it difficult to measure educational inequalities and to identify inequities that exist because of racism and discrimination. This report describes recommendations to the Board of Trustees of Edmonton Public Schools to implement race-based data collection in their school board.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly