Syrian refugee students gain confidence in Winnipeg classrooms

About 80 students from Syriahave started classes in the Winnipeg School Division since last November and so far,staff saythey're integrating well.

"The biggest thing is gaining their trust and giving them the confidence. As soon as they see they are learning, it gives them the confidence to learn more and they learn quite quickly," said Rosa Messina, an EAL educational assistant at Victoria-Albert School.

"Right now, they have almost zero English and by the end of the school year, they will be able to carry on a full conversation, being understood quite clearly."

Syrian refugee students gain confidence in the classroom

9 years ago

Duration 1:20

About 80 Syrian refugees have started classes in the Winnipeg School Division since last November and officials say the new students are integrating well.

"My name is Hala," one eight-year-old girl says shyly in English, adding in Arabic that her favourite thing to do is read books - any kind.

"Rather than going from a deficit model, thinking these kids can't speak English, we need to take a step back and change that mindset and say,they actually have some knowledge, some skills and how do I work with those skills and help them learn and integrate into the regular classroom setting?" said Eric Sagenes, the division's EAL consultant.

"Theresearch shows it can take up to two years (to learn a language fluently)but these kids, as long as they have the right attitude, they can learn faster. There's lots of motivation. These kids are very happy. They want to be in school."

Hala's father,Ammar Alhariri, said he's very pleased to see the improvement in his daughter's English.

Every day, she comes home with more vocabulary - words she's teaching him as he struggles to learn the language.

"She's happy, she loves the school. From when she was in Jordan, she always loved to be in school," he said through an interpreter.

"I'm very pleased because it was always my goal for my children to get an education.We had a stolen future and Iwant to start over here in Canada to build my future and my family's future."