The Anglophone South school district’s English as an Additional Language lead, or EAL lead, calls the work transitioning Syrian newcomer students from language learning centres to the regular classroom one of the most rewarding experiences of his teaching career.
The newcomer students are welcomed, assessed and then they get to work for four to six weeks being taught English, being taught how to raise their hand and more according to Jeff Matheson.
“Our kids are singing in English, they’re asking full sentences every day to go to the washroom in English,” says Matheson, “and there’s no fear or hesitancy there because they’re all learning together.”
Matheson says these are happy kids and while they’ve experienced a lot of trauma they are resilient and we don’t see a lot of evidence of what it is they’ve gone through in the classroom.
“It’s a unique, special amazing environment,” says Matheson.
11-year-old Adnan is a student in a language learning centre classroom at Princes Charles School on Union Street. He says he likes school.
“Canada, I love you Canada,” he says.
We’re told there are three language learning centres in Saint John. One at Prince Charles school, another at Hazen White-St. Francis school and another at St. Malachy’s school.
There are over 130 Syrian children within the Anglophone South School District. They will be transitioning a new group to the regular classroom the first week of May.
