Month: October 2024

Did you know 29% of Calgary Board of Education students are English Language Learners? 

Calgary Board of Education is experiencing significant enrolment growth. Schools are running out of space, and the number of students with complex learning needs continues to increase. New Canadians represent the majority of new students. Currently, over 40,000 CBE students are English as an Additional Language Learners. 

Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Alberta Education has replaced the terms “English Language Learner” (ELL) and “English as a Second Language” (ESL) with “English as an Additional Language” (EAL) to better reflect the diverse backgrounds of multilingual learners. 

CanLearn is equipped and eager to share a number of complementary additional supports and resources with schools, families, and teachers through our clinical and literacy programs and services. 

CanLearn’s early and family literacy programs include successfully serving EAL children and families. These programs have been instrumental in overcoming various barriers to learning English and developing strong literacy skills including but not limited to: 

• Various cultural and educational experiences from their home country influence their English language and literacy learning. 

• Multiple languages are spoken at home or within a family, and there is no evident strength in any language. 

• Stress at home, such as food, housing, and financial concerns impact learning. 

• Some primary caregivers may delay their English skill development, which can impact family dynamics when the children speak English better than the adult caregiver. 

• Developmental delays in first language development make it difficult to learn English. 

• Keeping the home language alive while supporting the family’s English language learning may be challenging. 

CanLearn programs recognize that proficiency with oral English is essential for EAL children’s progress in reading and writing. The main reason these children sometimes lag in reading development is that they must learn much more than their native-speaking peers; they have to master the content of school subjects and English at the same time. For them, foundational literacy skills must include foundational language skills in addition to word recognition skills.  

As with all children, the parents and families of English learners have a strong impact on their children’s learning success. CanLearn  literacy programs create opportunities for parents and children to work together on building their oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. We encourage parents to read, talk, sing, and play with their children at home in whatever language they are comfortable with, helping them “unlearn” the myth that speaking English at home will help children progress faster in English.  

CanLearn is deeply appreciative of CFUW’s ongoing and generous support for our early literacy programs. The dedication and commitment of CFUW Calgary members have been instrumental in advancing our efforts to provide evidence-based reading intervention to young children in our community.

Nada Jerkovic 

Manager, Literacy Programs 

CanLearn Society 

What is Neurodiversity? 

In recent years, the concept of neurodiversity has become more widely discussed. The movement emphasizes the differences in how people’s brains work, and is frequently referenced when discussing conditions like autism, ADHD, and learning disorders. The concept of neurodiversity asserts that these differences are not deficits, but natural variations in how people think and learn. Advocates of neurodiversity also work to recognize the strengths that neurodiverse people have. For example, individuals with ADHD or learning disorders often excel in creative and outside of the box thinking. Similarly, someone with autism may have a strong attention to detail. 

Challenges Neurodiverse Learners Face 

While neurodiverse individuals have incredible strengths, they also face challenges that can make everyday life tough. For example, ADHD can make it difficult to focus, prioritize tasks, and finish work, especially when it is boring or difficult. Learning disorders can mean that traditional teaching methods don’t work well, and everyday tasks require more effort. Autism can make it tricky to pick up on social cues and body language, making interactions with others confusing and challenging. When these struggles are misunderstood by others, it can lead to feelings of frustration and inadequacy.  

Why It’s important to Recognize Strengths 

At CanLearn, we focus on recognizing strengths while helping neurodiverse individuals understand how their brains work. This approach empowers clients to better understand themselves – what they excel at, what might be more challenging, and how they can use their unique strengths to support their growth. 

Using Strengths to Inform Recommendations 

Through comprehensive assessments, CanLearn works with individuals to identify their strengths. These strengths are then leveraged to create tailored strategies for school, work, and home. These strategies help neurodiverse individuals learn and manage daily tasks in ways that fit with how their brains work. For example, a student who is great at visual learning, may benefit from using charts and diagrams to help them understand new information. If someone has creative ideas, but struggles to write them down, they may find speech-to-text technology helpful. By emphasizing strengths, we can support neurodiverse individuals to feel more confident and successful in their everyday lives. 

Conclusion: 

Neurodiverse individuals have incredible potential, and CanLearn’s assessments are designed to uncover their strengths. By recognizing and embracing the different ways our brains work, we can empower neurodiverse individuals to reach their potential and thrive.