Southwood School EAL program is helping students integrate

Forty percent of Southwood School’s student body has English as an additional language (EAL). Out of more than 600 students, roughly a third are immigrants or children of immigrants that are learning English as a second or third language.

“We have 28 students that are at Stage 1 beginning to learn English, 49 students at Stage 2 that middle level of proficiency, and 163 students in stage 3 where they’re fairly proficient in English. So, 240 all together out of 604 students,” said resource teacher Holly Gushulak.

“Just having 40 percent of our students being English learners on some level it’s this built in safety net for them where they’re not made to feel different. There’s lots of kids learning English,” she added, emphasizing that translators are also used when necessary so that the children always feel like they’re being heard.

Eastman Immigrant Services settlement worker in schools (SWIS) lead Maria Zhosan came to Canda two years ago from Ukraine with no English experience. She has three sons aged two to 12 who go to school in Steinbach. As a SWIS lead, Zhosan works with immigrant children in the schools to help them assimilate and learn English.

She said children are frustrated for the first several months of schooling because they don’t understand what is going on. But she said they quickly adapt and integrate into the school as they begin to learn English.

“Southwood is the most popular school in Steinbach for immigrants (as is Stonybrook Middle School). My guess is because of the… area where they are…renting properties. (It has) the most affordable properties.”

Last year, SWIS registered 75 immigrant children for their programming and seven between January and March of this year.

Some of the children come from war torn countries and the teachers at the school have learned what the triggers are, when to predict them, and how to communicate with the child that everything is alright.

For example, if there is a fire drill the sound may remind students of war sounds going off in their country and they may become stressed and filled with anxiety. Southwood does 10 drills a year. They have developed a system where they tell the student ahead of time that there will be a fire drill and they provide ear defenders to lessen the sound.

“Slowly and surely, they become accustomed to what that is here and then the triggers (are) reduced…(and) the responses (are) reduced,” said principal Marge Thiessen.

“When I’m able to communicate with someone it makes me feel safe and comfortable and eases my anxiety,” noted Thiessen. “If I’m not able to communicate, it can raise it and I think just to be aware of that is something…when we’re unable to communicate back and forth it can raise anxiety and just be aware of that and take a breath and be patient.”