A large map at Willow Road Public School which shows how many languages are spoken in the school and who speaks those languages is helping to ease the anxiety of some new students who arrive at the immigrant-rich school.
The map was put up in the hallway about 10 years ago by Susan Pitman, an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) resource teacher who works at the elementary school.
“It gives us a sense for who is in our building, and for them to feel their language and culture are welcome, respected and acknowledged,” said Pitman.
Stapled around the map are a number of cards, one for each language spoken at the school, with each card listing which students or staff at the school speak that particular language.
This year, there are a total of 41 languages understood within the school’s walls, with some children speaking multiple languages.
Pitman said waves of immigrants who came to Canada in previous generations often lost their mother tongue after a time because an emphasis was put on speaking only English.
“I really want (my students) to have a sense of their heritage and the importance of continuing their language, that it is celebrated to speak two or three languages — that’s amazing,” said Pitman.
One of the first thing anyone sees when they walk into the front entrance of the school is the word ‘welcome’ prominently written in a number of languages in the lobby.
Soon after arriving at the school for the first time, foreign-born students are taken to see the map and, due to its conspicuous location, may see it in the hallway many times during a school day.
“Last week, we received a new girl who was Afghan. She speaks Urdu and Dari. Her English is limited at this point, but I was able to find the kids in the building that speak her first language and introduce her to them and have them check in on her — but she also knows she can go to them if she needs them to explain something in more detail,” said Pitman.
The benefits of the map can extend to parents and family of new foreign-born students, said Pitman.
“Families can relax and know they are not going to be ‘the other’ here — that we are interested in them. Here it’s normal,” she said.
Steve Viveiros, principal at Willow Road, has seen the benefits of the map for the students in the school and teachers who are able to pair kids who speak the same language.
“It’s overwhelming enough to move to a new school,” said Viveiros. “If they can connect with one of these kids first, it eases some of the anxiety.”
“Even if (students) don’t make a connection with someone in their mother tongue, they find out they are in the same situation as others,” he said.
Pitman said the school is fortunate to be located adjacent to Shelldale Centre, which offers a number of programs — some in multiple languages.
“We have a fantastic relationship with them, a lot of our students are there before school and after school. It helps a lot of the new Canadian families,” said Pitman.
Pitman knows of other ESL resource teachers using similar maps in schools within the city, noting that Willow Road is among the most culturally-diverse elementary schools in Guelph.
Although Willow Road is her primary placement, Pitman also works in an additional three schools within the school board.
“Guelph is culturally more diverse than it was even 10 years ago,” she said.
With 25 years of ESL teaching experience, Pitman has seen first-hand how the makeup of the city’s population has changed over the years with different waves of immigrants, many of whom leave their home countries due to war, famine or economic reasons.
Kids are good about being open and sharing where they come from, said Viveiros.
“The other kids come to appreciate where they came from and what life could have been like had they stayed. It gives them perspective,” said Viveiros.
Pitman recalls one quiet student sharing her experience with classmates through a class presentation once she was able to express herself using basic English.
“She had an amazing story of having to walk out of Eritrea to a refugee camp with her siblings, separated from her parents, with smugglers and all sorts of complications,” recalled Pitman.
“The students’ jaws just dropped. They were so impressed by her and she became a little celebrity for a bit,” said Pitman.
