Welcome to the third issue of Immigration NewsInformation for Adult EAL and settlement practitioners assisting newcomers in their settlement and integration in ManitobaThis newsletter from the Manitoba government's Immigration Division follows on the positive feedback you gave after our first issue last spring. Immigration News keeps you up to date with the latest available immigration, Adult English as an Additional Language (EAL) and settlement information. The newsletter also provides an overview of employment and qualification recognition initiatives, learning opportunities and resources. What's going on in the Immigration DivisionMessage from Labour and Immigration Jennifer HowardManitoba's efforts to remove the federal cap on provincial nomineesAs a result of the strong commitment by all Manitobans to welcome and support immigrant newcomers, our province continues to grow as an attractive destination for new workers, entrepreneurs and their families. We remain concerned, however, that the current cap on our successful provincial nominee program (MPNP) may limit our ability to continue sharing in the benefits of this growth in future years. As you recall, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) had initially capped Manitoba's 2010 provincial nominee level at 4,600 due to the growth pressures from other jurisdictions and the overall limits placed on the federal immigration system. As the Mantioba Provincial Nominee Program is critical to the province's long-term economic prosperity and population growth, we were very concerned with this decision. After several meetings and discussions with Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, CIC decided to accommodate Manitoba's nomination target of 5000. As a result, preliminary figures show that Manitoba welcomed 15,803 immigrants in 2010, a record not seen since 1946. Although we were pleased with the federal decision to increase our cap, Manitoba continues to be concerned that its program may not be able to grow in future years. As you know, the MPNP has been capped for another year at a total of 5,000 nominations. Nevertheless, we know that Manitoba has been a responsible leader in developing and delivering a successful, sustainable and well-managed immigration program whose benefits are enjoyed by all regions of the province. I am sure that, with the continued support of business and community leaders, we can work with the federal government to overcome this obstacle, and continue to build on our record of success. Manitoba has the most successful provincial nominee program in Canada and I will continue to work to ensure that Manitoba is able to grow and prosper through immigration. The Census matters to you (and to the new immigrants you work with)As many of you know, May 10 is Census Day in Manitoba and across Canada. The information the Census gathers touches the lives of every single person in Canada and it is imperative that we all participate in the process. For 2011, there will be the Census, which will be sent to each household in early May. Its counterpart, the National Household Survey (NHS), will be sent to one of every three Canadian households in early June 2011. Both of these questionnaires can be filled out online or on paper.Certain groups, including newcomers, are traditionally under-represented when it comes to the Census. The problem is expected to be compounded this year as the federal government has decided to make the NHS voluntary. If overall response rates are low, useable information for recent immigrants may be at a risk. Having reliable Census information is very important for us all. For example, Census information is used by the government to plan the delivery of settlement and EAL programs. It is also used by school boards to plan the location of new schools and by regional health authorities to plan the delivery of health care services. It is important that newcomers are included in the Census (and therefore included in the decision-making process) and you can help. Talk to them about the importance of the Census and the NHS or talk to your director about how you can use the Census as a learning tool or classroom subject. Who needs to fill the Census? The Census will be sent to each household and everyone residing at the household at that time needs to be included. This includes citizens, permanent residents, temporary students and workers. However, do not include people who have a home somewhere else (in Canada or in another country) and who usually live at another address. Who needs to fill the National Household Survey? One of every three households will receive the NHS and exactly like the Census, everyone residing at the household at that time needs to be included. This includes citizens, permanent residents, refugee claimants, temporary students and workers. However do not include people who have a home somewhere else (in Canada or in another country) and who usually live at another address. For more information visit Census 2011 Adult Education Kit. Diversity video launch at Human Rights Film FestivalManitoba Labour and Immigration invites you to the launch of My Home is Manitoba (a diversity-awareness video for newcomers). The official screening, hosted by Jennifer Howard, Minister of Labour and Immigration, and Flor Marcelino, Minister of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, takes place as part of the Human Rights Film Festival, Mon., March 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Garrick Centre, 330 Garry St., Winnipeg.The week-long Human Rights Film Festival (March 21-26) was developed by the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties in partnership with the Province of Manitoba to increase public awareness of the work needed for the elimination of social inequality and racial discrimination. It highlights March 21 the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and showcases a film selection that address human rights concerns and issues regarding racism and social inequality. The hour-long My Home is Manitoba video was commissioned by the Immigration Division and Multiculturalism Secretariat and aims to break down stereotypes newcomers are sometimes faced with. Watch the trailer at the Settle Manitoba Youtube channel. Please e-mail Colin Lemoine if you are interested in attending the screening. Immigration FactsDid you know? According to preliminary figures:
In the News Manitoba introduces legislation to give employees time off to become citizens. Full story Manitoba to provide more affordable housing for newcomers. Full story Watch on Youtube Watch videos about immigration, settlement and learning English in Manitoba at the Youtube channel Settle Manitoba. EAL spotlightEnglish at Work at the Misericordia Health CentreWhat happens to immigrants who arrive in Canada and go straight to work instead of into English classes? On the positive side, they get a paycheque.Unfortunately, the immediate paycheque might also mean diminished opportunities for the future. Without at least a working command of English, many new immigrants remain in entry level positions where their skills and experience are under-utilized.Any Manitoba business is eligible to apply to the province for funding for English at Work. It operates in any sector - manufacturing, health care, food services, aerospace, the civil service, professions and administration. Instructors develop training that is designed for employees at any workplace and teach the classes at their jobsite. The level ranges from basic to advanced depending on participants' needs, and employees learn to do the things they have to be able to do tomorrow - ask a supervisor for information, understand a work order, be sociable with co-workers, fill in forms for benefits or requests, or at a higher level make presentations or write reports. Classes have been offered at the Misericordia since 2006 and over the years have supported many of their immigrant employees with their language learning and integration to Canada. Read more about Misericordia's English at Work program at Hospital News. 'Listening' with your eyesNewcomers with limited English skills and who are deaf or hard of hearing face a dual challenge. To meet their needs the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities has a program that teaches both EAL and ASL (American Sign Language).The program is funded by the Manitoba Immigrant Integration Program. It also receives funding from Workplace Education Manitoba and the Mauro Family Foundation. Classes are held at the Deaf Centre Manitoba, 285 Pembina Hwy., Winnipeg. There are four teachers who work with the learners, an EAL specialist who uses sign language to teach English, two ASL specialists and a speech therapist. What does a morning of typical programming look like? There are two classes that occur at the same time, in the same room. Each teacher has her own white board, and five learners are working at a round table facing one of the ASL teachers, and three learners are at another round table with the EAL specialist. The learners at the first table are learning to communicate in ASL, and the teacher signs simple questions to which the learner can reply. For example, the teacher signs "Your name what?" and the learner answers "My name is (individual letters of the name are `fingerspelled')." This group is using photo stories of class activities to provide context for the conversation and to help to develop new vocabulary. As the sign is learned in context, the teacher writes the English word on the board, so that the learner can make the association between the photo (and the concept), the sign, and the written English equivalent. Learners record new vocabulary that they have learned to sign and to write in their learner dictionaries. The learners at the second table are at a higher level, and are working on their written English. They are doing specific skill building on pronouns. The teacher reviews the information and explains the exercise using sign language, and the learners use a worksheet with cartoon drawings and speech bubbles to give context to the exercises. They fill in the correct grammatical forms, and practise using the correct form of the verb "to be." ASL does not use specific signs, but uses facial expressions, postures and movements incorporated into signs to convey many grammatical points - for example, to signify the verb "to be." In other words, in ASL you would sign "My name Susie." instead of "My name IS Susie," and there would be a movement to indicate the meaning "is." The learners also practise the skill of inverting the sentences to change from a statement to a question. For example, "You are little." and "Are you little?" Many people perceive ASL to be similar to English, but it isn't. The EAL specialist's job is to teach the new grammatical patterns that the learners will need to make sense of written English. In this program learners are empowered to use many modalities to communicate - sign language and written English with the teachers mentioned above, as well as lip reading and speech by working with the speech therapist. The goal is that learners will blend their own language and culture into Winnipeg's deaf community so that they can participate there as well as in their native communities and the general mainstream of Canada. Annual TEAM conferenceTEAM (Teaching English as an Additional Language to Adults in Manitoba) holds it annual conference Fri., May 6 at the Canadian Mennonite University, 500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg. Dr. Lionel Laroche is the keynote speaker. For more information contact: manitobateam.com.Benchmarks revisedThe Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks recently completed revisions to the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000 and Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 2006. The centre has completed the first phase of validation. In the second phase the centre will ensure that the theoretical framework is validated for construct, congruent and content validity. The third phase of validation will be conducted in the Adult EAL field through a variety of means, including the use of exemplars. For more information visit language.ca.ALT Resource CollectionThe Manitoba Adult Language Training Branch (ALT) has expanded its selection of resource publications available for Adult EAL teachers to sign out and borrow for free. New additions include:
The Resource Collection is open to Manitoba Adult EAL teachers, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by appointment. Phone 945-6300 for more information. Settlement nowManitoba: Off to a great STARTThe new information and referral centre for immigrants in downtown Winnipeg has been off to a great START. Since Manitoba START opened its door last fall, it has seen more than 2,500 clients and is now registering and referring approximately 145 clients a week. The average service time is 35 minutes per person, which allows the intake worker to explore their education and employment history, gather information pertaining to settlement, language, and career goals in Manitoba, register clients in appropriate programs, schedule appointments with career counsellors and/or refer to other relevant services.For more information visit the new Manitoba START website at manitobastart.com. Citizenship study guide made in ManitobaThe Immigration Division has developed a study guide for people who are preparing to take their citizenship test. The resource is based on CIC's new Discover Canada booklet but is written in language that is easy to understand and uses Manitoba examples for subjects such as Canada's system of government.The study guide can be delivered by volunteer facilitators as an 18-hour course or modularized to allow for extension activities on certain topics. The guide has interactive group work activities, Powerpoint examples for use by the volunteer facilitators, and paper and web-based materials, with answer keys, for participants to learn on their own. The citizenship study guide is being piloted with two groups of clients at the Immigrant Centre. English Online is providing its online platform to deliver the guide's audio and computer-based quizzes. Once the pilot is completed this spring final edits and revisions will be done, the audio will be re-recorded and the guide will be made available on immigratemanitoba.com. Global skills at workWorkplace Integration of Skilled Newcomers in the TradesOn Jan. 18 Manitoba Labour and Immigration was pleased to help launch the Workplace Integration of Newcomers in the Skilled Trades program. WISNIT offers opportunities for internationally experienced tradespeople to gain exposure and work experience in the skilled trades and occupations in Canada.Over three years, WISNIT will assist 120 newcomers interested in obtaining employment and preparing for their certification examinations in the Red Seal trades. With support of federal funding, WISNIT is being delivered by the Alliance of Manitoba Sector Councils in partnership with Manitoba Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade, Manitoba Labour and Immigration and Workplace Education Manitoba. WISNIT will help people get certified in their trade through assessing and bridging gaps in their workplace technical skills, essential skills and language skills by offering job placement, coaching and work-based competency assessments set to industry standards. WISNIT case managers will play a central role in assisting the client with employment preparation, planning and co-ordination across service providers with the objective of providing a seamless qualifications recognition pathway towards certification in their designated trade or occupation. The recently launched Manitoba START - the centralized intake service for new immigrants - will support WISNIT through the systematic referral of newcomers with a background in the trades. WISNIT complements the Trades Bridge Program (pilot project) announced by the province on Oct. 1 as well as other provincially funded qualification recognition programs. The Trades Bridge Program is being designed for internationally trained tradespeople who have theoretical knowledge gaps between their qualifications and the Red Seal technical training standard. Need more information?If you have any questions or comments, or would like to be added or removed from the newsletter distribution list e-mail Colin Lemoine. |
