Finding models and insight into the best and most effective strategies and programs to teach English language learners in respectful and equitable ways is a persistent topic in practitioner and educational research. This chapter shares the voices and work of Toronto educators whose embrace of multiculturalism and multilingualism has contributed to the academic success of English language learners and refugee children in the Toronto schools. Through a series of interviews and classroom observations, the author explored the practices and programs used to support and empower these young English language learners. The chapter presents three major themes that emerged from this study: teacher mindset, family engagement, and targeted refugee education. These themes shed light and provide a deeper understanding for educators of the why and the how of Toronto's success. Educator takeaways are shared.
TopIntroduction
This study began with multiple reports in the news media in 2018 of the success of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Broadcast and print media were reporting that within three years of arriving in Canada’s public schools, ELL children do as well in reading and math as native English speakers (Cardoza, 2018). Basing their reports on the 2018 PISA testing (OECD, 2018), ELL performance was remarkably high especially given the numbers. Nearly 30% of all Canadian public-school students are ELLs. In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, over 50% of the students in the public schools are ELLs – approximately 125,000 children. In the TDSB, ELL children are identified as children who are newcomers to Canada or were born in Canada but do not begin learning English until they come to school. (TDSB, 2021)
As a teacher-educator and former classroom teacher the researcher became fascinated by these strong results. To understand what Toronto’s classroom teachers were doing to achieve such high success rates, the researcher initially set out to document strategies and programs that could then be shared in teacher preparation programs. The expectation was to uncover books, videos and pedagogy that would enhance practice and develop syllabi. Surprisingly, much more was found While no school system or even teacher is without flaws, the purpose of this study was to look at a success story and to learn from it.
The study that informs this chapter is grounded in theory but presented through the lens of an experienced educator who was seeking to understand the how and why of Toronto’s success. In 2019, I observed and interviewed classroom teachers, principals, and ELL staff in the TDSB to understand the programs and strategies being used successfully to close the opportunity gap between ELLs and native English speakers. What emerged was a pervasive three-pronged approach (teacher mindset, family engagement and targeted refugee education) to educating ELL children that was inclusive and culturally respectful, while acknowledging the systemic inequities inherent in the education system.
The chapter that follows will share with the reader an overview of this study, and the findings as they relate to selected literature. The researcher is a former classroom teacher and current teacher educator and thus at the heart of this chapter are the recommendations to support and enrich the experience of teachers and learners in our diverse and multilingual classrooms.