臺北市新住民專區網站英文版

by Wang Pei-ling, Director Of Counseling, Guting Junior High School

    I have put together a guide for new immigrant parents. It covers common educational concerns for their children and offers practical advice and solutions:

Language Barriers and Learning Difficulties: Parents are concerned about the potential language barriers and learning difficulties their children may encounter in school. They worry whether their children can effectively learn the local language and adapt to the learning environment. These issues may arise from:

1. Language Barrier: Children of new immigrants often come from diverse cultural backgrounds and may not be familiar with the local language. This, along with significant differences between their mother tongue and the local language, poses a major obstacle to their learning in school.

2. Cultural Conflict: Children of new immigrants might feel confused or anxious due to cultural differences, such as variations in values and behavioral norms. These differences can affect their adaptation and learning in school.

3. Learning Habits and Methods: Differences in education systems and teaching methods between cultures can make it difficult for new immigrants children to adapt to the local education style and requirements.

4. Social Pressure: New immigrant children may face pressure from society and peers, including discrimination, rejection, and academic competition, affecting their learning performance and confidence.

    To address these issues, educational institutions and society should offer appropriate support and measures. These can include language support and interpretation services, cultural sensitivity training, individualized learning programs, and counseling services. Such efforts aim to help new immigrant children overcome language barriers and learning difficulties, achieving academic success and holistic development.

Intercultural Integration and Value Development: Parents hope their children will learn to respect local cultures and values while preserving their own cultural traditions. They are concerned about balancing their children's values between different cultures. Here are some suggestions to achieve the cultural balance:

1. Multicultural Education: Educational institutions should actively promote multicultural education, including integrating different cultures into the curriculum, organizing multicultural events, and providing opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges to help new immigrant children understand and respect different cultural backgrounds.

2. Value Development: Educational institutions should prioritize cultivating values by promoting ethical principles and morals. They should guide new immigrant children in building confidence, respect, and a sense of responsibility. The goal is to nurture them into inclusive, open-minded, and responsible citizens.

3. Extracurricular Activities: Offering a variety of extracurricular activities, including arts, sports, and volunteer services, that allow new immigrant children to participate alongside local students in the same programs, promoting interaction and cooperation, and fostering shared values.

4. Family Support: Encouraging parents to actively participate in their children's education, cooperate with schools, and jointly care for and guide their children's cross-cultural integration and development of values.

    Through these measures, new immigrant children can achieve intercultural integration and develop healthy values through education, promoting their comprehensive development and successful integration into society.