Immigrants – Adult Settlement Blended Language Learning: Selected Annotated Bibliography

F.A.I.R. FOR ALL: AI’s impact on settlement & language learning

Two Canadian organizations, ARAISA (Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies) and ISANS (Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia) are presenting a series of hour-long webinars for language instructors from September 2024 to March 2025. The webinars focus on Canadian settlement and language programs, referencing Federal Guidelines for AI’s emergence in the sector, LINC,the Canadian Language Benchmarks and Avenue.ca’s Program Standards for Technical Language Learning. The presenters stress the importance of instructors’ expertise. They also advocate for learning how AI tools can help in the classroom.

The webinars do not assume that viewers are expert users. They offer engaging introductions to and examples of using Generative AI in teaching language. Highlights of the webinars include the application of a principled, ethical, transparent approach to using AI; examples of how the presenters have created prompts to obtain the results they want; a first hand intro to Roshi.ai, a popular tool; and resources and reference lists.

You can either register and attend the live presentations on the dates noted in the link below or download the recordings at your leisure.

These are the titles of the webinars:

*”Faster:” Federal Guidelines, Considerations and Practical Examples of AI’s Emergence in the Settlement Sector

*Tools & Rules: AI for Innovative Language Instruction, Guidelines for Instructors, and Ethical Considerations

*AI in Practice – Turning Challenges into Opportunities

*Share Practical AI Experiences and Next Steps in Building a Community of Practice

*Working Smarter: Effective Material Production & Tailoring EAL Instruction to Individual Needs

*Addressing AI Use in Asynchronous Writing Tasks: Instructor Strategies & Program Adaptations

*Future Trends: AI in Education: Predict how AI will Shape Language learning, Classroom Dynamics, and Teacher Roles

Retrievable from:

https://araisa.ca/fa-i-r-for-all-ais-impact-on-settlement-language-learning/

Language Learning for Refugees and Immigrants: Innovative Approaches

Perez Peguero, L. (2024). Language Learning for Refugees and Immigrants: Innovative Approaches. International Journal of Enhanced Research in Educational Development (IJERED). 12 (2) 135-144.

This research report presents a succinct description of the potential shortcomings of traditional classroom-based language learning. Alongside this the author describes potential innovative responses to the challenges faced by refugees and immigrants as they work towards developing language proficiency.

Since immigrants and refugees need language skills not only to communicate, but also for social inclusion, the author gives examples of how innovative programming can motivate learners, encourage cross-cultural exchanges and respond to learners’ specific needs. She provides brief descriptions of case studies, success stories and challenges. The case studies range from community building through a new neighbour initiative, to experiential learning through a refugee cooking class language exchange program, to a mobile language learning app for refugee youth. In each case, she addresses the importance of accessibility, cultural sensitivity and empowering learners through valuing what they bring to the program.

The report concludes with recommendations for building on lessons learned throughout the initiatives and continuing to address challenges and needs.

Retrievable from:

https://www.erpublications.com/uploaded_files/download/lisset-perez-peguero_NZcZt.pdf

Reviewing research on adult migrants’ digital literacy: what insights for additional language teaching?

Guichon, Nicolas. (2024). Reviewing research methods on adult migrants’ digital literacy: What insights for additional language teaching?. Apples – Journal of Applied Language Studies, 18 (1), 67-89.

This article reports on a selected literature review focusing on migrants’and refugees’ digital literacy. In the article, digital literacy is defined as, “the practices of communicating, relating, thinking and ‘being’ associated with digital media” (Jones & Hafner, 2012, p. 13) in the context of language learning.

The article includes a full list of the articles reviewed including authors, journals, country where the research was conducted, and research questions explored. Based on the literature review, the article provides a taxonomy of adult migrants’ digital literacy, the “outside the classroom” digital literacy practices of migrants, including, communication with family members, accessing crucial information online, and developing familiarity with the host culture through online media ( p.81).

In addition,the article includes an illustration and discussion of the migrant digital landscape (p.82), that is, the digital resources commonly used by migrants, including social media, official web sites, and mobile assisted language learning tools.

The author notes that while language skills have long been recognized as crucial to successful integration for newcomers, in the current digital age, digital literacy skills are also essential. In that context the author contends that language learning and literacy, and digital literacy should not be considered as separate entities but should be seen as interrelated, the one reinforcing the other. The article includes a short discussion of the implications for language teaching and teacher education and suggests strategies that language educators could employ to support and enhance the digital literacy skills of learners.

Having noted the relative scarcity of research focused on the digital literacy of migrants and refugees the article concludes with a discussion of possible future research directions to better understand the digital needs of this population, and to inform curricula and language teacher education and training to support the development of digital literacy skills.

Retrievable from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379961943_Reviewing_research_methods_on_adult_migrants’_digital_literacy_What_insights_for_additional_language_teaching

How can blended learning English-as-a-second-language courses incorporate with cultural heritage, building, and sense of sustainable development goals?: A case study

Kwee, C.T.T. & Dos Santos, L.M. (2022) How can blended learning English-as-a-second-language courses incorporate with cultural heritage, building, and sense of sustainable development goals?: A case study. Front. Ed., 7:966803

This article describes a small-scale case study of a group of forty international students enrolled in three blended ESL programs in a community college in the United States which incorporated elements of digitized cultural heritage and heritage buildings in the course curriculum. Using a range of digital tools including video and virtual tours, students had the opportunity to learn about local and national history and heritage buildings as a component of their language learning.

Following the course, data was collected using one-on-one semi-structured interviews and focus groups. This data indicated that students experienced high levels of language learning engagement and motivation due to their high level of interest in the cultural and heritage content. Students also reported a significant increase in cultural awareness and an understanding of local history and sense of place.

Although the context of this study is a course for international students in the U.S., the description of incorporation of digitized local and national cultural heritage and buildings and the responses of students provide useful insights that will be of interest to language instructors and curriculum developers working with newcomers to Canada.

Retrievable from:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.966803/full

From Silos to Solutions: Toward Sustainable and Equitable Hybrid Service Delivery in the Immigrant & Refugee-Serving Sector in Canada

Liu,J., Cansu, E. D., Campana, M. Coordinated by AMSSA. Funded by IRCC. April 2021.

This report looks at the Settlement sector’s needs in the area of digital services, as a whole. COVID-19 resulted in the sector having to move to fully digital and remote service. The themes included in the report were identified through consultation within the sector and beyond from October 2020 though March 2021. The report makes a number of ambitious recommendations to IRCC using a “Now, Next, Later” framework. One of the examples of these is particularly relevant for language training as follows:

Next:
● There is also a need for consistent and ongoing training for staff, not only focused on how best they can use technology, but also how to train clients to use it in a service context.
● The sector and IRCC should develop guidelines on how to develop and implement digital literacy tools to assess clients’ digital skills. This guidance should include the provision of training materials, tools, and recommendations for agencies to support clients’ digital literacy skills.
Later:
● The sector and IRCC should develop a digital literacy competence framework conducive to the needs of the immigrant settlement sector.
● Consider a Digital Literacy Benchmark (DLB) as a complement to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) to allow for Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) to quickly and accurately assess the digital literacy levels of newcomers to guide and support them accordingly.

Retrievable from:

https://km4s.ca/wp-content/uploads/EN-Settlement-Sector-Technology-Task-Group-final-report-and-recommendations-2021.pdf

In the section of the report on Change Management Tools & Practice, there are four tools listed that organizations can use to identify strengths and services, including The European Framework for Educators’ Digital Competence (DigCompEdu).

Retrievable from:

Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu) | EU Science Hub (europa.eu)

Integrating Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) into a Non-formal Learning Environment to Support Migrant Women Learners’ Vocabulary Acquisition.

Ahmad, Kham Sila (2019) Integrating Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) into a Non-formal Learning Environment to Support Migrant Women Learners’ Vocabulary Acquisition. PhD thesis, Murdoch University

This Ph. D Thesis describes a small-scale research project to explore the effect of Mobile -Assisted Language Learning) MALL on migrant women’s vocabulary acquisition in an Australian context. Using a case study approach, using semi-structured interviews and observation a group of migrant women attending a conversational English class were divided into 3 groups. The first group attended a regular class in which no MALL was used, the second group consisted of students who had attended the regular class and then attended a MALL -integrated or hybrid class in which they used a tablet computer and a language App. The third group attended a wholly Mall integrated class. The hybrid model was found to be the most effective, providing students with enhanced exposure and opportunities to use English and more intensive vocabulary practice and repetition using the exercises and learning activities in the language App. Based on the findings of the research a MALL-enhanced framework for vocabulary acquisition for migrant women in a non-formal learning environment was developed. This framework could be a very useful starting point for instructors and researchers to investigate the use of a MALL-integrated process for settlement language learning in a Canadian context.

Retrievable from: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/43153/

Migrants and Mobile Technology Use: Gaps in the Support Provided by Current Tools

Demmans Epp, C., (2017). Migrants and Mobile Technology Use: Gaps in the Support Provided by Current Tools. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2017(1), 2.

This article describes the findings of a small-scale research project to examine how recent migrants to Canada make use of mobile technologies to support their English language learning.

The study indicates that recent migrants can and do make use of mobile technologies to access information, but that there is a need for more extensive supports to enable them to make better use of these technologies to support language language learning, including comprehension, production and language acquisition.

The researcher concludes that there is a need for, and an opportunity to create, more mobile technology tools and applications to help scaffold the development of new skills.There is also a need for mobile tools that could help language learners to better understand and communicate across a variety of forms of English and tools that would allow them to practice their communication skills, receive feedback which would, in turn, enable them to plan for future learning.

Retrievable from: https://www-jime.open.ac.uk/articles/10.5334/jime.432/

The Potential of Blended ESOL Courses: Attitudes and Practices among the UK Immigrants

Jurate Matulioniene, Boston ESOL Academy, UK; Daiva Pundziuviene Bytautas Magnus University, Lithuania; The Potential of Blended ESOL Courses: Attitudes and Practices Among the UK Immigrants. Sustainable Multilingualism. Volume 10, Issue 1 (May 2017)

This research study looks at a small group of recent immigrants’ experience and attitudes to learning and opportunities and barriers to speaking English in the United Kingdom. The study provides background suggesting that language competences may be an important factor that influences immigrants’ progress in their new country. Their findings include information on the individuals’ use of information and communication technologies (ICT) on a personal level, at work or for learning. These could include mobile and smart phones, email, digital cameras, scanners, social network etc.

The study examines these immigrants’ willingness to take part in blended language training and the barriers they see to doing that. The study asked if they would be interested in taking part in blended English classes that originated from their home countries, thus providing the support of their first language and at the same time help them keep the connection with their native countries.

They also present important considerations such as ensuring participants in such courses have the technical proficiency required to participate effectively in a blended course.

Retrievable from: https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/sm.2017.10.issue-1/sm-2017-0006/sm-2017-0006.xml