Integration of Chinese immigrants into a Canadian school environment: A case study

My research study focuses on Chinese immigrants who feel marginalized in the Canadian school system due to their lack of proficiency in English. My research question is how do Chinese immigrants who are recent arrivals experience marginalization in an Ontario school in relation to ministry and classroom expectations and teaching strategies. The participants are eight secondary school students who have been in Canada for up to two years and who are at least 18 years of age and are enrolled in courses ranging from grade 9 to 12 at an Ontario private school. The theoretical framework involves social constructivist theory and practices that facilitate second-language acquisition. The study uses a phenomenological approach to data analysis. Interview data and researcher's observations are the main sources of data. The results generally indicate students' dissatisfaction with teaching instruction and suggestions were made about strategies that can be implemented to better suit their needs.