HSD CST, 2009
http://csteal.wikis.hsd.ca/
Age-Appropriate Placement (K – 8); Rationale
Our guideline for age-appropriate placement (K - 8) is certainly contingent on what
parents feel is best. We also recognize that locally born students' parents sometimes
choose to 'hold back' their late-birthdate children and we want to extend that option to
newcomer parents as well.
The rationale is based on the following:
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The literature and professionals working with language learners ALL strongly urge schools
to place students in age-appropriate grades in K – 8.
We cannot fairly compare grade levels or curricula from around the world and place students
accordingly. For example, students coming from Kazakhstan, Russia and many Pacific Rim
areas are often working on much more advanced Math and Science content in their home
country than our Manitoba curriculum expects, but we do not place K – 8 students in
appropriate/advanced classes here. Students from India can arrive having already completed
a higher grade but are placed age-appropriately in a lower grade here. Other students will
have gaps in their learning that we will need to determine and support.
We will likely receive newcomers at every age with perhaps no prior schooling and no prior
experience with literacy - as in refugee situations. (Larger urban schools are teaching
adolescents in middle & senior years how to hold a pencil.)
Students from South America entering our schools in September are at the mid-point in their
school year in their home country. For example: Dennis was half-way through grade 5 and
placed in grade 5 here in Sept. When his classmate arrived in January, the school was caught
with an older, earlier-arriving peer attending grade 5 while the younger, newer student was
placed in grade 6 (he had completed grade 5 in Paraguay). The decision was made that they
would both go to grade 7 in fall. They were both successful in grade 7.
Newcomer parents have often expressed great appreciation for our age-appropriate practice,
(although sometimes initially wary/concerned when registering their children). They feel it is
very important and a good thing, with positive repercussions for extra-curricular relationships,
even church groups. School entry begins later for most children coming from Germany.
An immigrant German pastor told us that their children “feel more grown up” and try harder
when they are given the chance to prove themselves with their peers. Conversely, when
immigrant adults are asked to tell their 'coming to Canada' stories, their most painful
experience was the daily humiliation of being placed with younger classmates. "If I don't
know English in grade 8, why would they think I will know English in grade 6?"
Newcomer parents of children who have been placed in lower grades outside of HSD and
then transferred to HSD have requested that their children be placed age-appropriately upon
arrival here. Parents feel that their children need to be with their peers along with more
age/grade-appropriate academic expectations.
All classes have a range of learners and generally, over-whelmingly, newcomer students are
motivated to accelerate their learning when placed with their peers.
Newcomer parents should be briefed on the rationale for our age-appropriate placement
guideline and the diversity of academic strengths and challenges that exists in all our
classes at every grade level.
Parents need to know that we are listening to their wishes, concerns and hopes for their
children.