Researchers: Vicki Whitlock (Department of Education and Early Child Development) & Dr. Miles Turnbull (Faculty of Education, UPEI)

Research Summary: The belief that one's own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous of all delusions. — Paul Watzalawick

Aims and Objectives: The overall aim of this research is to give secondary EAL students a voice in the PEI education system and community. More specifically, researchers intend to listen to, examine, and analyze the perspectives of four secondary EAL students' lived experiences in the PEI school system and community.

Approach: With the recent influx of immigrants to the PEI school system and community, cultural and linguistic diversity are becoming the norm, especially in the Charlottetown area, since demographically many immigrants are choosing this location. The public's understanding, welcoming, and acceptance of these diversities plays a part in the immigrant family's decision to invest in PEI schools and communities. Giving secondary students a voice to share their experiences is a starting place to look at the reality of their lives in schools and communities. We need to step back and listen to students' values and beliefs, which underlie all aspects of culture and communication. This will also give immigrants an appreciation for and understanding of how they can affect what happens.

In this study, previous research includes that of Bourdieu's (1977) integration of linguistic capital and power, Bandura's (1995) notion of perceived self-efficacy and sense of belonging in his Social Cognitive Theory, Norton (2005) and her theory of investment in language learning, and Cummins' (2005;2007) perspectives on the role of affirming identity in the classroom and community.

Researchers will develop interview questions and ask four secondary EAL students, from a variety of cultural and educational backgrounds as well as from a variety of language levels, immigrant entry status, and length of time in Canada, a series of questions on their lived experiences in the PEI school system and community. Supplementary techniques may also be considered. Data will be collected and analyzed using qualitative data collection and analysis techniques in order to identify common themes in their responses to what factors contribute to and inhibit their success in the PEI school system and community. This thematic data will then be used to create a survey which can be administered to a larger population of secondary EAL students (intention for the next phase/study).

Significant/Future Use: The findings from this study will contribute to the discussions on EAL students' lived experiences in PEI school and communities. Findings from this study will be proposed for presentation to the UPEI Faculty of Education, the PEI Teachers' Federation Bulletin, Annual Teachers' Convention, and TESL Canada's Annual Conference. The signifance of these findings is to help educators and policy makers better understand what students believe will help them achieve their goals at school and in the community.