MOOSE JAW — The percentage of Catholic students requiring English language help has jumped nearly 90 per cent over the past eight years, with two schools having the highest number of immigrant students requiring support.
Trustees with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division received the student services accountability report during their February meeting, which provided information about the number of English as an additional language (EAL) students in each school and grade.
The data showed that in 2017-18, 203 students required EAL help, while in 2024-25, that number increased to 381 students, a jump of 178 youths or 87.7 per cent.
Furthermore, St. Agnes in Moose Jaw has the most EAL students at 130, an increase of 27 from the previous school year. The next-highest school is All Saints in Swift Current with 79, a jump of 11 from last year.
Meanwhile, there are 60 EAL students in Grade 5, 53 in Grade 3 and 48 in Grade 2.
Also, the settlement workers in schools (SWIS) program is helping:
- 77 students and 104 parents in Swift Current
- Four students and six parents in Assiniboia
- 35 elementary students and 30 parents in Moose Jaw
- 14 Vanier Collegiate students and 20 parents
Sarah Phipps, superintendent of learning, said there are many EAL and French second language (FSL) students coming to Canada. So, to meet their needs, last year, the division purchased a program called Elii that provides lessons, resources, and other tools and is designed to meet students’ language levels.
“We are still learning and navigating through that as student service teachers and managing their account, but it has been very helpful,” she continued, noting that the teacher at Vanier says some EAL students are so “incredibly motivated” to learn that they complete 10 assignments overnight and require more lessons the next day.
Meanwhile, the division created one full-time equivalent EAL role and split it into two so one teacher could be in Swift Current and Shaunavon and another in Moose Jaw, Phipps said. Also, there is “a beautiful volunteer” who meets online with students to increase their language abilities through conversations.
The superintendent pointed out that three-, four- or five-year-olds who enter kindergarten usually have 1,800 to 3,600 words in their vocabulary, while EAL children know zero words. This means, she added, that the oral language component of learning is important since those students can’t learn the curriculum if they don’t comprehend basic concepts.
Speech and language pathologists
There are 39 students who have been referred to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) this year, an increase from five over last year, the report said. Of this year’s students, SLPs have completed reports on eight youths.
Of those 39 pupils, the two highest grades of students receiving SLP support are kindergarten with 26 and Grade 1 with eight.
The division is looking at purchasing communications boards — devices that display photos, symbols, or illustrations — for playgrounds because some students are non-verbal, said Phipps. These boards would let them point to symbols to communicate, similar to how they use iPads in the classroom.
Mentorship program
There are 27 students participating in a 15-week YMCA mentorship program, while eight youths are participating in the boys’ empowerment program, the report said. The mentors help children or youths enhance their self-esteem, self-regulation and resiliency skills, while activities help mentees develop self-confidence, community connectedness and life skills.
The youths whom the division nominates usually have persistent behavioural, emotional or social struggles, while they have trouble with peer relationships, face barriers to making friends and lack connection with others, the report added.
Mentors meet with mentees at their school, at John Chisholm School, or in the community, based on the latter’s needs.
