Supporting Ethnocultural & Multilingual Families: A Four-Part Series

Are you an educator or program leader eager to enhance your intercultural practice skills and better support multilingual families? If so, this 4-part series is for you!

Take this 4-part series
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Take this 4-part series

It is for educators and program leaders who want to learn more about how to support multilingual families and strengthen their intercultural practices.

What You’ll Experience:

  • Self-Paced Learning: Sessions 1-3 are short modules you can complete at your own pace, fitting them into your schedule easily.
  • In-Depth Exploration: Dive into key concepts and strategies to strengthen your intercultural practices.
  • Live Collaboration: The fourth and final module offers a real-time synchronous session for those who have completed the first three. Collaborate with fellow educators and operators to adapt what you’ve learned to your own programs.

As you complete each module, you’ll earn a certificate and gain valuable insights to enhance your practice. Each module is packed with sparks of inspiration, real-life examples, and reflective questions to guide your learning.

Note, this training opportunity is not eligible for release time funding.

Jump in and strengthen your approach to child care today!

These modules were created in partnership between PolicyWise, University of Alberta’s Multilingual Families Lab, and Multicultural Health Brokers.

Module 1: Understanding the Experiences of Ethnocultural & Multilingual Families

Welcome to the first module in the series! This session was designed for educators and program leaders to deepen their awareness of the challenges faced by historically under-supported and underrepresented children and their families in Alberta’s early learning and child care system.

In this module, you will:

  • Explore Personal Stories: Hear firsthand accounts from families navigating the early learning and child care system.
  • Learn Diverse Family Values: Discover the diverse aspirations and core values that families have for their children.
  • Understand Community Connections: Understand how the relationships between families and communities are sources of strength.
  • Identify Barriers: Recognize the challenges that prevent full participation for children and families.
  • Gain Historical Insight: Learn about the impact of historical and ongoing discrimination on individuals and families.

Gain valuable insights from this first module to enhance your ability to support all children and families!

Note, this training opportunity is not eligible for release time funding.

Access Module 1

Module 2: Enhancing Multilingual and Intercultural Practices

Watch for this module coming in early 2025!

In this module, educators and program leaders will build on what they learned in the first module. You’ll develop skills to better support the diverse families at your program. You’ll also explore culturally responsive child care and its vital role in a child’s overall development.

In this module, you will:

  • Learn about Culturally Responsive Care: Understand what it is, what it looks like, and why it’s essential.
  • Focus on Home Languages: Discover the importance of recognizing and encouraging children’s home languages through insights from the Multilingual Language Program.
  • Explore Elements of Culture: Reflect on the various aspects of culture and how they can enrich early learning and child care.
  • Foster Practical Skills: Gain skills to nurture positive, trusting connections with families and children.

Take the second module to enhance your skills and make a meaningful impact in your program!

Note, this training opportunity is not eligible for release time funding.

Access Module 2

Module 3: Building Family Capacity

Watch for this module coming in January 2025!

In this module, educators and program leaders will build on what they learned in the first two modules. You’ll focus on how to support children and families by connecting them with community skills and resources. This approach includes families as essential partners in their child’s holistic development.

In this module, you will:

  • Empower Families: Understand your role in supporting ethnocultural and multilingual families to identify and enhance their strengths.
  • Reflect on Culturally Responsive Impact: Explore how culturally responsive child care can positively shape communities and society.
  • Value Parental Knowledge: Learn the importance of recognizing and validating families’ insights as vital strengths for their children.
  • Develop a Strengths-Based Lens: Build skills to leverage cultural wealth for child development.
  • Become a Broker: See yourself as a connector who helps families access valuable community resources.

Learn skills in this module that will have a meaningful impact on your practice and the lives of families!

Note, this training opportunity is not eligible for release time funding.

Coming Soon

Module 4: Bringing It All Together

Sign up for this module starting in January 2025 and attend a session hosted in February or March!

In this final ‘live’ virtual session, you’ll come together with other educators and program leaders to put what you learned in the first three modules into practice. Through a supportive community approach, you’ll be empowered to adapt and respond to your specific setting and program needs.

In this synchronous module, you will:

  • Set Personal Goals: Identify a goal for enhancing your culturally responsive and appropriate child care practices.
  • Co-Develop a Classroom Resource: Collaborate to create a useful resource for your stakeholders.

This module provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on your learning, apply it to your current practice, and build skills that will enhance your work in early learning environments.

Join a community of educators and program leaders to solidify your knowledge and strengthen your approach to caring for all children!

Note, this training opportunity is not eligible for release time funding.

Coming Soon
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Find more resources, events, and training on the Spark Resource Hub

Access trusted tools and learn about events and activities that can grow your skills!

The Spark Resource Hub connects educators and program leaders to practical resources for strengthening culturally responsive child care. In the calendar you’ll find upcoming activities and events available across the province and online. The Resource Hub is a one-stop place to find the supports you need to spark ongoing learning and growth in your program.