Contemporary Trends in NZ (Activity 3)
Analysing the Trend
Migration is one of the biggest contemporary trends to effect society both in New Zealand and around the world. According to the Global Trends – Paradox of Progress article, persons who reside outside their countries of birth and forcibly displaced persons reached the highest absolute levels ever recorded in 2015, with 244 million international migrants and roughly 65 million displaced persons. ‘Migration flows will remain high during the next 2 decades as people seek economic opportunity and flee conflict and worsening environmental conditions.’ As a consequence, one in every 112 people in the world is a refugee, an internally displaced person, or an asylum seeker. This is considered to be just the beginning; with increasing conflict, environmental stresses and population growth, the figures are likely to increase.
What challenges will this trend bring? What effect will this have on education?
More so now than ever, knowing the student will be the most effective way of helping them feel welcome and learn. Teachers’ knowledge, empathy and understanding will be critical to forming convivial school/whanau relationships. As a community, it will be on everyone to be inclusive.
Conversely, migrant families will need to build knowledge of how the school culture and understand expectations and norms. The school and community can help with building assimilation into the local and school community. Building capabilities within the community will help with acceptance and mutual understanding and respect.
Extra assistance might be required for those students who come from non-English speaking homes and arrive at school unable to speak English. There are 87 schools with more than 100 students needing ESOL support – 79 of these are in Auckland, 5 in Christchurch, 2 in Hamilton and 1 in Nelson (Grieveson, 2017). Extra funding for ESOL programmes would have to be put into place. The arrival of more children is going to put extra pressure on bulging classrooms with stressed teachers and school budgets.
The face of New Zealand is changing, and our diversity is only going to continue to increase. Public awareness of divergent cultures is important to help migrants feel welcome, safe and supported. Luckily, our New Zealand Curriculum is values based which holds us in good stead for delivering an education that will meet the needs of divergent cultures.
Global Trends. (n.d.). Retrieved September 24, 2017, from https://www.dni.gov/index.php/global-trends-home
Grieveson, L. Adding up Migration’s Impact on Schools, (2017). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/06/01/31956/adding-up-migrations-impact-on-schools
Migrant Education Services 2017 – (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from
Trends Shaping Education 2016 - en. (n.d.). Retrieved October 01, 2017, from http://www.oecd.org/edu/trends-shaping-education-22187049.htm
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