2006年VOA标准英语-Study Shows Immigrant Students Lag Behind in 17

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
15 June 2006
 
watch Student report 

Students at school   
  
A child is resilient by nature, but adjusting to life in a new country can be even more difficult when that boy or girl doesn't understand the language spoken in school.  A recent study [sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD] of 17 countries with large immigrant populations shows that where these children live makes a big difference in how quickly they achieve in the classroom and later in life. 

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The study followed the progress of 200 million immigrant children around the world.  The focus was on children born in another land, and native children of foreign-born parents. Some countries were more successful than others at helping¹ them adapt.  

 

 
Gayle Christensen 
  

Gayle Christensen, now of the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., helped do the research. "We find that immigrant students in general are behind their native peers… if you look all across these different countries … and on average, this is about a year behind, but that masks very large regional differences."

The gap in learning can be as little as six months, or as much as three years behind. Math, reading, science, and problem-solving skills are the most critically affected².  Why such a big difference, and which countries are failing the grade?

Students seem to have the largest hurdle³ to overcome in many European countries, Germany, France, the Netherlands among them, those countries still adjusting to waves of immigrants that began after World War II.

 
An immigrant student 
  
Gayle Christensen says only recently have some of these countries begun to think of themselves as immigrant nations. "The question is how to create programs and policies that will effectively address needs.  I mean, in some countries that does mean having high expectations for immigrant students … not tracking them, or concentrating them into a small number of schools.  While this doesn't have to make a difference, it seems to be coming up in many European countries."

Countries with long traditions of immigrant populations get a better -- though not perfect -- grade.  In the United States, immigration reform is a controversial issue that has ignited⁴ passionate⁵ debate among young students.  Many students of Mexican origin recently took time out from class to demonstrate.  School districts with large numbers of immigrant families have mandated⁶ an English program for speakers of other languages.  The ESOL program, as its called, sometimes begins as early as elementary school and educators are debating whether to start even earlier.

When VOA visited Columbia Elementary School outside Washington, D.C., almost 400 kids were in the student body. Ninety were from immigrant families representing at least 30 countries. School Principal Stephanie Daugherty talks about the challenges.
 

Principal Stephanie Daugherty  
  
"We know it's a challenge for everyone involved, particularly if the child does not speak English.  So we pair that child with another student from their country who has more command in the English language.  And we make sure that the child's teacher has activities that are appropriate."

The study also showed the type of secondary education an immigrant student is placed in can have lasting⁷ economic effects.  A European style educational system has sometimes forced non-native students toward a different track: apprenticeship⁸ training, for example, rather than university, whereas⁹ the British, American and Canadian model leaves that decision until an upper grade level, which can open a wider choice of opportunities.

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 hurdle   

n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛

参考例句：

• The weather will be the biggest hurdle so I have to be ready.天气将会是最大的障碍，所以我必须要作好准备。
• She clocked 11.6 seconds for the 80 metre hurdle.八十米跳栏赛跑她跑了十一秒六。

4 ignited   

点燃，引发( ignite的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited. 爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• He ignited the wood with a band of hay. 他用一把干草引燃了这些木柴。

5 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

6 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 apprenticeship   

n.学徒身份；学徒期

参考例句：

• She was in the second year of her apprenticeship as a carpenter. 她当木工学徒已是第二年了。
• He served his apprenticeship with Bob. 他跟鲍勃当学徒。

9 whereas   

conj.而，却，反之

参考例句：

• They want a house,whereas we would rather live in a flat.他们想要一座房子，而我们宁愿住在一套房间里。
• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。