Bissonnette and Syria

Syrian refugees: While his accent is spot on, he is not yet fluent, according to The Chronicle Herald. Bissonnette said that within three months, however, most of the kids understand and speak French with ease. And I come from Syria." George moved to Canada less than two months ago and already speaks French with little to no Arabic accent. "And do you have any brothers or sisters " asks Bissonnette, whose French-integration class includes 11 Syrian refugees aged six and seven. "I am seven years old," is his memorized reply. She is on Quebec front lines in the resettling of thousands of refugees the province wants to welcome as part of the federal government pledge to bring in 25,000 Syrians fleeing their country civil war. This year 10 classes, for children aged five to 12, are a record and reflect how immigration to the area is rapidly changing demographics. "Twenty years ago this neighbourhood population was shrinking," says Francine Caron, a social worker who acts as a link between the school and several community organizations. "Last year we added an annex to the school," she said, standing in the new building. "This is the first time we've had so many welcome classes. While Syrian children are being integrated into classrooms across the country, Quebec strict language laws force refugees settling in the province to have a sufficient knowledge of French before they can attend regular school. "They learn fast," said Bissonnette. "I repeat things often and a lot of the learning is non-verbal at first." She teaches one of 10 so-called "welcome classes" offered at Ecole François-de-Laval, in Montreal Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, which has become home to a significant percentage of immigrants, not just from Syria, but also from North and Central Africa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.