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Effective English Speaking

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Importance of Speaking English
By Adrienne Robertson
While most newcomers could probably list about a hundred things that scare or worry them about leaving home and
moving to a new, unfamiliar place, all of these issues finding a job, choosing a doctor, making friends are influenced by
our ability to communicate within our communities.
True, many people settle in areas near family or other immigrants from the same part of the world so the language is
easier, but there comes a time when every newcomer needs to step out of his or her safety zone. Learning and speaking
English is an important step in the settlement process because it helps newcomers obtain better jobs, get involved in their
communities, participate in events, vote with confidence and express themselves.
According to Statistics Canada, the 2006 Census showed that 98 percent of the population can speak one or both official
languages. In addition, English or French is spoken at least regularly at home by 94 percent of Canadians. English or
French is spoken most often at home by 89 percent of the population, sometimes in combination with a non-official
language.
On the other hand, only 80 percent of the population report English and French as their mother tongue (58 percent and 22
percent respectively). The remaining 20 percent have a mother tongue other than English or French (these include
Aboriginal languages).
The lack of English can make it difficult to become an active, happy member of Canadian society. While there are many
close-knit groups in cities like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver and plenty of newcomers who thrive within their own
communities, these people may not have all the same opportunities as other Canadians.
Ibrahim Absiye, Executive Director of CultureLink, a Toronto-based settlement agency for new Canadians, says
communication "opens the door for employment, integration and education." In Toronto, speaking English can be the first
step to clear, effective communication. Absiye identifies "5 C’s" for new immigrants; they are five major challenges, all
starting with the letter C:
1. Colour: barriers as related to race and appearance.
2. Cultural Confusion: newcomers may expect one thing of Canada and experience something
different.
3. Climate: it is often shocking to newcomers that up to seven months out of the year are spent
indoors.
4. Computers: many new immigrants are not as experienced with technology as we expect them
to be and this can prevent them from accessing some information.
5. Communication: not being able to converse with the people around you can lead to
frustration, isolation and missed opportunities.
Absiye calls communication a key step to settlement and considers language barriers one of the biggest problems
newcomers will face when they move to Canada.
According to a 2005 study by Statistics Canada, one in four newcomers found learning English or French to be one of the
biggest challenges in their settlement process. They considered it the second biggest difficulty only after finding an
adequate job, which can also be affected by a newcomer’s ability to speak English.
Analyses of data from the 2006 Census on immigration and citizenship, conducted by Stats Canada, showed that 70
percent of the foreign-born population does not speak English or French as a first language. This group is formed mainly by
immigrants who arrived in Canada between 2001 and 2006 close to 1,110,000 newcomers.
Ticket to Employment
The employment rate of immigrants increases with their ability to speak English. Newcomers with stronger English are also
more likely to find jobs related to their preferred fields.
This is why it can be so beneficial to attend an ESL class, join a discussion circle or seek out a settlement agency for help
with the English language, especially when these services are both excellent and free. The skills newcomers can learn in

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Importance of Speaking English By Adrienne Robertson While most newcomers could probably list about a hundred things that scare or worry them about leaving home and moving to a new, unfamiliar place, all of these issues – finding a job, choosing a doctor, making friends – are influenced by our ability to communicate within our communities. True, many people settle in areas near family or other immigrants from the same part of the world so the language is easier, but there comes a time when every newcomer needs to step out of his or her safety zone. Learning and speaking English is an ...
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