A Case Study of an Elementary Teacher’s Interaction with the New Immigrant Children

Abstract

          With the increase of new female immigrants and the decrease of fertility rate in Taiwan, the percentage of babies born to new immigrants has been increasing gradually. Yet, the new immigrant children were viewed as a minority group in education, especially in the subjects of science and mathematics where the new immigrants fell behind those of native children. The purposes of this study were to examine elementary science teacher’s interaction with new immigrant children and to find the difficulties and methods of problem solving that science teacher’s deal with when faced with the new immigrant children. The case study methodology was conducted in this research. Interview, classroom observation as well as document analysis were also adopted. The main findings of this study were as follows: 1) The science teacher’s teaching strategies differed with these children. In order to help the students of immigrants, the science teacher adjusted teaching materials and methods. 2) The condition of children’s life adjustment is related to the family atmosphere. 3) With the different teaching skills and problem solved for the children of immigrants, the science teacher gains professional development.