The counter-narratives of immigrant students learning the language of schooling in Montreal concerning their experience and placements in relation to the welcoming class

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the counter-stories of immigrant students learning the language of schooling in Montreal, focusing on their stay in the welcoming class and the placement assigned to them before and after this stay. We conducted semi-structured interviews (MAY, 2011) with seven students and analyzed the data using a counter-storytelling framework (SOLÓRZANO; YOSSO, 2002). Our analysis highlights the influence of cultural capital (BOURDIEU; PASSERON, 1970) in transnational educational trajectories (KELLY; LUSIS, 2006), the use of disciplinary techniques (FOUCAULT, 1975) in the welcoming class learning processes, and the prevalence of deficit-based (DAVIS; MUSEUS, 2019) and hierarchical discourses (DHAMOON, 2009) in student evaluations and placements. Since their arrival in the Quebec school system, some students have experienced more difficult educational paths than others due to the academic requirements they are expected to meet in order to succeed.