In a primary school in London, Portuguese-speaking third- and fourth-graders are eagerly waiting to kickoff their British Science Week, not with a conventional science lesson but a hands-on experience like no other!
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They'll extract DNA from fruit, scrutinize hairs under a microscope and build robots, all in Portuguese, their mother tongue! This workshop is the brainchild of the pan-European nonprofit, Native Scientists.
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Let's meet Tiago Alves, who was born and raised in London by a Portuguese immigrant family. Tiago shares how participating in a Native Scientists workshop helped him realise being bilingual is an asset.
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For kids from migrant families, adapting to new school systems can be tough. Often, language becomes a barrier. This innovative approach by Native Scientists lets these kids see that their heritage language is also a language of science.
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Since 2014, Native Scientists has been using science educational programs in a 'speed-date' format to connect children and scientists from the same migrant community.
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The success of Native Scientists is rooted in their concept of science 'tapas': Short, engaging interactions with scientists in the students' home language. This helps students see their bilingualism as an asset in their professional future.
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Many initiatives are helping to improve the quality of education for migrant children. For instance, Native Scientists has made over 25,000 connections between scientists and children in numerous languages.
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Researchers believe immigrant youth who grow up bilingual benefit from greater cognitive flexibility which aids adaptability to life's challenges. It's time we see migrant children as assets enriching the school system.
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Apart from driving children's interest in science, Native Scientists also hopes to provide role models for migrant students, inspiring them to aim for higher education and reaffirming their connection to their roots.
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This is an auto-generated thread. The original article can be found here: https://reasonstobecheerful.world/science-tapas-migrant-children/. #Bot #GoodNews #TheBrightSide
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At the end of the day, it's not just about fostering a love for science. Just like Tiago, who's now pursuing a PhD in physics, students feel proud of their backgrounds and realize they can be successful while maintaining their cultural connections.
