Newcomers Space
In response to the growing number of international families and students joining the Reggio community, our school has implemented various measures to support these crucial transitions, both cross-culturally and linguistically. These measures have led to the creation of an exciting new initiative: Reggio’s Newcomers Space, which has been operational since the 2023/2024 school year. This resource is designed to structure and facilitate the transition process.
Reggio’s Newcomers Space serves as a welcoming, open-minded and transitional area, inspired by the work of Winnicott (1951, 1971), that promotes the development of security resources on linguistic, cultural, and emotional levels. It aims to ensure a positive transition to the new educational environment. This space allows us to leverage the resources that each student and their family bring, as their native language and culture or their life experiences in various developmental contexts (family, school, community). That facilitates a smooth transition and progressive participation in the academic and sociocultural aspects of school life.
Reggio’s Newcomers Space
- Offers an open space within the school that is closely connected to school life. It has a structured yet flexible approach, allowing for suggestions and innovation.
- Begins during the admission process and supports the child and family throughout the entire school year.
- Involves comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and intensive work tailored to each student and their resources.
- Considers the family a fundamental part of the process.
Our Objectives
- Provide personalized attention to foreign students, whether or not they have knowledge of the Spanish language.
- Support the acquisition of linguistic, communicative, and curricular skills by developing necessary curricular adaptations.
- Facilitate incorporation and shorten the integration period into the Spanish educational system.
- Accompany the transition process of foreign students and their families, assisting them in navigating changes to their personal and cultural identities.
- Explore the resources that foreign students and their families can contribute to the school environment, leveraging their knowledge and life experiences to enrich the entire educational community.