DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS
The Plan for the Educative Attention of Immigrant Students answers the need of taking into consideration in educative action the growing phenomenon of immigration.
The Plan consists of a first part, theoretical, in which a reflection upon the migratory movements is made, and quantitative data is provided about schooled immigrant students. It highlights the necessity of overcoming the assimilation perspective that pretends the mere accommodation to the dominant culture, in favor of a multicultural approach, that respects cultural diversity and takes into consideration the equal rights and duties between all the members of the different cultures.
In the second part of the Plan, the seven main points that must be achieved are pointed out, and the foreseen measures to do so are described. The Plan proposes the facilitation of schooling of all the boys and girls who belong to immigrant families in the same terms that Andalusian students; to favor that the schools elaborate intercultural School Projects that ease and promote the processes of exchange, interaction and cooperation between cultures; to encourage support programs for the learning of the Spanish language; to facilitate the learning of the mother tongue of the students so that they do not lose the connection with their original culture; favoring a coexistence, respect and tolerance atmosphere in schools, especially in areas that accommodate immigrant families, fomenting the schools to be a meeting and diffusion center of the democratic values, not only of the educative community but of the neighborhood itself; to encourage the formation of adult immigrants, focusing specially in the parents whose children are schooled in basic education; and to promote Plans of Social Integration for the most disfavored immigrant population with the participation of different administrations and nonprofit organizations.
COMMENTS ON THIS PUBLICATION
The development of an educative framework according to the necessities of each socio-historical moment and its subsequent execution in plans supposes a essential element in the developing of a society. The Plan included here must be understood as an initiative derived from the Solidarity in Education Law, passed by the Parliament of Andalusia in December, 1999, which includes among its objectives that of promoting the value of interculturalism, by integrating in the educative field the richness that supposes the knowledge and respect of cultural diversity, which must be translated into the elaboration from the part of the schools of School Projects, based in the attention to said diversity and exchange, interaction and cooperation between the different cultures represented by the schooled students.
The Plan also stems from a social demand facing the growing multiculturalism in Andalusian society. It is necessary to include in the educative action the Intercultural Education as a response to the educative system faced with the new social features and demands, and as a proposal derived from the recognition and respect of the Human Rights.
The students which are sons or daughters of immigrants, especially those of African, Asian and Eastern European origin, presents three features that must be taken into account when schooling. In the first place, they come from cultures different from the Andalusian, in the second place, their mother tongue has oral and written features very different from the Spanish language, and, finally, they are students who, in general, have educative necessities derived, mainly, from situations of inequality in social and economic matters.
If in their incorporation to their schools these aspects are not taken into consideration and are not resolved in a satisfactory manner, the probability of school failure and loss of motivation are very high. Besides, when people do not speak the school language they will have problems, not only related to school results, but also to their relations with the social and school environment.