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Eating between Worlds: The Role of Food Practices in Newcomers’ Acculturation
Get PDFThis qualitative study explores the role of food practices in immigrant adjustment through Iranian newcomers in Ottawa, Canada. Using ten photo-elicitation interviews and guided by the Tridimensional Process-Oriented Acculturation Model and Resourcing Theory, I found that heritage maintenance, local adoption, and inventive ingredient combinations shape immigrants’ sense of identity in a new environment. By transforming resources at both individual and social levels, newcomers balance emotional comfort with practical realities, demonstrating that acculturation is fluid rather than a simple choice between old and new. Small decisions around preparing, sharing, and consuming meals support belonging and cultural continuity, while new tastes and methods foster adjustment. This process transcends assimilation or separation, promoting a flexible approach to cultural transitions. Though this study focuses on food, its insights have broader implications for policymakers and communities in enhancing immigrant well-being, strengthening cross-cultural relationships, and fostering inclusion in diverse social contexts
Cognitive Dimensions of Early Numeracy: Exploring Profiles of Early Math Achievement in Canadian Students
Get PDFEarly numeracy skills are critical for students’ later mathematics achievement. I applied a person-centered approach to investigate distinct mathematics skill development patterns in early childhood, using data from 664 Grade 1 students (Mage = 6.3 years, Females = 54%) in Alberta who completed the Provincial Numeracy Screening Assessment (PNSA) in Fall 2021 and in Fall 2022. A Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified four distinct profiles at the beginning of Grade 1: (1) low performers (22%), (2) students with average verbal counting skills but low performance in other measures (31%), (3) average achievers with strengths in arithmetic (17%), and (4) high achievers (30%). Moreover, profile membership in Grade 1 was strongly predictive of performance in Grade 2. Together, the findings underscore the importance of recognizing heterogeneity in early numeracy skills. Understanding the variability in the development of mathematical skills of students may help create targeted support for students’ mathematical learning
