By: juan josé jiménez garcía  (Page 2/8)

Integration in western societies has been approached from a stance of multiculturalism to assume positions closer to interculturalism. Integration is a relatively static position based on tolerance and respect toward other cultures, but where a culture dominates another one. Interculturalism, on the other hand, dynamically emphasizes that interaction is what matters, recognizing that the culture is an interactive phenomenon that cannot be isolated. It is necessary to affirm one’s own culture in relation to the others, and this is achieved by creating an atmosphere in which everyone can contribute and that those contributions are susceptible of exchange and critical valuation. Interculturalism provides a broader scope than multiculturalism because part of recognizing cultural diversity is positioning cultural interaction itself as an educative force.

The object of the debates focuses on the population of Talayuela. The majority of its inhabitants come from the northeast zone of Morocco, mainly of Oujuda, Taourirt, and Jerada. These territories are semi-desert zones, where the main economic sources are agriculture and livestock. Many families give thanks to the money sent by their relatives that have immigrated to Europe.

Because of the process of family regrouping, there has been a considerable increase of women and children. The number of immigrant families who reside in the zone at the moment is very high, and because most are large families, the number of children in school has increased remarkably.

There is still an immigrant population with a temporary way of thinking, but the stability of immigrant families is becoming a more and more consolidated reality, not only Maghribian, but also of other nationalities. In Talayuela, 41% of their population consists of immigrants.

To prepare the children of immigrants for the labor market, in Spain as in their countries of origin, is of primary concern for the educative institution I.E.S. (International Education of Students) “San Martín” of Talayuela. Today the center counts 405 students of which 103 are of Moroccan origin. Most of the students are in secondary obligatory education (ESO) and the rest are distributed between high school and formative cycles. The institute began in the 1997-98 course year with an already noticeable percentage of immigrant students.

Immigrant students can integrate into society when they receive the kind of attention that this center gives them. The center has a Temporary Classroom of Linguistic Adaptation (ATAL) in operation, along with classrooms of Linguistic Compensation (ACL) that facilitate the adaptation of foreign students to the Spanish educative system. The same procedures take place in other Spanish communities. Students take great advantage of these activities and workshops.

Attention to immigrant pupils in the i.e.s. (international education of students) “san martín”

The I.E.S. San Martín of Talayuela has the necessary and official means needed to attend to immigrant pupils. When the student arrives, the Department of Direction evaluates the level of knowledge of the language and fundamental subjects, and based on this initial evolution the student is assigned to some of the classrooms of ATAL or ACL (linguistic compensation).