Exploring Canadian Integration through Critical Discourse Analysis of English Language Lesson Plans for Immigrant Learners - a Social Problem

Oct 15, 2026

Canadian multiculturalism faces intense pressure amid right-wing xenophobic populism, while many admitted immigrants continue to experience major barriers to social and professional integration, including unemployment, low incomes, and discrimination. In response, the Canadian government established the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program, offered free to adult immigrants, to support integration into Canadian communities. Critical discourse analysis of LINC English lesson plans shows the curriculum promotes “Canadian culture” and a dominant “way of using language,” advancing assimilative aims and reproducing inequality by positioning immigrants as problematic Others. The study calls for rethinking integration through resistance possibilities, better recognition of bias and dominance, and validating newcomers’ ways of speaking and interacting.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

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Exploring Canadian Integration through Critical Discourse Analysis of English Language Lesson Plans for Immigrant Learners

A Social Problem: Calling Canadian Multiculturalism into Question

Discourses of Immigration in Canada

# Exploring Canadian Integration through Critical Discourse Analysis of English Language Lesson Plans for Immigrant Learners Marianne BarkerMcGill University ## Abstract The Canadian government implemented the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada(LINC) program to help immigrants integrate into Canada. However, research indicates thatthe LINC program fails to achieve its integrative goals. Using Fairclough’s analyticalconcepts of genre, discourse and style, this article closely examines a unit of LINC lessonplans to understand how they advance an understanding integration among classroomstakeholders (Canadian teachers and immigrant students) . The analysis reveals that the LINCcurriculum proliferates inequality between Canadians and newcomers by fostering anassimilative orientation that subjugates immigrants as problematic Others. Immigrants areexpected to conform to dominant Canadian ways of being and ways using language. Thisarticle calls for a rethinking of integration by identifying possibilities for resistance that couldshift immigrants’ positioning and reduce discrimination. This could occur through betterrecognizing bias and dominance, and through acknowledging and validating newcomers’ways of speaking and interacting. ## Résumé Créé par le Gouvernement canadien, le Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada(CLIC – LINC en anglais) a pour but de faciliter l’intégration des immigrants établis auCanada. Cependent, des résultats de recherche signalent que le programme CLIC n’atteintpas ses buts d’intégration des immigrants. Utilisant les concepts analytiques de genre, dediscours et de style de Fairclough, cet article examine de près un module de plusieurs plansde cours CLIC afin de comprendre comment ces modules visent à promouvoir l’intégrationchez les parties prenantes (enseignants canadiens et étudiants immigrants) en classe. Laproblématique soulevéepar mon analysesouligneque le programmed’études CLICprolifèrel’inégalité entre les Canadiens et les nouveaux arrivants en favorisant une orientationassimilative qui subjugue les nouveaux arrivants. On s’attend à ce que les nouveaux arrivantsse conforment aux façons d’être dominantes du Canada et aux façons d’utiliser la langue.Cet article nous invite à repenser l’intégration en identifiant les possibilités derésistance quipourraient changer le positionnement des nouveaux arrivants et réduire la discrimination.Cela pourrait se produire en identifiant les préjugés et la dominance, ainsi qu’enreconnaissant et en validant les façons de parler et d’intéragir des nouveaux arrivants. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics: 24, 1 (2021): 75-91 CJAL * RCLA Barker 76 # Exploring Canadian Integration through Critical Discourse Analysis of EnglishLanguage Lesson Plans for Immigrant Learners A Social Problem: Calling Canadian Multiculturalism into Question The ideals of Canadian multiculturalism are under unprecedented strain in thecurrent era of right-wing xenophobic populism. While massive numbers of immigrants areadmitted into Canada to support the Canadian economy and balance an ageing population(IRC Canada, 2017), immigrants continue to face major obstacles to social andprofessional integration, including unemployment, low incomes, and discrimination(Cardozo & Pendakur, 2008). Attempting to respond to these obstacles, the Canadiangovernment implemented the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)program. This government-funded English language program is offered free to adultimmigrants and aims to help “newcomers integrate into Canada and their communities”both socially and professionally (ARCHIVED - backgrounder - language instruction fornewcomers to Canada [LINC] program, 2013) . However, research has shown that theprogram falls short of its integrative goals. Ricento et al. (2008) found that LINCparticipants felt the program was inadequate in helping them achieve their academic andcareer goals. Moreover, the LINC program promotes and teache

FAQs

What integration program does the Canadian government implement for newcomers, and what is its stated goal?

The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program is a government-funded English course offered free to adult immigrants. It aims to help newcomers integrate into Canada and their communities socially and professionally.

Why does the article argue that the LINC program fails to meet its integrative goals?

The analysis suggests LINC fosters an assimilative orientation that subjugates immigrants as problematic Others. It expects immigrants to conform to dominant Canadian ways of being and using language, which proliferates inequality.

How does the article propose integration could be rethought to reduce discrimination?

It calls for identifying possibilities for resistance that can shift immigrants’ positioning. This includes better recognizing bias and dominance and validating newcomers’ ways of speaking and interacting.

Oct 15, 2026

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