Dodgy data, language invisibility and the implications for social inclusion: A critical analysis of indigenous student language data in Queensland Schools

As part of the ‘Bridging the Language Gap’ project undertaken with 86 State and Catholic schools across Queensland, the language competencies of Indigenous students have been found to be ‘invisible’ in several key and self-reinforcing ways in sch

Discharge Phone Call on Unplanned Readmission Due to Chemotherapy Among Cancer Patients

The transition after hospitalization is a vulnerable period when adverse events like unplanned readmissions may occur. Unplanned readmissions with patients undergoing chemotherapy that are the result of gaps in communicating the discharge plan may be preventable. Several transitional care interventions have been explored, and one of these is the nurse discharge phone call. This project explored the effect of a nurse-led transitional discharge phone call within 30-days after hospital discharge on unplanned readmission due to chemotherapy among patients in the medical-oncology compared to patients without a nurse-led transitional discharge phone call. A nurse-led transitional discharge phone call was implemented within 48 to 72 hours after discharge from the medical-oncology unit of a hospital in the northeastern region of United States to determine its effectiveness in reducing the number of unplanned readmissions due to chemotherapy. The Donabedian model, the Iowa model of evidence-based practice to promote quality care, the diffusion of innovation theory, and the health belief model served as the theoretical underpinnings of the project. Seven patients undergoing chemotherapy received the discharge phone call, and none were readmitted due to cancer-related complications. The unplanned hospital readmission rate was 0% compared to the 14.17% in 2017. The findings of this project might contribute to positive social change by helping the community of patients on chemotherapy to have a better transition process through acquiring necessary information for their postdischarge care and thus mitigating the possible causes of unplanned hospital readmission

From the periphery to the centre: Securing the place at the heart of the TESOL field for First Nations learners of English as an Additional Language/Dialect

Indigenous learners of English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) have historically not been the central focus of TESOL expertise here in Australia, or overseas. Despite moves towards inclusion increasing over the last two decades, there is an ongoing tendency for Indigenous EAL/D learners to remain on the periphery of current TESOL advocacy, research and practices in Australia. They are still often overlooked, as identification processes and support settings for migrant and refugee services are mismatched to Indigenous EAL/D learning contexts. Indigenous EAL/D learners, especially with un-/under-recognised contact languages (creoles and related varieties), can remain invisible in classrooms with mainstream curriculum and assessment practices (Angelo, 2013; Angelo & Hudson, 2018; Gawne et al., 2016; Macqueen et al., 2019). Hence, we argue that understanding and consideration of Indigenous EAL/D learners’ needs should become a priority in TESOL initiatives. This paper aims to place Indigenous EAL/D learners at the centre by alerting the TESOL field to a recent body of research and development on new Indigenous contact languages and whole class EAL/D teaching and assessment practices. Clarifying substantial issues and providing solutions, the paper makes Indigenous EAL/D its central focus, highlighting areas that otherwise result in “forgettings” about needs particular to Indigenous EAL/D learners.Thus informed, the Australian TESOL profession will surely include First Nations EAL/D learners at the heart of future discourse and initiatives

Sad stories: a preliminary study of NAPLAN practice texts analysing students’ second language linguistic resources and the effects

This paper analyses practice texts produced by Indigenous students who are first language (L1) speakers of the local variety of Torres Strait Creole, and second language (L2) learners of Standard Australian English (SAE). Writing such texts served as preparation for the writing component of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). These students had been exposed to classroom instruction on the schematic discourse organisation of the preannounced test genre, a narrative, and had been given repeated practice of writing this genre under NAPLAN-like conditions. Analysis of their texts reveals that they attempt to implement this classroom instruction, but their levels of L2 proficiency impact greatly on the texts they generate. Their writing displays a wide range of non-target language features, which suggest that teaching approaches would need to include explicit instruction of SAE. This preliminary study raises issues for further investigation around the narrowed or even hidden curriculum for L2 learners of SAE in a high stakes testing environment.ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences, School of Language Studies; ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, School of Culture, History and Languag

Learning and teaching Gumbaynggirr through story: Behind the scenes of professional learning workshops for teachers of an Aboriginal language

This study unpacks characteristics of the Gumbaynggirr context and aligns them to the rationale, development, and delivery of a set of workshops designed to support community members teaching their language in schools in New South Wales, Australia. In this community adults learn Gumbaynggirr primarily via material made available through historical and linguistic research. Community language revival endeavours have been in progress for some years and are now further expanding into schools. Supporting school teaching of languages being revived is a complex yet under-reported matter, a gap this paper starts to fill. To this end we detail how the strengths of personnel and language resources at the heart of Gumbaynggirr revival efforts allow story to emerge as a focus for the workshops. The project is a collaboration between local community members and university-based colleagues some distance away. The behind-the-scenes planning for the workshops and associated learning and teaching resources are the basis of the research reported here. Methodologically it responds to a community-determined agenda and applies a translational research intent. That is, it shows how tailored input from academic disciplines can maximize language and culture outcomes for teacher development in a revival context.National Foreign Language Resource Cente

Countering misrecognition of Indigenous contact languages and their ecologies in Australia

The current Indigenous language landscape in Australia includes new Indigenous contact languages as well as traditional Indigenous languages and Englishes. Even though some new Indigenous contact languages are estimated to have the largest speakership of any Indigenous language currently spoken in Australia, speakers of contact languages do not have commensurate visibility in policy and service provision. They are 'misrecognised'. Through compiled publications, some collaborative, this thesis takes an interdisciplinary approach, using a range of methods, to present a contextualised analysis of the misrecognition of contemporary Indigenous contact languages in Australia. This investigation of the minoritised positioning of Indigenous contact languages pays special attention to the problem of misrecognition. Where the languages used by speakers of contact languages are not recognised and responded to appropriately, other languages are assumed in their stead, or else their significant communicative role in their language community is misjudged. As misrecognition involves other languages, a typology of contemporary Indigenous language ecologies is developed as a place-based tool for conceptualising common language configurations, a legacy of colonisation. This typology represents different language ecologies according to the main language type spoken as a community vernacular in a specific place, whether it is a contact language, a traditional language or a variety of English. Establishing the typology allows us to show what is distinctive about contact language ecologies in contrast to the other types of language ecologies. The on-the-ground dynamics of misrecognition are established in the thesis through case studies of contact language speaking areas. These make manifest the ramifications of (mis)recognition for effective policy and equitable services delivery for speakers of contact languages. From this grounded foundation, it is possible to explore the issue via linguistics, education or community perspectives. A compilation of published studies in each of these domains illuminates different facets of misrecognition. In four linguistics studies, this includes identifying and differentiating the contact languages, their particular forms and their histories and ecologies and describing previously unrecognised language features. In three education studies, this encompasses the manner and extent to which speakers of contact languages are identified and provided for in first and second language learning classroom contexts. Two studies about community connections showcase innovative ways of working with speakers of contact languages to promote recognition of their language and its situation. This thesis makes three major contributions to the area of Indigenous languages and education. The first is the development of the typology of Indigenous language ecologies which has potential to assist with differentiating policies and service delivery needs for speakers of contact languages. Second, the thesis puts on the map the misrecognition of students with contact language backgrounds who are taught in mainstream English medium classrooms. This research identifies teacher awareness as a major issue. Third, the thesis introduces a co-designed process for creating vernacular language visualisations with a contact language speaking community. The goal of this process is an increase in contact language recognition and community language awareness, which has been reported observationally. In sum, as an outsider researcher in Indigenous communities yet an insider teacher-linguist it is my hope to foster recognition and counter misrecognition of speakers of Indigenous contact languages and their ecologies. The benefits of this are expected to be a more consistent place for contact languages and their speakers in policy and delivery of services, including education

La motivation scolaire, plans d'intervention

"Cette recherche a été subventionnée par le Ministère de l'éducation dans le cadre du Programme d'aide à la recherche sur l'enseignement et l'apprentissage"Également disponible en version papierTitre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 5 déc. 2009)Bibliogr.: p. 151-15

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding’s multiple complications: when complications arise even after 30 years, a case report.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a popular bariatric surgical procedure. The introduction of laparoscopy has increased the use of this procedure, making it the most commonly performed bariatric surgery. Patients undergoing LAGB have achieved satisfactory results in terms of weight loss, a reduction in co-morbidities, and improved quality of life. Nonetheless, complications with LAGB are well documented and include migration, erosion, prolapse, infection, pouch dilation, gastric perforation, and most commonly, lack of weight loss following the failure of the procedure. This case report presents a patient with slippage and pouch dilation, erosion of the stomach, and port site problems, including infection, occurring 28 years after LAGB