Transition from senior secondary to tertiary languages study: student attitudes in three Sydney schools

This paper reports on a small study of attitudes to tertiary language study amongst senior secondary language learners in three independent New South Wales schools. The study examines what elements of preparedness may be the most effective in supporting transition to tertiary study for this sample of languages students. An analysis of survey data indicates that motivation, confidence in language achievement, and the construction of a 'future self' as a language user and learner appear to be useful elements positively supporting transition to tertiary study. Findings from this study point to a relationship between the construction of 'future selves' as language users, and academic performance, motivation, self-esteem and aspiration

Mentoring students’ intercultural learning during study abroad

Globally, study abroad programmes in the university sector have grown markedly over the last two decades, alongside the increased mobility of capital, goods, and people across the world (Block, Gray, and Holborow 2012, Duchêne and Heller 2012). The higher education sector has introduced various initiatives in order to address these ‘new times’ (New London Group 1996), including internationalised curricula with an intercultural dimension, and the option to study abroad for a component of a degree. Indeed, the opportunity to incorporate study abroad experiences into degree programmes is attractive for individuals seeking professional qualifications to work in internationally connected space

Dispelling the monolingual myth: exploring literacy outcomes in Australian bilingual programs

The enduring monolingual mindset in English-speaking countries results in widespread belief that additional language learning takes time away from literacy in the societal language. Yet, extensive research has shown that time spent learning additional languages enhances learners’ literacy skills, providing first language literacy is sufficiently supported. This paper examines the achievements of students at four primary schools in Australia, where bilingual programmes were implemented to teach subject content through an additional language. Data from the national standardised literacy and numeracy assessment were gathered to compare students within the bilingual programmes with those not in the bilingual programmes. Results show higher performance for students in the bilingual programmes compared to their peers in monolingual classes. Drawing on data from a broader study of formal and informal assessment in these schools, this paper presents the standardised test results and teacher qualitative beliefs about literacy development. Findings show that the bilingual style of learning suits children irrespective of many contextual factors and that children’s literacy in English is enhanced by the addition of a second or subsequent language

An Arts-Informed Teacher Identity for Intercultural Language Teaching

This chapter argues that a language teacher's identity develops in a particular way when the teacher embeds an intercultural orientation and an arts-­informed pedagogical approach in their teaching of languages and cultures. An intercultural language education curriculum enhanced by an arts-informed pedagogy (Forehand, J Philos Hist Educ 58:77-82, 2008; Piazzoli, Embodying language in action: the artistry of process drama in second language education. Palgrave Mac­millan, London, 2018; Shier, Foreign Lang Ann 23:301-314, 1990) can allow language teachers to prepare their learners to mediate meaning and 'absorb' per­spectives (Bresler, The Routledge international handbook of intercultural arts research. Routledge, London, 2016). As the idea of 'intercultural', or the "lan­guage-culture nexus" (Risager, Language and culture: global flows and local com­plexity. Multilingual Matters, Clevedon, 2006, p. 185), is a dynamic notion, presumably a creative dynamism resulting from arts integrated with languages will result in richer teaching and learning. The claim "who I am is how I teach" (Farrell, Reflections on language teacher identity research. Routledge, New York and London, 2017, p. 183) refers to the close relationship between teacher identities and their personal and professional lives (Barkhuizen, Reflections on language teacher identity research. Routledge, New York and London, 2017). If the language teacher's identity is shaped by artistic and creative ways of knowing, then intercultural teaching and learning of languages may be oriented in that way. This chapter proposes that understanding teachers' arts-oriented identities can result in both teachers and learners acting as intercultural mediators (Witte, Blending spaces: mediating and assessing intercultural competence in the L2 classroom. De Gruyter Mouton, Boston/Berlin, 2014) in the 'interpretive zones' (Bresler, The Routledge international handbook of intercultural arts research. Routledge, London, 2016) between the two ( or more) languages and cultures in teachers' and learners' repertoires

Webs and rainbows: accomplished language teaching and Pelangi magazine bridging

What makes one nation curious about another nation? Curious enough that the study of the other's culture and language becomes a natural commitment or something that could be described as a national project? This question lies behind much of the writing in this book as it explores the history, education policy and changing fortunes of the Indonesian/Malay language in Australia. While formal education programs are central to this discussion, individual effort and chance encounters with the language are also examined in the context of Australia's evolving historical ties with its near neighbours. These relationships have grown in importance since the end of the Second World War, but Australians typically continue to view the region as 'testing'. This is exemplified by the Australian–Indonesian relationship, the primary focus of this volume. While much has been written on the political relationship, this book builds its view of the two countries’ interactions on the cultural activity of language learning. This is, perhaps, the most fundamental of cultural activities in any effort to promote mutual understandin

Dispelling the monolingual myth: exploring literacy outcomes in Australian bilingual programmes

© 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. The enduring monolingual mindset in English-speaking countries results in widespread belief that additional language learning takes time away from literacy in the societal language. Yet, extensive research has shown that time spent learning additional languages enhances learners’ literacy skills, providing first language literacy is sufficiently supported. This paper examines the achievements of students at four primary schools in Australia, where bilingual programmes were implemented to teach subject content through an additional language. Data from the national standardised literacy and numeracy assessment were gathered to compare students within the bilingual programmes with those not in the bilingual programmes. Results show higher performance for students in the bilingual programmes compared to their peers in monolingual classes. Drawing on data from a broader study of formal and informal assessment in these schools, this paper presents the standardised test results and teacher qualitative beliefs about literacy development. Findings show that the bilingual style of learning suits children irrespective of many contextual factors and that children’s literacy in English is enhanced by the addition of a second or subsequent language