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Strengthening Secondary Pathways in Community Language Programs in South Australia

Michelle KohlerAntonio MercurioAngela Scarino

出版	Community Language Schools SA, 2021-11
主題	Education / GeneralLanguage Arts & Disciplines / Study & Teaching
ISBN	09588806469780958880640
URL	http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=3xSzzgEACAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api

註釋

The Community Language Schools SA program in South Australia plays a key role in supporting the maintenance of community languages and cultures within the state. In 2019, through funding provided by the Minister for Education through the External Relations section of the Department for Education, Community Language Schools SA commissioned a study to investigate ways of strengthening students' learning of their home languages at senior secondary level.The study adopted a mixed-methods design, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from key stakeholders relevant to the Community Language Schools SA program. The data-gathering protocols, discussion and recommendations were framed around an underpinning principle of differentiation, as proposed in the Review of Ethnic Schools' Program of South Australia (Scarino & Kohler with Loechel 2018). The principle of differentiation is a necessary one in the context of community language school programs as it foregrounds the need to address the distinctive nature, histories and communities associated with particular languages in how programs and pathways may be provided through community language schools. The data analyses resulted in the following findings, which were used to develop a set of recommendations. Each of the findings is elaborated in further detail in the main body of the report.Finding 1: Community is key The primary value of community language school programs is their role in maintaining and strengthening the languages and cultures of communities in South Australia.Finding 2: Range and suitability of provisionThe language-learning pathways are wide-ranging but also need to be sufficiently flexible and responsive to the language communities to best meet the needs of the changing cohorts of learners. Finding 3: Relativity of valueStudents appreciate the value of studying a language at senior secondary level, however they make choices based on what they perceive to be of most value to them at this pivotal point in their education. Finding 4: Perceptions of success at senior secondary levelStudents' perceptions of their chances of succeeding in their language study at the senior secondary level influence their decision to continue or notFinding 5: Relationship to the mainstreamThere is a general lack of understanding and appreciation by mainstream schools of the value of language learning in the community language schools programs and the meaning that a home language holds for these studentsFinding 6: IncentivesCommunities have a strong sense of the value of the ATAR and the bonus points that studying a language attracts; these are strong incentives for students to continue to study a language to senior secondary level.Finding 7: Program and teacher support Communities and teachers, particularly in newly established programs, need on-going support to enable them to successfully access suitable pathways and in particular, to develop their expertise in navigating the requirements and culture of the SACE.Finding 8: Building community awarenessThere needs to be greater community awareness about the distinctive contribution of community language schools to the languages education ecology in South Australia and the dynamic nature of language communities and programs.