Hopes are rising that international students will be back in Australia early in 2022, but that doesn’t mean the education sector will be able to shrug off the impacts of their absence any time soon.
A draft strategy for the English-language teaching sector released in 2020 was put on hold. In revisiting the strategy, we emphasise the advantages that Australia’s multilingualism offers learners.
Dual-language instruction can help children grow up to be bilingual.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Without the opportunity to learn in dual-language programs, children may lose out on growing up to be bilingual.
Luiz Capitulino,11, and his mom Sheyla Do Vale of Brazil embrace after becoming official Canadians during a citizenship ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on Monday, Sept. 25, 2017.
CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Despite reports that multilingual students’ academic progress has ‘stalled,’ researchers find new reasons to be optimistic about how they are faring in US schools.
Purpose-built English language tests should be applied only to the proficiency they were built to test.
Shutterstock
Using purpose-built English language tests for purposes other than what they were created to test reduces the validity of these tests.
English language minority students can struggle to express themselves authentically in online courses if they are new to the conventions of Western discourse and written academic style.
(Shutterstock)
The discourse and structure of online learning can exclude English language minority students. Techniques such as video chats, “safe houses” and content-focused grading can support their success.
British Columbia Premier John Horgan gives a thumbs up after being sworn in earlier this month. Horgan’s coalition government has pledged to make education a priority.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
The new British Columbia government wants the province to shed its status as a laggard on education funding and poverty reduction. If it succeeds, B.C. will be a safer place to live.
English language tests will be used to decide Australian citizenship.
from shutterstock.com
In South Africa there’s a value judgment attached to students who take part in universities’ English for Academic Purposes programmes. This shouldn’t be the case.
Instead of scouring the developing world for healthcare staff, we should be doing more to help doctors and nurses arriving here as refugees to join in.
How prepared are we to support young Syrian refugees entering our school system?
Reuters/Marko Djurica
Under the current system, nobody is accountable for the progress of students learning English in schools – or whether funding is being used appropriately.
Freese Elementary first graders starting to paint a giant puppet with teaching artist Felix Diaz.
University of California eScholarship Repository