Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemFace-to-face : cross-cultural communication with Somali-speaking parents( 2008)This research thesis reports on an investigation of cross-cultural communication at one Victorian primary school, at which the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of the staff and a sizeable proportion of the parents differ markedly. This qualitative, case study investigated the perspectives of one group of parents, all from a Somali speaking background, and school staff about the current levels of cross-cultural communication and how these key stakeholders believed home/school links could be improved. Data for this investigation were gathered from parent participants through group and individual interviews, some of which were conducted in Somali with the assistance of a bilingual research assistant. Consideration of these participants' vulnerable social status (Liamputtong, 2007), was an important aspect of this research process thus ensuring these parents, seldom heard within the school environment, had the opportunity to express their opinions and relate their experiences of cross-cultural communication with school staff. The data collection process, therefore, provides a model for excellent cross-cultural communication between an institution, such as a school, and a marginalised parent community. Written questionnaires, comprising open-ended and some ranked questions were used to investigate staff perspectives of cross-cultural communication. This was followed by a group interview with some staff members in which issues were discussed with greater depth. This research project revealed that the low-levels of cross-cultural communication noted at this school are not an indication of the level of goodwill held by Somali-speaking parents and school staff. On the contrary, all participants expressed a strong desire to learn more about the other and for communication levels to improve, recognising the importance of strong home/school links in improving educational outcomes for students. Through the suggestions, opinions and experiences of participants, a series of recommendations are made in this report, so that the momentum of improved communication, initiated by the research project, might be continued at the school, or within similar educational contexts.
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ItemEthnic community schools in Victoria : case studies of three after-hours ethnic schools( 2000)In recent years, interest in the state of ethnic community languages in Australia has brought heightened attention to after-hours ethnic schools and the important role they play in the maintenance and development of languages other than English (LOTEs). While the importance of ethnic schools and their language teaching and maintenance role is today widely recognized by the Australian government, these schools also fulfil a number of other functions for their communities in addition to simply being providers of languages. A descriptive analysis of the cases of three after-hours ethnic schools and their current situation and role is presented in this study with the intent to compare and broaden the view of these schools and their roles and functions. This study examines the current situation and roles of ethnic schools in Victoria using a case study approach within a qualitative research method of inquiry. Extensive data were gathered from participant observations, document analyses, and interviews with parents, teachers and administrators associated with the Latvian, Chinese and Somali ethnic schools. The schools chosen for this study emanate from three very different communities, with contrasting cultures and varying histories of development in Australia. Hence, case studies of each of the schools illustrate their unique process of development; their distinct characteristics, curriculum emphases and instructional approaches; the ways in which the schools are organized and maintained; and their stated aims and goals. Findings from this study showed notable similarities and differences among the three schools. When comparing the schools, variations are in terms of the levels of education they offer, the size of their student enrollment, their curriculum emphases and instructional approaches, the ways in which the schools are organized and maintained, their student population and their varying levels of language competency, as well as differences in the degree of involvement of parents and members from their community. While differing in many respects, the prime aim of these schools is to teach and maintain their ethnic community languages and cultures. Their implicit functions are also to assist in family communication; to develop friendship and a sense of community among students, parents and other schools members; and to socialize and promote in students a strong sense of ethnic identity.
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ItemDifficulties in maintenance of ethnic language and culture in a multicultural society: with particular reference to Italian families in Melbourne( 1981)The growing political awareness and acknowledgment of Australia's multicultural society produced in the seventies an increasing number of reports on the needs of the ethnic communities. The Government acknowledges that it is now essential to encourage the development of a multicultural attitude in Australian society to foster the maintenance of cultural heritage and promote intercultural understanding. The long-awaited signs of widespread implementation of stated policies and recommendations have been disappointingly slow in emerging. This is attributed to the slowness of a change in attitude throughout the community. Because the Australian school system is not in tune with the multicultural society of today, children of ethnic parents are not receiving equal education opportunities with their Australian peers. Through lack of recognition of their ethnic language and culture by schools, children of ethnic parents are rejecting their mother tongue. In a series of case studies of Italian families in Melbourne, the mother's attitude was seen as the most important factor in language maintenance at the present time. Attitudes were seen to differ, not according to social class, educational level or region of origin, but according to individual values and beliefs. The importance of maintenance of ethnic language and culture for the traditional cohesiveness of the Italian family ethos is stressed, but is seen as resting on a tenuous thread.