Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemSupporting English as an Additional Language student wellbeing in secondary schools: Teacher perspectives and a group psychoeducational program( 2022)Objectives: There is increasing recognition that English as an Additional Language (EAL) students need additional support to thrive in an English-speaking country, particularly when adapting to a new country and developing English language skills. Yet, the understanding of their acculturative needs is limited. Further, no targeted interventions for their psychological adaptation or wellbeing are available in secondary school contexts. The present study aimed to address this gap in knowledge and practice. Methods: Mixed methods were used. In Phase 1, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three EAL teachers. In Phase 2, the adapted Coping with Study Abroad (CSA) program was piloted with 25 EAL students in an Australian secondary school. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated using a repeated-measures design (n = 20) and a qualitative feedback survey (n = 6). Results: EAL students experienced pervasive stresses in various aspects of school life, including learning (e.g., language barriers to participating in class activities) and wellbeing (e.g., negative emotions due to difficulty communicating in English). While the adapted CSA program provided an opportunity for EAL students to connect with each other, no significant changes were found between the pre- and post-intervention scores in proactive coping behaviours, psychological wellbeing, and negative stereotype about help-seeker. Conclusions: There are strengths and limitations in the current school practice and the adapted program for EAL students. To effectively support EAL students in secondary school, wellbeing support and English language skills development should work in synergy, with each enhancing the other.
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ItemTranslingual language education: towards the resourceful speaker( 2017)The aim of this research report is to outline a preliminary guide of how to implement translingual language education. Currently, language education is based on modernist ideas about language. Learners are expected to master the same standard form as a native speaker does. Few language students achieve this goal. Minority language students are particularly disadvantaged, as this approach to education hinders their ability to access the majority language. Their home languages are often ignored or forbidden by teachers which has led to academic failure. The translingual approach is grounded in the work of multilingual education researchers, and poststructuralist sociolinguistic scholarship. This report answers questions about how a translingual approach can support language minority and majority students to adopt new attitudes and skills in line with modern research. These skills include being resourceful speakers who are able to adapt to the communication needs of the moment. This report uses a literature review of published academic works describing the translingual teaching practices of teachers in Western contexts. The analysis revealed possible ways for teachers to model a new attitude towards languages, and utilise their students’ language resources. The report provides recommendations for facing future challenges in the field.
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ItemTicking boxes, kicking goals: teacher perceptions of their professional learning within the 2014 Victorian performance and development process( 2016)Australian performance and development processes have been viewed by teachers as having little impact on their teaching and were mainly fulfilled out of compliance, according to a 2009 OECD study. This research details how the current Victorian Performance And Development Guidelines (DEECD, 2014a) represent a change in framing from past policies and how teachers interact with and perceive this new process. This project used a narrative inquiry methodology providing participant teachers with opportunities to articulate and reflect on their learning through a six-month period of their review cycle. The narrative of their experience was analysed using Positioning Theory which was useful in exploring the interplay of factors perceived by teachers to shape their learning over time. These include the negotiation of agreement with leaders, developing understanding of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, and a focus on the production of evidence within the goal-setting cycle. Factors were also identified that may need addressing to support the full realisation of the policy’s potential in the lives of teachers and students.
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ItemThe performance of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students on a high-stakes writing test( 2016)This study considers the performance of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) candidates compared with L1 candidates on a high-+stakes test of argumentative writing. The test is part of a cross-curricular scaling test used to assist in the ranking of Year 12 students for the purpose of university entrance selection. How do the scores of each subgroup differ and why don’t the CALD candidates achieve in the top score range? The rhetorical strategies used by each subgroup will be considered. The results of this study provide insights into the rhetorical features preferred by each group and may inform the work of secondary teachers, language teacher educators and assessment boards.
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ItemExploring the identities of English teachers from India and Sri Lanka teaching in Australia( 2015)This study focuses on the experiences of teachers of English from India and Sri Lanka, who have migrated to Australia and are currently teaching in Australia. According to the native speaker/nonnative speaker dichotomy (Kachru, 1990) English teachers who live and work outside native English speaking countries are labelled as Nonnative English Speaking Teachers (NNESTs). Following the impact of colonialism, a number of individuals in former colonies such as India and Sri Lanka use English as a native language/first language (L1)/mother tongue (MT)/co-first language. However, they are not considered to be native speakers (NSs) or Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) based on several factors including nationality and country of origin. Instead they are referred to as NNESTs which bears a negative connotation as the prefix ‘non’ suggests a deficit. Therefore, this study proposes a more progressive and inclusive term to address teachers who belong to this category by opting for the term Bilingual English Speaking Teacher (BEST) as used by Jenkins (2003). It is believed that using the term BEST will invest migrant teachers with more agency and a more positive linguistic identity. Studies on English teacher identity reveal that when BESTs migrate to native English speaking countries to teach English, their personal and professional identities are challenged. Therefore, this study aims to explore the identities of these teachers by asking the following questions: What are the differences in BESTs’ linguistic and teacher identities between Australia and the BEST’s home country? What challenges do BESTs face in entering the field of ELT in Australia? The study was largely qualitative, including case studies of four female English teachers (three Indian and one Sri Lankan), using a combination of semi-structured interviews, a classroom observation and narrative inquiry. The data provided insights into the challenges faced by BESTs in their journey of being ELT professionals in two different linguistic and cultural contexts. The findings indicate that there are differences in the way BESTs are perceived in their home country and in Australia. For example, linguistic and teacher identities of BESTs were stronger in the home country as opposed to Australia due to several factors such as the social status of being an English teacher in a postcolonial society, cultural discourses associated with the teacher figure and classroom dynamics such as the power relationship between teachers and students. While some of these findings are useful in creating awareness about the identity of BESTs in the Australian adult ELT context, it is also acknowledged that a larger longitudinal study with a more diverse representation could provide more insights regarding the identity of BESTs in the Australian ELT context.
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ItemThe use of online technologies to enhance student learning and foster engagement in drama education( 2014)This thesis explores the use of various online technologies in drama education. It asks in what ways can a teacher utilise emerging technologies to enhance learning and foster engagement in drama in a secondary school context. This was a single case study undertaken in a naturalistic environment where descriptive data was obtained and analysed using an inductive approach. Students used online technologies alongside more conventional classroom practice in a Year 10 drama course, such as writing blog posts in between lessons to replace the traditional drama journal. Wikis were used to co-construct meaning on common student goals, while the teacher employed audio podcasts instead of delivering theory lectures, writing classroom notes or distributing handouts. The students also used a Web forum as a repository for research information and a place for teamwork. This blended learning approach: a mixture of face-to-face instruction accompanied by out-of-class online communication, resulted in a student-centred, constructivist environment that exposed the different learning styles of the students. During the course of this study, due to the use of online technologies many students experienced increased engagement in their learning, enhanced cooperation with others, a sense of collegiality with classmates, and improved learning outcomes.