Faculty of Education - Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 2 of 2
-
ItemThe academic achievements of language centre students at a secondary college( 2001)What are the academic achievements of adolescent new-arrival English as a Second Language (ESL) students at secondary schools in Victoria, Australia? Research on Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) students in Australia has tended to neglect new arrival ESL students. To examine the academic achievements of this important subgroup of NESB students, the current study will highlight the academic achievements of a cohort of Victorian Language Centre students at a Secondary College over six years with interruption to schooling in their first language (L1) as the key variable linked to academic achievement in their second language (L2). Victorian Language Centres provide new-arrival ESL students with the English skills they need to start their secondary educations in L2. The current study examined the academic achievement of two groups of Language Centre students, those who completed their Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and those who left the Secondary College prior to completing VCE. Their academic results were summarised into spreadsheets for quantitative analysis. Subsequent to the quantitative analysis interviews were conducted with four ESL students from the Language Centre currently completing their VCE studies to provide further insight into the factors that enabled them to do their VCE. Results indicate that the academic achievements of this cohort of ESL Language Centre students are poor and that interruption to education in Ll had a major impact on the students' ability to achieve academically at the Secondary College. The study suggests that L1 education is the key variable influencing the student's ability to acquire the academic language skills necessary to meet the academic demands of secondary education, particularly the VCE. Other factors such as support for learning and strong motivation were found to help students overcome difficulties encountered in their secondary education. However, students who were unable to overcome these difficulties left the College prior to completing VCE. It was concluded that the majority of Language Centre students faced uncertain economic futures once they left the Secondary College. The results of the study suggest that Language Centre students need more support and assistance to enable them to complete VCE or to access educational alternatives to the VCE. This study also suggests that more research into the effect of L1 education on L2 education be conducted as this was found to be the key variable in the students' ability to acquire the academic language skills necessary to meet the academic demands of VCE.
-
ItemJapanese volunteer in a country school: maximising the benefits( 2000)This research arose from a need to understand the experience of Japanese Native Speaker Assistant volunteers (JNSAs) in Victorian country primary schools, so as to provide data on which all participants can draw in making improvements to the conduct and outcomes of future programs. The research questions are: 1. What is the experience? 2. How could it be made more valuable for all concerned? The research is centred on four Japanese women who volunteered to work in country schools for varying lengths of stay - 6 weeks to 9 months. The schools vary in size from 20 students to over 700 students and the volunteers vary in age and experience. A qualitative research framework was adopted incorporating on-site observations, questionnaires and interviews. Outcomes show that all programs were successful but some were more successful than others. Factors facilitating success are the setting of obtainable goals, a planned and integrated program, positive support from the Principal, acceptance into an active role throughout the school, and contact with many people. Finally, and most critically, there is the need for an energetic and capable mentor whom the volunteer can depend on for guidance and friendship.