Language and Literacy support strategies for migrant children in Australia

1. National Experts Meeting on Education of Migrants, 1 3-14 October 2008 Language and Literacy support strategies for migrant children in Australia

3. Starters: some quick observations… • Some 30% of our students speak a language other than English at home. • Yet no discernable difference in education performance at age 15 between Australian students from English-speaking backgrounds and Non-ESBs (PISA) • In fact, Australian students from English-speaking backgrounds are less likely to complete Year 12 than NESBs…. (LSAY) • The post-school outcomes of ESBs are as good, if not better, that NESBs.

4. Does this mean … • ….that we don’t have a problem? • …. or that we need to frame our policy questions differently?

5. The policy pragmatist’s approach : • What matters and how can we fix? • A two pronged approach: • We know that competency in the language of instruction matters – for both children and parents. • Priority: English immersion and ongoing support • We know that literacy is a good predictor of education outcomes – for all students. • Priority: Monitoring, prevention, early intervention, scaffolding for all at-risk

6. English as a Second Language – New Arrivals (ESL-NA) program • Australian Government provides funding under the ESL-NA Program to States and Territory Governments to assist with the cost of delivering intensive English language tuition to newly arrived migrant and refugee school students. • Minimum of 6 months intensive English language tuition for newly arrived migrant school students and 12 months for refugee school students. • Intensive English language tuition is provided in Intensive English Centres in metropolitan areas or within schools. • Where tuition is provided in schools, students are expected to receive a minimum of 10 hours of ESL assistance per week.

7. Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP) • Available to job seekers aged from 15 years. • Assists with language, literacy and numeracy skills to enable participants to achieve sustainable employment or undertake further education and/or training. • LLNP provides up to 800 hours of contextualised training tailored to meet the individual needs, aspirations and circumstances of the client.

8. Adult Migrant English Program – AMEP • education and settlement program • “basic” English skills - reading, writing, speaking, listening • Up to 510 hours tuition for adults, but also available to 16-18 year olds who are unable to attend English classes in school. • Up to 400 additional hours English language tuition is available for some humanitarian entrants under the Special Preparatory Program.

9. States provide a range of language support programs also … • Time to Talk (Western Australia) • Oral language package for NESBs and Indigenous students in early school years to build on English native language skills

10. ESL specialist teachers • Recognised courses at graduate and post graduate levels. • There is no unmet demand in our universities… • …but do we have adequate numbers opting for these courses? • How well do we provide for ongoing professional support? • … what about mainstream teachers – all teachers are teachers of English and literacy ?

11. But by far the focus is on literacy skills… • $577.4M in 07/08 Federal Budget to fund a range of literacy support projects across states and territories – some specifically targeted at migrant students • Reading Recovery including vouchers for one-to-one tutoring for primary and secondary students with low literacy skills • Assessment tools and teaching resources • State Literacy strategy for whole-of-school approach to literacy (NSW) • Professional development in literacy teaching (NSW, Qld, Vic, NT…. ) • Extra specialist literacy support for teachers (ACT) • Parents as Tutors (ACT) • …… and the list goes on…..

12. Outside the school… • A big emphasis on reading resources: • Significant investment in children and family friendly library services • Early Childhood Learning Resources for parents, carers and practitioners to introduce and develop early literacy and numeracy learning to young children • Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY)

13. And the final word is on … • monitoring, assessment, reporting…

14. We monitor general progress of our immigrants… • Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia (LSIA) • Respondents from an administrative Settlement Database and followed over time • Topics covered include English language proficiency and learning, education and qualifications, employment, health, labour force activity and more. • First two (out of three) surveys completed included migrants at least 15 years of age

15. ..And we are starting younger and staying longer with monitoring and assessment in schools… • Longitudinal qualitative information on our youth (15- 25yos) (LSAY), tied to PISA and maybe TALIS in future • Ministers agreed to standardised assessment in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in schools • Have we got balance between accountability and formative assessment right? • Now rolling out nationally Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) • Community-based school readiness tool • In the year before compulsory education • 5 domains (physical health and wellbeing, social competency, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, communication skills, general knowledge)

16. Australian Delegation to the OECD