Immigration and Schooling in the 1990sProfessor Desmond Cahill , Professor of Intercultural Studies,
Faculty of Education, Language and Community Services, RMIT,
Bundoora Campus, Victoria. AbstractRelevance: This research study commissioned by the Bureau of Immigration, Multicultural and Population Research is the most comprehensive study of how Australian schools have reacted to the presence of students from immigrant backgrounds and to the immigrant and multicultural dimension in Australian Society in more than a decade. It examines in detail ESL policy, LOTE policy and racism in Australian schools. Expected Outcome: Workshop participants will be presented with the findings of the most up-to-date empirical research that was conducted across all Australian states and territories. The workshop will also place in context such current developments as the Hanson's phenomenon's impact upon schools and the language policies of the current government. Based on an Australia-wide research study which involved submissions from and consultations with Government, Catholic and Independent school authorities in all states and territories and intensive case studies of 20 schools in four Australian states, this workshop will present the conclusions from the study, drawing on actual case material. The workshop will divide into three sections: (I) ESL policy and practice in Australian schools in the context of changes in Australian immigration and refugee policy and in educational policy driven by economic rationalism (ii) LOTE policy from the perspective of language maintenance and the 1991 ALLP and (iii) cross-cultural interaction in Australian school, especially conclusions regarding racism. The conclusions will be placed in the context of recent developments, in particular current government language policy and the Hanson phenomenon. |
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