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Addressing the Language and Literacy Needs of Aboriginal High School VET Students who Speak SAE as an Additional Language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2013

Rhonda Oliver ,
Ellen Grote ,
Judith Rochecouste  and
Mike Exell
Rhonda Oliver*
Affiliation:
Curtin University, Australia
Ellen Grote
Affiliation:
Research Consultant, Perth, Australia
Judith Rochecouste
Affiliation:
Monash University, Australia
Mike Exell
Affiliation:
Curtin University, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Rhonda Oliver, School of Education, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Bentley WA 6845, Australia. Email: rhonda.oliver@curtin.edu.au
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Abstract

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in high schools has had positive effects on the retention of Indigenous students, providing important pathways into further education and the workforce. However, low-level literacy (and numeracy) skills can make successful completion difficult, especially for students who speak Standard Australian English as an additional language or dialect. This article describes research undertaken to inform the development of a second language and literacy needs analysis model designed for high school VET teachers to address the needs of Indigenous students. The study draws on second language acquisition research, which demonstrates the value of using tasks as the basis for language teaching syllabus design, with needs analysis as a fundamental aspect of this. The project centred on Aboriginal high school VET students from remote and rural communities in Western Australia, who speak English as an additional language/dialect. Data collected included: individual and focus group interviews, training materials, and observation field notes on the language and literacy practices in classrooms and workplaces. The major findings focus on the development of oral language (for both job-oriented and social interactions in the workplace) and literacy skills, as well as the need to overcome ‘shame’ and develop confidence for speaking to non-Aboriginal people.

Keywords

Indigenous educationneeds analysislanguage and literacysecond language acquisitionEnglish as an additional languageEnglish as a second language
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , December 2012 , pp. 229 - 239
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013

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