Talk for Life: English as an Additional Language (2020) - full transcript

('STARTING OVER' BY

RICKY VALADEZ PLAYS)

(MUSIC SOARS,

INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)

MARY-JANE: For someone to be able

to speak English in Australia,

I think it's the key

to being able to be part of society.

If you can't communicate,

you feel isolated, you feel lonely,

you're not connected.

Language is the ability to be able

to communicate with each other

and to make connections.

MA'SUMA: When we communicate,

we express what's in our heart.

We can tell a story,

tell where we came from,

tell them

what we want in this world.

But when you can't communicate

with someone,

when you can't tell them

what's in your heart,

that's like building a barrier

between you and others,

like building a wall around you.

AHDIA:

It's crucial for children to be able

to speak fluently

and be able to express themselves.

Because, if you don't, you'll

be like that little bird in a cage -

you won't be able to fly.

You have wings,

but you are restricted.

JENNY: The percentage of our students

that come from

non-English-speaking backgrounds

is extremely high.

Generally,

the students that we get here

have come because there's been

conflict and trauma

in their homeland.

Sleeping in your bed, thinking...

oh, any minute, something's

going to land on your house.

We're basically

just trapped in this one area

that's just full of our people.

We cannot go outside the area.

Otherwise you'll get killed.

We had to escape,

otherwise we wouldn't be alive today.

KEVIN: You really don't have

a lot of choice, you have to flee,

and some of the stories where people

have fled their home countries

are just tragic.

MARY-JANE: Some of them have come

from really traumatised backgrounds.

They're not trusting of people

immediately.

So, to win them like that

is the first battle.

If you understand

where they're coming from culturally

and the experiences they've had,

you have a really good opportunity

to build a safe and good

relationship with the students,

that, actually,

then the barriers just break down.

MARY-JANE: If you feel uncomfortable,

if you don't feel safe,

if you feel nervous or anxious,

you're not going to be

the best version of yourself, no.

The whole process of settling in

and feeling comfortable

in their learning environment

begins immediately on arrival.

And we let them feel,

make sure that they feel,

that they're part of us now.

It was a privilege

for us to study here

because they make sure

that you feel home.

All the support that we had,

not just myself, my family,

we felt more like home,

we settled in much more easier.

And if it wasn't for them,

I don't know what we would've done

when we came here.

For us to actually have a program

that accelerates

their language acquisition

is just crucial,

because they can't access

the mainstream curriculum

until their English

is at a high enough level for

them to comprehend what's going on.

Everything that we do for them here

lays the foundation

for their future learning.

And if we can do it right,

then we're one step closer

to ensuring

that they have a better life.

(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)

('NEW BEGINNINGS' BY PAPER PLANES

PLAYS)

KEVIN: Without language,

people can't participate

in the society.

So it's just absolutely critical.

It is the main need.

And, beyond that,

children need to be able to engage

in the Victorian Curriculum,

and that's in English.

So we have to be able

to teach students

to be able to speak English,

understand English,

listen to English

and write in English

so they can participate

in all of the structures

that are part

of the transactions of a society.

I've been here for a very long time,

and there's always been

an EAL Program.

And, originally, it was through

the Education Department sending out

an EAL teacher going by the data.

So, we ran just a normal EAL Program,

always been withdrawal, and that may

not be the model in many schools.

KEVIN: We've decided over time,

on the basis of evidence,

that a withdrawal program

is the best way to achieve the

outcomes that we need to achieve.

JENNY: So, we've had to always

bring our students out

because they've come

with no English generally.

So, it didn't work for us to have

EAL operating in the classroom.

That was when I started thinking,

"Maybe there's a better way

to structure this program.

"Maybe we do need to

have our program in stages."

As the years have passed,

it has become a bigger consideration

that we've had to cater for

because our school

is almost an EAL school.

KEVIN: We build on that.

We saw the potential for success

and the growth in children.

Like all the programs that we do,

if something's working,

we put more money

and more resources into it.

And that's why it's grown

to the stage it has now.

And it's been driven by

Jenny Mackay, in the first instance,

who headhunted some fantastic

teachers along the way.

Everybody, please take six cards.

Don't look at them, just take them

from the top.

Off you go. And then pass it on

to the next person.

So the EAL Program

at Dandenong North

is a three...

we call it a three-tiered program.

We have our New Arrivals Program

that caters for children

who have been in the country

for less than 12 months.

And then we have

a Transition Program

for children who have been in the

country for more than 12 months

but are leading

into the mainstream classroom,

so they're still not quite ready

to access mainstream curriculum.

So, that's our second phase.

And then our third phase,

we just call it EAL,

and it's catering for students

who were either born in Australia

or have been in Australia, say,

for more than three or four years.

So it's targeted to meet the needs

of children at each specific level.

And we identify their learning needs

quite quickly

because of the way

that the program is structured.

KEVIN: It's much more

than just language-based program.

To build on hope and purpose are

important elements of that program.

And to make people know

that they are part of a big family

when they've

left their families behind

is also very important too.

JENNY: It's a program that we've had

to develop over a long period of time

as our cohort of students

has changed.

Over time, we've had students

from the former Yugoslavia.

Greeks, Italians, Lebanese.

And, I think when I arrived,

it was moving into...

..there were Turkish students,

still some Greek students

coming through,

Romanians,

the Romanians started to come out.

We have currently lots of children

who are coming from

Afghanistan and Pakistan

because of the unrest

that's happening there.

We also get students

from Iraq, Syria.

Also getting students

from Sri Lanka as well.

The area of Dandenong

has always been

an area

where new arrivals will settle.

ROSEMARY:

So, we get a range of students -

those who are refugees

and have had limited schooling,

and we also get students

who have had age-equivalent

schooling in their home country

because their parents have chosen

to resettle in Australia.

So there's really two types

that we cater for.

There you are, my lovelies.

Thank you.

Thank you. You're very welcome.

Feraz.

Thank you!

Most schools only have one stage -

just EAL in general

if they have any EAL students.

Sometimes they might not

even have a program at all

and the student will

just be in the classroom full-time.

However, obviously

at Dandenong North Primary School

we do have

that three-tiered approach.

And that really allows us

to cater for each stage,

making sure

that they are getting what they need

and that they feel more comfortable

by the end of the program

to be in the classroom.

Can somebody put up their hands

and tell me a conjunction?

Do we remember

what a 'conjunction' is?

(HUSHED CHATTER)

Conjunction.

A joining word?

(GASPS) Love you!

Good girl! A joining word!

Did you use a joining word

in your speaking?

STUDENTS: Yes.

My role in the EAL Program

is the New Arrivals teacher.

So I teach the students

who have just come

from another country

and they don't know

how to speak English.

So I'm their first port of call

in the education system in Australia.

So, I get to help them learn

how to adjust being in a classroom.

Some students

have never been in a class before

because of their backgrounds.

So, I get the pleasure of helping

them learn classroom routines,

classroom language,

as well as learning

how to speak, listen, read and write.

'Because'!

'But'.

'But'. Excellent.

'And'.

'And'! Fantastic.

'So'.

'So'! Beautiful.

Daily routine starts with listening

and speaking about common topics,

so the weather, the date,

seasons, colours, shapes,

animals, food they like,

just to get them comfortable

and talking to each other.

Also talking about

what they already know

so then they already get

that little safety

before we start delving into things

that they may not know so well.

BOY: A noun is a name

of person, place, thing, animals.

Beautiful! Guys, everyone, so good!

We help them generate

meaningful sentences

by giving them worked examples,

which is one of the hits,

and giving them sentence starters

to initially know what a meaningful

sentence would look like.

STUDENTS: (READ) "The other fish."

Fish.

Fish!

How do you spell fish?

F-I-S-H.

ROSEMARY:

In the New Arrivals Program,

they might be working

on writing a very simple recount.

So, then when they move on

from New Arrivals Program

into my program, Transition,

I'm aware of what the New Arrivals

teacher has previously...

..the foundation that's been laid

with those children,

the learning that's happened.

And so then I build on the learnings

from the New Arrivals Program

and target the needs specifically.

Abby, put it in a sentence for me.

Long...

Fabio is good

at running long-distance.

"Fabio is good

at running long DISTANCES."

KAYLA: So, in the Transition stage,

we focus on speaking and listening,

reading and writing.

On a typical day, I would go through

maybe some sound flashcards,

focusing on different sounds.

We would look at some spelling,

focus on sounds

that they need help with.

Reading - we would focus on

their comprehension

of what they've understood,

obviously how they read as well.

And writing - we'd make sure

that we're using proper punctuation

and structure.

You know,

there's different text types

that we need to make sure

that they understand

this is what's in a narrative

or this is in a recount.

So we start then adding more details

and we break it down into

looking at the text structure

more specifically

and the linguistic features

that are necessary to ensure

that the writing's

cohesive and meaningful.

So, at each level,

because we work so closely together,

we're able to know

what each stage is doing,

and then build onto that.

CAROL: 'Too' - long or short?

'Too'... Long!

Good.

(CHUCKLES)

The main purpose of our EAL Program

is to get these students ready

to be able

to work in their classrooms

more independently.

One of my main focuses

is the vocabulary,

so to make sure that the children

are front-loaded with vocabulary

that they're likely

to use in their classroom.

The children, at that stage,

are very much more comfortable

in the school environment.

They're also very much more capable

in terms of their

understanding and use of English.

So, it's a wonderful stage

that the children are in.

And when they come to me,

I adore them, obviously,

and I do a lot of language

experience of shared experiences

so that we can get involved

in activities and tasks together

and then write and talk and read

about these.

(READS) They breach like whales.

Good girl. And you missed

what word when you were...

'Like'.

Yeah, I heard you say it.

You just forgot to write it.

Good job, darling. Off you go.

Well, I like to do songs and rhymes

to make them feel comfortable.

And I often do that, particularly

at the beginning of the year.

We do some rhymes and songs,

and it sort of takes away their

inhibitions, then they start talking.

And it's the best way, I think,

to get them feeling

confident and comfortable.

What's the first keyword there,

Jinston?

STUDENT: 'Most'?

'Most', yeah.

Who can help?

STUDENT: Spend.

'Most spent'. Good.

"Most of the time

he spent eating leaves."

What's the next keyword?

There've been many students that

have come through the EAL Program

over the years,

and it's actually really lovely

to see how they have developed

and grown.

So, they've come in,

they've not got a word of English,

they don't understand

how schools operate in Australia.

They proceed through the New

Arrivals Program, through Transition

and into EAL.

And you see the growth,

you see how their understanding

of language

and their understanding of school

develops

and how they become

competent learners

in English and in the school system.

I think the EAL Program at Dandenong

North has a perfect balance.

We are able to cater

for the emotional needs,

practical needs of the children

as well as the academic needs.

And once all of those things

are covered,

they're able to learn

at the rate they need to

to be able to go into the classroom.

And I think we cover it beautifully.

ROSEMARY: Australia is a great place

to live because...

Nagia?

There's no war?

There's no war. Australia

is a great place to live...

Everyone is kind. I guess

everyone... everyone is kind.

Everyone is kind. Abby?

Fair.

Fair?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Cheyenne.

Caring.

Everyone cares.

OK. So, Australia

is a great place to live because...

It's a free country?

It's a free country. Fabs?

And they have more education

in the school.

If this program did not exist,

it would be

a very grim and sad situation

where the newly arrived students

will be in their mainstream

classroom,

they will be sleepy, tired,

because of the overload

of sensory input

because of the new environment

and the new language

being spoken around them.

They may feel intimidated,

they may not feel safe,

they won't talk if that's the case.

But they come to Transition

and EAL - it's smaller group.

They feel comfortable

because everyone

is at the same level as each other.

From a teacher's perspective

in the classroom,

it would be extremely challenging.

Curriculum is already

quite dense and challenging,

and classroom teachers have got

a really large range of students

that they have to meet the needs of

on a daily basis.

Having a child with no English

or little English

adds another layer to it,

another dimension.

If you have a classroom

full of maybe 28 students,

and you've got one student

in that class

that's come to the country

with no English,

they definitely need a more

one-on-one

intensive small-group program

to help them catch up to where they

are with the rest of their peers.

New Arrival students

and EAL students

really do need a different type

of program and teaching.

It has to be very oral-based

and it to have lots of visuals

and needs to be broken into

very small steps of instruction.

Because what we don't want

is for our class teachers

to have to slow down the instruction

rate of the majority of students.

We've got intervention programs here

that will bring those children up,

but we can't bring down what it is

that all the children need.

You know, we're trying hard

to make sure our high-achieving kids

get what THEY need.

Our children

who are working at standard

have to be taught at that level.

And our children who are

still learning or have learning gaps

have to be catered for as well.

Having this program just ensures

that the needs of our EAL students

are met specifically.

Think of a noun, a verb

and an adjective for...

Let's do one together.

OK?

Can you think of a noun -

something, a name of a person,

place, animal or thing -

that happens in summer?

Sunscreen?

Sunscreen, beautiful.

STUDENT: Sunglasses?

We have a special program

called the Reception Program,

and that Reception Program

is a first port of call.

So, we have one particular teacher

that works with those children.

Those children are assessed,

they're given a thorough assessment,

so that prior to going into,

being allocated to, a classroom,

we've been able to see

what additional intervention programs

they may require,

any counselling that they may need.

We will identify whether they need

to see a speech pathologist.

We'll identify

whether there's a hearing problem.

We also will check to see if their

eyesight is in need of any support.

A teacher that we think

would be best suited for that child.

Which children in the classroom

might they get on with well?

You know, we do try to match up

where their might be

some language similarities

so that just for basic needs

they've got a buddy.

ROSEMARY: Caroline

will assess students academically,

also make anecdotal notes

on anything to do

with their behaviour

or any other additional needs that

she thinks need to be addressed.

JENNY: So, when they arrive at the

classroom door on a Friday afternoon,

they're shown where to line up,

they have their last session

with the class,

they have a seat to sit in,

all their books are there for them,

their bags have a place.

So, by Monday morning

they're ready to start

and everything's familiar to them

so then they don't have that fear

over the weekend

of what's going to happen.

So it is a very smooth transition

and it's had a large impact

on the calmness of classrooms.

Teachers know what to expect.

They have an ILP

already organised for them.

The children know where

they've got to go and at what times,

or they're picked up

by other children

going to maybe EAL

or a particular intervention.

So, it's actually four phases.

We're saying it's three phases,

but that Reception phase

needs to be acknowledged

because it does a lot just to calm

not only the children

but the parents as well.

SONG: ♪ It's as simple as it seems

♪ The twinkle in your eyes

♪ The way that time slows down... ♪

I'm from Afghanistan

and I've been in Australia

for around two...

between two and three years.

I came from Pakistan

and I've been in Australia

for about three years.

I've been in Australia

for, I think, five years,

and I came from Afghanistan

all the way here.

I've been in Australia

for about three years.

My dad came first on a boat,

and then he made our passports,

so we came here.

I came here when I was six,

so six years I haven't seen him.

In my own country

I lived with my mum

because my dad came, like,

around four years ago.

He came here and then he helped us

to come to Australia,

and I was, like, "Yes!"

It was amazing feeling.

I didn't know how he looked.

He looked, like, different.

And it was, like, the best feeling

you can ever have...

..when you've been away from someone

so long and then you see them.

I was, like, really emotional

and then I really loved

seeing my dad

because I haven't seen him in...

for, like, a long time.

And then when I saw him

I was, like, really happy.

SONG: ♪ So before you think

to rip yourself apart

♪ Open up my heart

and you'll find love... ♪

When I came to Australia,

I didn't really know any English.

(LAUGHS)

I couldn't understand anything.

When I came, I just knew

'hi' and 'bye' and nothing else.

I didn't really understand

what people were saying,

so it kind of felt

like I didn't belong, like, here.

When somebody asked me anything,

like, I was too shy to talk to them.

When I went to EAL...

..it was pretty good.

I felt like I was belonging there.

I felt like I was learning

more English, getting better.

It has helped me a lot

with my English, reading, writing.

Now when we go to classroom,

if, like, our teacher

says something,

I kind of do understand that.

In grade four, I didn't really know

how to make sentences, like proper.

So, when I came to Transition,

it really helped me.

They helped me a lot by, like...

..each word and each word,

and then they just took me to here

now that I can talk.

And, like, at that time,

I always tell them, like,

"What does this word mean?

What does that word?"

And then when they said it,

like, the meanings,

and then I knew where to, like...

..where to use it in a sentence.

So, usually at home,

after taekwondo,

I go and help my mum

with her homework.

We kind of play 'teacher, teacher'

at home.

She's usually the student

and then I teach her.

And then the next day

she go to school

and, like, be proud of herself

that she knows those things.

But, sometimes,

if it doesn't work out,

the next day

we work on the same thing

so she actually gets it.

When I first came,

I was happy to be in here.

And then like...

And now it is about to end,

the school's about to end,

and I'm really sad

to leave Transition.

I just like this room

and it's just like my second family.

Uh... My favourite part

about the school

is the teacher and all the friends

and student, how they support us.

I like how they're friendly.

My friends and the teachers

and the students,

because they really care

about other people.

They make sure

that you are part of it.

Yeah, they help you a lot.

I feel it's like a family,

like my second family,

because it's just like

everyone's caring about each other.

Like, we all use the four Cs,

which is cooperation, courtesy,

common sense and care.

I think Australia is the best place

for me to live. I just love it.

SONG: ♪ Open up my heart

and you'll find love

♪ Love

♪ L-o-o-o-o-ve

♪ Love

♪ Mm-mm-mm

♪ Love

♪ L-o-o-o-o-ve

♪ Open up my heart

and you'll find love. ♪

JENNY: So, the students,

as they move through

the different parts of the program,

once they're mainstream,

we can see

that they've done the catch-up,

they've caught up to their peers

and performing very well.

And as results in things

like NAPLAN and other testing

that's done within the classroom

demonstrates that this movement

has progressed

and they're on track

with their peers.

Whether it's a formative assessment

just by us

listening in to the conversations

that students are having,

any form of summative assessment,

all of our testing that we do,

whether it's a pre-and-post writing

sample piece,

just to see what these students

can produce in a writing,

it just shows

how much they have developed

by going through the EAL Program.

We track the children

who are attending EAL and

undertaking the NAPLAN assessments

very closely.

If you look at the NAPLAN results

and you analyse them carefully,

what we find is that

it's the EAL kids

who are often doing the best

in terms

of student-learning performances.

JENNY: They've been taught

explicitly spelling.

They've been taught grammar.

They've been looking at model text.

There's a range of skills

that we can teach them

that will actually show us, yes,

they're well on the way

to understanding

what quality writing is.

As the Writing Extension teacher,

I was actually quite surprised

to see the amount of children,

or students,

that we've had come through EAL

to attend, or be eligible to attend,

Writing Extension.

A student needs to be working

above their curriculum level,

and to have EAL students,

children that have come in

from a new country

and not speak a word of English

and be in a New Arrivals Program

in Year 1

and then they come in in Year 5

and I have them

as Writing Extension,

it's just amazing.

KEVIN: One of the most exciting

developments of this program

occurred in 2018,

when we had the opportunity

to partner

with Emerson Specialist School.

We've had many

ongoing relationship endeavours

with that school over the years,

but this has been the biggest,

where for the first time

in a specialist school

John Mooney decided to try

to put together an EAL component.

And we matched that with our talk

for writing initiative.

And we worked together

because, without

the EAL-experience background,

it would've been hard for them,

it would've taken them longer.

So, we were able to work with them

and do some PD, combine PD,

and then share experiences

and get that program up and running.

So, it was a fabulous opportunity.

(HAPPY MUSIC PLAYS)

(MELODIC WHISTLING)

JENNY: What we see in our families

is that they have risked everything

to get their children

to this country

to give them the best possible

opportunities in life.

Mostly families leave because

of economic circumstances or war,

and who wouldn't want to leave if

you're dodging bombs and landmines

and your faith is under challenge

from a different belief system

and your assets have been annexed,

if you like, or taken away from you?

So, you really don't have

a lot of choice. You have to flee.

And some of the stories where people

have fled their home countries

are just tragic.

Some of our students

come from detention centres,

straight from detention centres

as well.

You know,

whether on Christmas Island

or whether it may have been

in another country

where they were probably

treated quite harshly.

I have noticed... I found that

it is harder to teach children

who've been through a detention

centre or who have been traumatised.

We have had parents

who have kept themselves together

just to get their children here,

and, once they're in school

and settled, they have breakdowns.

If there is something on their mind

and they're always going back

to something that might have

happened in their home country,

whether it was an attack

of some sort,

they're not going to feel

comfortable enough

to learn about

what they're supposed to be doing.

They're going to be distracted.

KEVIN: In some cases,

I'm sure that children

are reluctant to talk about the

experiences they've been through.

What we can do is provide

a new pathway now for them

and new experiences

that are positive and rewarding

and restore their faith

in human nature.

SONG: ♪ Hold on, hold on, on

♪ Hold on, hold on, on

♪ Hold on, hold on... ♪

When we were back in Afghanistan,

as you know it's a warzone country,

and, um...

..in the area that we were,

it was surrounded with Taliban

and everything,

so I got family members killed

in front of my eyes

and they were going

to take my dad away,

so we had to escape,

we had to escape.

And... my parents

got contacted with smugglers

and they brought us this way

towards Australia.

We had to escape. Otherwise

we wouldn't be alive today.

SONG: ♪ Hold on, hold on, on

♪ Hold on, hold on, on

♪ Hold on, hold on... ♪

AHDIA: I think

what shaped who I am today the most

would be my primary school,

the ESL classes that I attended.

Because when we moved

from Afghanistan to Australia,

not only myself,

but my mum and my siblings,

we couldn't read or write

the alphabet,

so we had to start everything

from scratch.

We had no friends or family

over here.

And when my mum moved to Australia

for a better life,

like everybody else who does,

but mainly it was for our education,

because in Iran

we were not allowed to attend

a normal government school,

and so Mum was like,

"We need to find a better place."

And Australia was the one for us.

So, we moved here.

Um... I was very nervous.

Coming to Dandenong North

Primary School with no English

and not understanding

the culture at all,

it wasn't just those two

being the factor -

I also didn't go to school

before that at all in Afghanistan,

so it was all new to me.

Not understanding English at all.

I don't know how to react.

I don't know what to say.

I remember the first few weeks

I was very nervous.

I wasn't talking to anyone.

I had a short mushroom haircut,

sitting in the back of the class.

And my peers were very nice,

they were trying to include me,

but I... really couldn't

because I couldn't understand

what they were saying.

You feel like you're deaf

because you can't communicate,

you can't understand

what they're saying.

The only thing I could read

was their facial expressions

and their emotions.

And then I was like,

"OK, they're smiling,

"so that means they're nice to me."

(CHUCKLES)

And that was the only thing

I could relate.

But then how much can you smile

throughout the day?

Yeah, it was pretty hard,

but we got help.

We had supporting teachers.

They were really nice, gentle,

just trying to, like, make me relax

and settled in.

I loved how I could take content

from school and apply it at home.

They wanted to teach us our kitchen,

like, "What's a pot called? What's

a spoon called? This is a stove."

And our teacher, our ESL teacher,

she got us to do a research first

and then cook it.

And she did the cooking,

we just had to watch,

and she would explain it to us -

"This is spoon. This is knife.

This is flour. We'll mix water."

And I remember going home

and I used to force my siblings

on the floor

and I used to cook and I'd be like,

"This is spoon. This is pot.

This is spaghetti."

And my brother is like,

"I don't like spaghetti."

And I used to tell him, "Too bad.

"You're going to watch me cook

because it's cooking time."

So, when I learned

a few words or sentences,

I was more confident

to speak up in the classroom,

in the main classroom,

and do my homework

without getting a lot of help

from the teachers all the time.

But at the start it was difficult,

yeah.

I had to go to the teachers every

second, with the homework especially,

or writing, like, essays or anything

like that, paragraphs or stories,

I had to go to them.

But then when I learned

a few or basic sentences,

I could write what I was thinking,

express my words much more easier.

The ESL program

shaped who I am today,

I feel it prepared me better,

because I had a such a wonderful

time in my primary school years.

I always wanted to be a teacher.

I applied everything that we did

at school at home with my siblings,

my brother and my sister.

And I used to always have

this little made-up board at home

and write on it.

When I graduated high school,

I always knew

that I wanted to be a teacher,

but I finished

a Bachelor of Biomedical Science,

and I wasn't happy.

So, I applied

for my Masters in Teaching at ACU,

and currently I'm studying.

I was in EAL for three years,

and I was in Grade 6 then.

And then when I went to high school,

I didn't need EAL anymore.

I was straight

into mainstream English.

I knew the language by then...

(LAUGHS)

..I knew how to express myself,

how to study more efficiently.

Once I graduated from Year 12,

I went to University of La Trobe.

I studied double degree

of Bachelor of Health Science

and Masters of Orthoptics,

which is what I'm doing right now -

orthoptics.

('DREAM WORLD' BY MUSIC GALAXY DJ

PLAYS)

We were one of the first asylum

seekers on the boat to come in 2000.

I was seven, eight,

and the boat driver lost his way,

we ran out of petrol,

we ran out food,

ran out of the last, last stocks

we had.

We were going in circles.

He had a getaway boat

attached to the actual boat,

so, whenever they lose their way,

they just jump on THEIR boat

and they go

and then just leave you there.

That didn't happen because...

It happened before and people sort

of knew that that's what they do,

and none of us let that happen,

otherwise we would've been

stuck there, you know?

God knows what would've happened.

SOBIA: In our country, in Pakistan,

when we were there,

we were basically

just trapped in this one area

that's just full of our people.

We cannot go outside that area

otherwise you'll get killed.

So, that's how it was.

And my dad, thinking about that -

he was jobless,

he didn't have anything to provide

for us, food, anything like that -

so he decided

that he wanted to come to Australia.

And we would always, like,

"Oh, what?

"There's another country

that exists?" You know? (CHUCKLES)

And that's when, you know,

things started to change for us.

So, my dad came here in 2000

and we lived without him

for five years.

We didn't know where he was,

even if he was alive,

I don't even know, like, you know...

And then we came here, saw my dad,

we reunited.

Majority of people in Afghanistan,

they don't live long enough,

you know, to see the world.

You know,

they don't have a very long life

because of the really bad situation.

Being safe,

being able to sleep in peace

at night,

you know, not sleeping in your bed

thinking, oh, any minute

something's going to land

on your house, you know?

That compared to here,

when I sleep at home here,

everything's so peaceful and quiet

and it's just amazing.

It was very hard for us

to adjust at the start, definitely,

until I started Dandenong North.

And that's when I started seeing

that things can change.

I felt that there was a connection

and then I opened up

and then they opened up.

And then, yeah,

we just became like a family.

I enrolled to the school in Grade 4,

and I literally had no English

whatsoever. (CHUCKLES)

It was a completely different place

for me,

different people,

different language.

I was just lost in my own world.

First few days, I hated it

because I couldn't speak the

language and I couldn't learn.

I just had to be there and learn

from visuals -

body language,

looking at things, colours.

When I first arrived,

I had a broken tooth,

and, like, my first two teeth

were, like, broken,

and Miss McLaughlin, she saw that

and she thought, "Oh, the only

reason she's probably not talking

"is because she's probably shy

of her teeth and stuff."

And then, she got that fixed for me

from the dental.

So it was basically... they were,

like, caring for me and all that.

And then she was always trying

to develop that confidence in me.

I just started feeling comfortable

with them, you know just talking.

And back then

I was really, really shy.

So I just started

really getting comfortable.

I would ask questions

if I didn't know something.

Normally I didn't ask,

didn't talk, did nothing.

I was just the quiet one,

never talking, just shy.

All the teachers were doing beyond

what they were expected

to do as a teacher, you know?

IT was, like, a safe place for me,

coming to school.

All of the skills that I've gained

from Dandenong North

just really, really helped me

through my secondary college

and uni.

I finished my Bachelor Of Arts

in Digital Media at Swinburne,

which is in Hawthorn.

And then for

another year and a half

I went to JMC Academy.

I did a 3D class over there,

3D programming.

I am here because of EAL.

Like, I learned all my basics

from there.

I've learned my language from there.

I went to high school,

but, you know,

it wasn't the same support

as I had in primary school.

And I took that from primary school

and did my further studies

in Psychology.

And then now I work

at Dandenong North Student Agency.

Recently we have a child

that enrolled from Pakistan,

and literally I look at her

and it just reminds me of how I was,

you know?

I've been through that and I know

what it feels like for them.

So, yeah, being

as a welfare coordinator, I could...

..just like Dandenong North Primary

School teachers changed my life,

I'm there to change others'.

Hello!

ALL: Hi!

ALL: Hello!

BOTH: Hi!

Hello!

What makes me appreciate the most -

I mean, I've always appreciated what

we achieved from our ESL program -

is going through my placements

and seeing kids

that are in different schools

and they need

that extra support and help,

but, unfortunately,

some of those schools

can't afford or are not aware -

I'm not sure what's the reason -

the kids are not getting

and they're missing out.

I understand that teachers

need to cater for everyone's need,

but how can you cater for a child

who cannot speak and read alphabet?

That's very difficult for a teacher.

Now that I'm learning to become

a teacher, I think I would struggle.

That child needs a

one-on-one, sometimes, conversation,

just to sit and have a normal chat.

Doesn't have to be about content,

doesn't have to be about knowledge.

Just say, "How, are you?

How are you feeling?"

It's very important

because I feel like

that helped me to go through

the tough time that my family went.

Just Miss Jenny sitting down

and, you know, talking to us,

telling us, "How are you feeling?

"Have you visited your mum?

And...

The EAL teachers, they got to know

my family and myself more.

And they knew where I came from

and what hardship I've been through.

And they were more gentle.

And not that other teachers

were gentle and nice,

but they're all perfect.

It's just that

they had more connection

and I felt more relaxed

in that classroom.

I could speak out more easily,

and whatever we learn in EAL

we could put it in practice

when we went out

into the playground,

into the classroom.

Just having a normal conversation

of, "How are you feeling today?

"Are things better? What can I do?"

It makes a huge difference

to that child's life.

To be able not to participate in

some of your activities on that day

just because

something is holding you back.

Emotionally, physically,

you're not there.

And your teacher understands that

and appreciates your minimum effort

that you put in.

It's important for a teacher.

I think as a teacher you need

to teach the child... everything.

So you are the second mum

or the second dad at school.

You're teaching them how to behave,

what's the right thing to do,

what's the wrong thing to do.

Building a relationship with a child

is very important as a teacher,

and once all of those stuff are met,

then you can easily teach the child

the content.

If those basic needs are not met,

it'll be very difficult

for the child to achieve their best.

Feeling very proud.

At times, when I do have time,

I come and visit the school,

I thank the teachers -

Mr Mackay, Mrs Mackay,

all the ESL teachers.

I'll never forget that, you know?

I'm always thankful

because if it wasn't for them, if...

I'm just thinking

if I was to be put in another school

with no ESL programs,

I don't know how things

would be for me right now.

I'll be sure struggling a lot.

MA'SUMA: I feel like Australia

has given me so much,

the country, its people,

so I need to give back as well.

I'm not here just to take,

I need to give back since

I'm an Australian right now as well.

Not just the Australian people, those

that come here, just like myself,

we're all Australian... (CHUCKLES)

..we need to see each other as one.

I do have students that tell me,

"Oh, Miss Sobia, I want

to be like you when I grow up.

"I want to be able to do all this

stuff that you are doing right now."

And it's just

the most beautiful thing

that, you know,

you could get from your students.

My mum, she has always been

one of those people

that would support you

with your education -

"Go get the education, you need it,"

you know?

"Without education,

you guys can't go anywhere,

"and you have to learn the language,

"you have to be able to study

and stand up for yourself

"and do everything that..."

you know, "that you can."

And back in our country

we couldn't do that.

We didn't have any education.

We didn't have schools for girls.

We did have for guys,

but for girls we didn't.

And, you know, coming here

and seeing that girls can study

and girls can do all this stuff,

so we took that opportunity.

SONG: ♪ One last ticket

before it's gone... ♪

CLASS: (SINGS)

♪ Happy birthday to you... ♪

♪ One last summer

before it's fall... ♪

FATIMA:

We had a good life in Pakistan.

So... But because of the terrorism,

we just decided... my husband decided

to come to Australia.

So, he came in 2011

by boat,

and then in 2013

my kids and I decided...

we came in Australia.

I moved from Afghanistan to Pakistan

and spent a long time there.

And then my husband

came to Australia by boat,

and then he tried to organise

for the whole family to come here.

And we were lucky.

We got the chance to come to

a new country and have a safe life.

SONG: ♪ To breathe... ♪

FATIMA:

We have a mothers' group in DNPS.

When I enrolled my boys

in the school,

I start coming to Mothers' Group

and I was a very regular member

of Mothers' Group.

And I'm a good example

of Mothers' Group

because I got job

in Dandenong North Primary School

just because of Mothers' Group.

As a parent,

when I came to Australia, I was lost

and I was really worried about

helping my children as a mother.

So, the mothers come in the program

and we show them, especially the

mothers that are new in Australia.

So, we help them to understand

the education system

or maybe the school environment,

the learning and everything.

And sometimes they come

with so many questions,

like they are...

..they don't know, like,

where to go for help

if they need to talk

to the teachers,

if sometimes they need help

with filling in the forms.

There are many things

they don't feel comfortable to do.

And so they come here

and we help them.

Some mothers, they started

with little English or...

..but now they are working

in Australian workplace.

And it is a good opportunity.

And to come to learn things,

to observe things,

to get the ideas of others,

it's very good, especially

for the new mums in a new country.

When I enrolled my kids in school,

so one day I received a call that,

"We have a mother group as well,

"so we invite all the new mothers

"if they wants to come

and join the mother group."

So, first, when I come,

so it was really good.

And from now it's nearly five years,

I'm continuously...

I never fade off of the group

because it's so very beneficial.

Our own culture, it is totally

different from the English culture,

so it gives us some tips and some

ideas how to raise our kids,

how to... you know, with our own

values, we can raise our kids,

but to help them adjust

in a new country, but in a good way.

What's so wonderful is that

they feel that they're connected

with the community, you know,

instead of being at home

because "I can't go and mix

and join any other clubs.

"I don't understand the language."

They come, we have interpreters

for them if they require that,

but they learn

that they're not the only ones

feeling, you know,

lost in this new world,

they're not the only ones that don't

understand tenancy agreements,

they're not the only ones

that don't understand

what this note coming home

is saying to them.

You know, and they've left

their family overseas.

They're here by themselves.

It just alleviates

a little bit of stress at home.

It's better for the children too.

When I came in Australia, I have

no family here, only my sister.

So, now I have a lot of friends,

and this is just because

of Mothers' Group.

We came here,

we sit together, we CHATTER,

and now I have a lot of friends.

So it helped me to meet other

people, to meet other mothers,

and to know their way,

you know, their ideas...

..sometime we share our ideas

how to deal with our kids,

especially

when the kids have a bad time.

And not only the mother group,

also like a bridge, connection,

it connects us with the school.

The parents often invite us

into their homes,

all of us in the EAL Program

and many of the teachers here too.

The families are so grateful

for what we do,

they'll bring us food,

they'll invite us around

to their place to share their meals,

they'll invite us to their parties.

And it's a lovely relationship

that we have.

And it's great to be able

to experience their culture,

to sit on the floor

and things that we don't usually do.

Having Alia and Fatima here is great

because they have a connection

to someone who understands them.

And I think if we...

Yeah, the school supports that.

And it's so important because they've

always been isolated from education

in terms of being part

of what their children do at school.

And we welcome them in

with open arms,

and they're very, very grateful,

and that's just such a bonus,

and the mothers just enjoy it

so much.

And it connects THEM

with each other,

and so they feel

like a part of a school community.

I feel myself very lucky and blessed

to be in a country

where I feel safe,

where I feel

I can say my point of view to others

and I can put my voice up to...

for my rights.

And I feel so independent.

When I compare myself

to previous Alia,

when she was living

in her own country,

and this Alia,

this is such...

this is a different person.

Proud of myself

to help those people

that experienced the same

difficulties and same situations

as I did.

And when I'm helping them,

I put myself in their shoes,

in their place,

to help them in the same way

as I was expected help from others,

from my teachers,

from people around me.

So, I try to help them

in the same way

to make life easier for them

in a new country.

SONG: ♪ And you're beating

♪ Beating on my drum

♪ And you're beating

♪ Beating on my door

♪ Running faster

♪ Faster than my... ♪

If you can't communicate effectively

within the language structures

of the country that you live in,

you are powerless, you have no say,

you can't push your needs forward,

you can't fully participate

within the community,

you're always relying on others

to do that for you.

Communication is the key,

and EAL definitely is the door

to, you know...

..to learn the language.

AHDIA: Just reflecting back,

I'm really proud that I could learn

to read and write,

to speak as much as I can,

to be able to finish high school

and actually get into a uni

and get an education that

I can help back to the community.

I think that's something

I'm very proud of.

A lot of people can't go to school,

and I have the opportunity

to complete my Masters.

I'm thankful for all these teachers

and the principal,

the whole school in general,

just for being there

when I came here.

And thank God I came to this school

and not any other school, you know?

All the support that we had,

not just myself, my family,

it felt more like home.

They settled in much more easier.

And, if it wasn't for them,

I don't know what we would have done

when we came, yeah.

ROSEMARY: The way that Kevin

and Jenny Mackay lead the school

and the expectations they have

of their teachers

and of the students...

And I remember distinctly

Kevin saying,

"Treat the children as your own."

And I think that's a wonderful

philosophy to have

and to work through

because that's what it is all about,

isn't it, these children

and making sure that they have

the best possible advantage

in their future learning.

Everything that we do for them here

lays the foundation

for their future learning.

And, as an EAL teacher,

we give them that gift,

we give them that opportunity,

that chance to be able

to be part of society and community.

I find that the leadership team

at DNPS are visionaries.

They have opened their hearts

to all cultures,

and they value the differences,

the linguistic differences,

they value

those cultural differences,

and they are very committed

to providing and giving

a good education

to the community

where it is most needed,

which would make the most amount

of difference to Australian society.

JENNY: We have around

60 different cultures at this school

and even more languages, I think,

because of the dialects.

What I see Dandenong North is...

..is a small representative

of the United Nations,

yet, we don't have fights

in the playground.

And I think that bringing together

different cultures,

different religions,

different perspectives on

how we live our lives,

and actually working with that

background core understanding

within each individual

just is so important.

If we're going to have

a safe and harmonious world,

it's got to start with the children.

And, unless

we can bring them together...

And this is why I value

the work that we do at this school,

and in all public schools -

we really bring together so many

different cultural backgrounds

to form into one.

So, I think that we start to develop

a greater understanding

amongst mankind

by having kids saying,

"Oh, no, my friend,

he comes from here and they do this."

Just by that...

opening up that communication

is just a fantastic opportunity.

ROSEMARY: It's about

facilitating their learning

and it's about being a nurturer.

So, not only

are you teaching children,

you are also being their friend

because you guide them as a friend.

You're also being a mentor to them

because they can come to you

and ask for support and help.

You're a coach as well

because you coach them

on how to behave in society

and how to participate in games

and with friends

and how to build relationships.

So, for me,

a teacher wears many hats.

And I think, finally, being

a teacher is being a role model.

That's a very important aspect

of teaching.

I can't imagine

not coming here every day

and doing what you can

for these amazing families.

AMAN: Coming as a migrant,

we feel the need to give back to the

community and establish roots here,

giving them a good education

and literacy skills

so that they are productive citizens

of Australian society.

And this is my way of giving back

to the Australian society.

If I can give them something

that has them

always believing in themselves,

I think that's my biggest gift

to them, if I can give them that.

AHDIA: Every student

that comes from a migrated family,

they're struggling.

Their kids, you might feel like,

"Oh, they're not thinking as deep,"

but they do.

I did.

You think very deep,

you think about everything -

"How are my parents going to cope?

How am I going to cope?

"Should I give up my studies

and help them?"

But to come to a school

that they support you

and you don't have to worry

about that stuff,

it's nice.

You don't have to

worry about anything but yourself,

to be a child, um...

..to be able to learn

and not worry about anything else,

it's nice.

ROSEMARY: I feel that each and every

one of the children

that passes through our program

and passes through Transition

is MY child.

I don't call them my students,

I actually call them my children.

And I say to them all the time,

"I'm your school mum,

you can come to me with anything."

When they come back to me,

it's like a little piece of me

is coming back home,

if that makes sense.

I don't know how to explain it.

I just love them.

I... I love them.

That's the only thing I can say.

It is so rewarding working in EAL.

I couldn't think of doing

anything else.

I wouldn't want to do anything else.

And it's the best job in the world.

What we want is to make sure that

we can fulfil the family wishes

and ensure the future

of those children

by making sure that they are,

by the time they leave us,

ready for high school,

that they are on par

with their peers

across the country

or within Victoria, at least,

if not above.

And they've given up everything,

the parents,

to try to set up a new life

for these students.

And, luckily, this school is able to

meet that need in a wonderful way.

We have EAL students

coming back telling us,

"I'm a medical researcher,"

you know, "I'm a doctor,"

"I've just started Law,"

"I'm teaching."

We have ex-students teaching

at this school, which is fantastic.

Some of those children

started in the EAL Program.

So, for them to be able

to be teaching here and empathizing

and understanding the importance

of a really quality education

is just hugely important

for our children.

The ultimate purpose

for our EAL Program

is to make sure that all our children

that go through that program

become strong and effective

contributors

to the Australian society.

SONG:

♪ Too many days in the darkness

♪ Without a glimpse of the light

♪ Runnin' tired

and broken and scared

♪ But I swear

I'll never give up the fight... ♪

One of my favourite parts

of Dandenong North Primary School

is the fact

that I used to be a student here,

and many of the teachers

that I had as a student

are still here teaching today.

And that just shows

what a great place it is,

that we all stick around

and, you know,

keep doing the job for the kids.

Everyone at DNPS is so caring,

they're, like, lovely,

they always are nice to each other.

And I think the teachers

work so hard

to help us have a successful life.

I like this school because

everyone's nice and like a family

and they take care of you.

We're friendly

and we have guidelines

which make us, like,

do the right thing.

And our teachers are 100%.

When I grow up I want to be a doctor

because I like to help people.

Robotic engineer

or a medical engineer.

Engineer that, like, designs robots.

I want to be a dentist.

Soccer player.

A doctor.

I want to be a racer.

A doctor.

A police officer.

A teacher.

A cricket player when I grow up.

A doctor

because I went to help people.

I really want to be a doctor.

A teacher.

An engineer.

A type of scientist when I grow up.

I really want to be a voice actor.

A teacher.

A soccer player.

An artist.

I want to go to space

and go to the moon.

A nurse.

A doctor

because I don't want anyone to die.

I want to help the homeless people.

And after that

my career is going to be a teacher.

I really want to be

a successful lawyer so...

..because I love freedom,

I love justice.

I want people to be free

and enjoy life.

I want to save the world.

A teacher like my teacher.

I want to be a teacher

like the teachers at this school.

Dandenong North Primary School -

the greatest school in the world.

SONG: ♪ With every start

♪ We are born again

♪ Open your heart

♪ And spend less time

in your head... ♪