Vietnamese showcase

Earlier this year a student showcase was held in Bankstown for the Vietnamese community. The event celebrated Vietnamese language and culture and demonstrated the spirit of learning. The showcase brought together students from various Vietnamese language schools across the Vietnamese community in NSW.  

The focus was on students learning journey and cultural expression, it encouraged participants to share their talents and cultural expressions in a relaxed and supportive environment. The showcase featured a variety of performances, including traditional music and dance, DIY and culinary demonstrations. The students had the opportunity to express themselves and share their achievements with their peers, families, and the broader community.  

Students spoke about the challenges they faced in maintaining their Vietnamese language skills while growing up in an English-speaking environment. They shared the pride they felt in being able to communicate with older generations in their family, preserving a vital link to their cultural heritage.  

These reflections were a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students, as well as the importance of community support in their language education. It helped students embracing their cultural identity in an inclusive environment as students were encouraged to support and learn from one another. Events like this showcase play a vital role in ensuring that the Vietnamese language remains a living, vibrant part of the community.  

Thanks go to Br Liêm Võ, from The Vietnamese Cultural Schools Association; Sister Catherine Trịnh Cách, Ms Jennifer Ngo photographer, Principals, teachers, students – parents and family members, for their input and cooperation in making the Vietnamese Students Showcase such a success.   

By Mai Denny 
Project officer, SICLE 

SICLE has been funded to conduct a study on the key issues and challenges CLS teachers and directors across Australia face when catering for the language needs of children under 5. So far we have conducted interviews, focus groups and online surveys with approximately 359 schools across Australia. Issues that have been explored have been pedagogical approaches to teaching pre-school children, access and use of resources, classroom arrangements, strategies to engage students and needs around training and professional learning. 

Some of the key findings from the study have included the higher-than-expected number of CLS catering for pre-school children. Based on previous research by SICLE in 2021 which found that 24.4 per cent of schools offer preschool/ kindergarten classes or playgroups (SICLE 2021), this study had anticipated similar percentages from our national survey.  

The online survey which was completed by a total of 359 CL school staff/teacher/directors from across Australia found that 184 CLS schools or 51% catered for children under 5. The high numbers of CLS catering for children under 5 raises some important issues, which this report has sought to highlight. They include CLS teacher’s training and skills in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) pedagogies; type of teaching strategies implemented in the classroom; level of confidence teaching children under 5; and additional skills and resources needed to support teaching and learning activities young learners.  

Throughout the interviews and data collected from the online survey significant gaps have been identified in the capacity and skills of CLS schools and teachers to meet the teaching and learning needs of children under 5. The study however has also found significant evidence of the great commitment, dedication, ingenuity and creativity of CLS teachers and schools to ensure a positive experience for young learners attending CLS across Australia. This commitment and dedication needs to be properly recognised and supported with appropriate funding, resources and support. 

The report has also made important findings which has broader implication for language education in Australia including the need for a national language framework to guide the teaching of home languages from naught to Year 11. Currently we have in Australia various syllabus documents to support teachers from K to Year 11 as well as a EYLF for the ECEC sector. However, there is not a language framework to guide the teaching of home languages and this gap has resulted in ad hoc practices in CLS, ECEC and mainstream schools. The benefits of early language acquisition and home language maintenance have been demonstrated through numerous research (Diaz 2021). It is therefore imperative that effective support and funding is provided to this growing sector, and we hope this study contributes to this goal. 

A final report will be made available in 2025 on the SICLE website. 

By Dr Beatriz Cardona 
Research Assistant, SICLE 

Online project update 

Since March this year, SICLE has been investigating the offering of teaching online in NSW Community Languages Schools. To date, nearly 200 Community Languages teachers, principals, committee members and parents have completed a survey that initially aimed at investigating various aspects, including the structure of current online classes, the motivations behind providing this mode of instruction, the challenges being encountered, the degree of confidence in various components of online learning, and the perceived need for additional support.     

Following the completion of the survey, close to 40 teachers, principals and committee members participated in discussions during focus groups discussions. These discussions explored several key areas: effective pedagogies for online learning, the opportunities and challenges of this mode of delivery, communication with parents, fostering a sense of community, and the professional needs of teachers, including the use of specific technological tools and resources.   

Additionally, a number of online lesson observations have been conducted, as well as an extensive review of the literature regarding the specificities and different possibilities for the mode of online teaching.   

Based on these multiple types of data, a compilation of ideas will be delivered later this year in a written report containing evidence-based guidelines and suggesting models for the implementation of blended and online teaching and learning in NSW Community Languages Schools.  Based on the analysis of the professional learning strengths and needs of Community Languages teachers, a set of professional learning modules will be designed in the coming months.   


By Kati Varela Batista 
Research Assistant and Lecturer, SICLE 

Small schools project update 

Almost one third of community languages schools consist of only one to two classes and the majority of these schools have fewer than 50 students. This group of schools can be referred to as ‘small schools’, and struggle to survive for a variety of reasons. 

SICLE has started working with a number of these small community language schools in NSW teaching languages such as Filipino, Khmer, Lao, Polish, Portuguese, Samoan and Tongan. The aim of this project is to help support leaders meet their school’s needs. This work has involved connecting with leaders of these schools, discussing their needs, and facilitating the establishment of networking opportunities where small school leaders can connect with each other and relevant sources of support, share learnings and success stories, and build a community of practice. The first of these networking opportunities was held in September, with additional events planned for later in 2024. SICLE will also be managing an online repository where school leaders can collaborate, share materials and learnings with each other, SICLE and other key stakeholders.