No.1-84 March
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Monash • eVI8W VVhot's New InEducation,Research and Community Service Registered lly Australia Posl- publication No. VBG 2204 1-84 The English language is a problem lor a great many migrants. according to a recent survey by the Monash Centre for Migrant Studies. Language train ing in the workplace and in work hours needs ISSN0159-950 to be promoted more effectively, the study says. Photo : Herve Alleaume. Survey reveals migrant language problems A SURVEY conducted by the Monash Housebound women. young unemployed the length of residence in Australia and the Centre for Migrant Studies has revealed adults, factory workers {especially those in ability to speak and understand English, widespread problems in speaking. jobs vulnerable to the pressure of structural Forty-eight per cent of those under 30 had understanding. reading end writing and technological change} and the aged were a lower than minimum "survival" level of English among overseas-born adults Jiving chosen as special target groups, proficiency in speaking. In writing. the figure in Melbourne's western suburbs. The migrants were interviewed and given was 70 per cent. Older people appeared to The study. conducted by Mr John McKay. the Australian Second Language' Proficiency have more problems with reading and writing Ms Susan Manton and Assoclete Profes Rating {ASLPRI test to test their proficiency English than with understanding it. sor Michael Clyne for the Department of in English, Different language groups differed also in Immigration and Ethnic Affa irs. has been The tests showed that in English speaking their ability to use the English language . publ ished in the Adult Migrant Education skills. 44 per cent of people in the Yarraville Vietnamese. Serbian. Macedonian. Croatian Program series " Studies in Adult Migrant sample had not reached the minimum "sur and Turkish speakers, in part icular. had Education" , vival " proficiency - the level of language " rather low average scores" for spoken A sample of 337 migrants. w ith a diverse needed to sat isfy minimum levels of English. When it came to written English a lingu istic background. took part in the study courtesy. to purchase goods in shops. to get greater number of language groups had which was carried out in the Yarraville. St around the city and function at work. In problems. Albans and Maribyrnong-Avondale Heights Maribyrnong-Avondale Heights the figure These ethnic differences. the autho rs areas. was 24 per cent and in St Albans 18 per believe , are probably related to the time The migrants' native tongues included cent. spent i n Australia by the various Alban ian. Arabic, Chinese, Croatian. German. When it came to writing skills. 63 per cent communities, Greek. Italian. Macedonian. Maltese, Polish. of the Yarraville sample were below the Many people interviewed by bilingual in Serbian. Serbo-Croatian. Spanish. Turkish minimum "survival" level. The figure in St terviewers expressed a desire to improve and Vietnamese. Albans was 44 per cent and in Maribyrnong their English to enable them to communicate Avondale Heights. 36 per cent. more effectively with their children and to MONASH REVIEW is produced five times While there was no sign ificant sex help them in their school activities. yearly by the Information Office. Monash difference. there was a signifioant Sixty-two per cent of parents admitted University. Wellington Rood. Clayton, Victor ia. 3168. Inquiries should be addressed to relationship between age and English skills, they had found communication with school the Editor, c/o the Information Office. and a strong relationship between the level of education and ASLPR scores and between Registered lor posting as a peooc.car. Cateqory 8 Continued overleaf MONASH REVIEW MARCH 1984 Continued from Page 1 sought for each part icular area and ethn ic grou p: ' it says. The aut hors of the study make t he authorities difficult or moderately difficult. following recommendations: More than half the sample expressed the need also for improved English to make • Greater efforts should be made to contact w ith neighbors aasier and to broaden public ise language classes. the ir social life. • Language classes and other programs The study shows that working women do should promote activities that encouraga not necessarily have any w ider exposu re to contact w ith native speakers of English. English tha n the ir housebound counterparts. • There is a need to provide comb ined Most worked in factories as machi nists or language and skills-oriented programs. process workers. The job required no English • Programs need to vary to cater for and tea-breaks were genera lly spent w ith various preferences . and classes should be speakers of the same native language. With offered at a w ide variety of times . marr iage and the arrival of children there was • A great er role could be played by ethn ic a tendency for the family circle to narrow and and local community groups in the planning . exclude English speakers. organ isation and advert ising of classes. For many migrant fam ilies children are the • Transit ional education prog rams and main source of exposure to English. prog rams for the young unemployed should " A part from very recent arrivals in make provision for non-nativa speakers of Australia." the authors of the study say. English. " migrant children at school speak English to • For women there is a need for a range of activities linked with language learning. their peer group. They speak English at home Ms Susan Man /on also to brothers. sisters and cousins and • There is a case for multi-purpose com often to their parents. mun ity centres. used by a variety of groups · into wh ich " English acquisition can be in " In many cases the parents speak in the ir Engl ish-speaking workmates and local tegrated" . native language . but the child replies in instituti ons w it h specialist resources " . English. Often a form of inter-language is As w ith the locall y based community Despit e communication problems. tha used. classes. there naads to be specific plann ing vast major ity of migrants interview ed in tha "The presence of grandparents in the to cater for the special needs of each group . study appeared reasonably happy with their home increases the use of the first language Cult ural factors may make it diff icult for lives here. and most parents make conscious efforts to some young peop le (especially girlsl to take Nearly 90 per cent expressed approval of prevent their ch ildren losing t he use of thei r advantage of the programs organised on a the original decision to come to Australia. language. general basis. the study points out. Some Only six per ceni said they had come against "W here the child ren have left home the may not be allowed to go out alone. to go out the ir w ishes. use of English between the parents generally at night. or to take work outs ide the local More than 21 per cent said they would declines. especially when one or both the area. The special knowledge of tha com like to remain here for most of their lives and partne rs has left the workforce". 65 per cent saw their stay as permanent. This latter situation was particularly Only 12 per cent were unsure about their marked with the elderly Croat ian and Serbian 'Traditional classroom teaching futu re intentions. Nearly 52 par cent we re couples in the sample . One elderly couple already Austra lian cit izens and only 19 per who had returned to Australia from a visit to of English to adult migrants is cent were firm in their intention not to Yugoslavia had completely lost touch with not effective in most situations. change cit izenship status. English. Language training in the Most feel accepted . Nearly 60 per cent The study found that some people were workplace needs to be promoted said they were fully accepted by Australians able to satisfy the ir everyday needs ent irely in more effectively'. and a further 21 per cent felt accepted at a language other than English, although this least some of the tima. Only 15 per cent gave generally meant some degree of dependence a firm no to this Question. on the spouse or children for help and could mun ity groups is needed in these cases. the A large and wide-ranging program i, lead to feelings of inadequacy. Slightly more aut hors conclude. to design acceptable needed, the authors of the study conclude. than a third of parents said that a better programs. " t o persuade all Australians that command of English would ease their The study draws attention to the English commun icat ion prob lems are not simp ly the communicat ion problems with children. language deficiencies of the younger people fault of th e non-English speakers." Housebound women said they felt unsure in the sample wh ich it describes as " par Commu nication is a two-way process. of their English and were reluctant to use it ticu larly distress ing" . they point out. Australians need to be made even with othe r members of the fam ily for It points out that many of the young aware of this and shown how they can help fear of being laughed at. peop le w ho arrive in Austral ia w ith disrupted in communicat ing w ith peop le who are still The survey findings suggest that while the school and incompleted training are not laarning English. tradit iona l ( 'assroom teaching of English to catered for by existing schoo ls. educational Most migrants interview ed in the study adu lt m igrants has a role in certain instituti ons or training schoo ls.