Language, Education, and Settlement: a Sociolinguistic Ethnography On, with and for Africans in Australia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Language, Education, and Settlement: A Sociolinguistic Ethnography on, with and for Africans in Australia Vera Williams Tetteh BA (Hons, First Class), Macquarie University, 2006 This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2015 Department of Linguistics Macquarie University ii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................... vii Statement of Candidate .................................................................................................. viii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... ix List of Tables ................................................................................................................. xiii List of Figures ................................................................................................................ xiv List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................ xv Transcription Conventions ............................................................................................. xvi 1. Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Motivation for a study ‘on’, ‘with’ and ‘for’ Africans in Australia ............................... 1 1.2 African migrants in Australia .................................................................................... 11 1.3 The Adult Migrant English Program .......................................................................... 16 1.4 Overview of thesis..................................................................................................... 19 2. Theoretical framework and literature review ............................................................... 24 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 24 2.2 Language as symbolic power ..................................................................................... 25 2.2.1 Sociocultural theories of language as capital ....................................................... 26 2.2.2 Second language learning as investment ............................................................. 27 2.2.3 Language learning and language ideologies ........................................................ 28 2.3 The language learning experiences of ‘black’ Africans in ‘white’ Western societies .. 30 2.3.1 Contemporary black diaspora Africans and race in white societies ...................... 31 2.3.2 Pre-migration educational experiences ................................................................ 40 2.3.3 Prior education and links to migration pathways ................................................. 55 2.3.4 Language learning of African migrants ............................................................... 65 2.4 Black Africans, employment and settlement in Western contexts .............................. 71 2.4.1 Employment challenges and newly emerging African communities .................... 73 2.4.2 Intersections of race and class ............................................................................. 75 2.4.3 Race, gender and class ........................................................................................ 78 2.5 Summary ................................................................................................................... 80 3. Methodology ............................................................................................................... 82 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 82 3.2 Qualitative research ................................................................................................... 82 iii 3.3 Ethnography .............................................................................................................. 84 3.4 Data collection ........................................................................................................... 87 3.4.1 Sampling ............................................................................................................. 87 3.4.2 Recruiting participants ........................................................................................ 88 3.4.3 Interviews ........................................................................................................... 91 3.4.4 Participant observations ...................................................................................... 94 3.4.5 Gathering public material .................................................................................... 95 3.5 Participants ................................................................................................................ 97 3.6 Researcher positioning ............................................................................................. 101 3.7 Ethical considerations .............................................................................................. 105 3.8 Data analysis ........................................................................................................... 106 3.9 Summary ................................................................................................................. 107 4. African linguistic repertoires on the move .................................................................. 109 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 109 4.2 Linguistic repertoires ............................................................................................... 110 4.3 Oracy and linguistic identity development ............................................................... 113 4.4 Education, literacy and formal language learning ..................................................... 122 4.4.1 English as Medium of Instruction ...................................................................... 123 4.4.2 LOTE as Medium of Instruction ........................................................................ 127 4.5 On-arrival English proficiencies............................................................................... 129 4.6 Summary ................................................................................................................. 134 5. Well-educated through English medium .................................................................... 135 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 135 5.2 Pre-migration experiences of education and English language learning .................... 138 5.3 English speakers becoming English learners in settlement ....................................... 140 5.3.1 Humanitarian entrants with AMEP entitlement ................................................. 141 5.3.2 Other pathway entrants with no AMEP entitlement ........................................... 143 5.3.3 Linguistic differences between African Englishes and Australian English ......... 145 5.3.4 Summary .......................................................................................................... 148 5.4 Finding jobs and re-establishing careers ................................................................... 149 5.4.1 Challenges ........................................................................................................ 154 5.4.2 Strategies applied to gain desirable jobs ............................................................ 167 5.4.3 Summary .......................................................................................................... 170 5.5 Case Study 1: Venus ................................................................................................ 172 iv 5.6 Case Study 2: Sally ..................................................................................................177 5.7 Summary ..................................................................................................................183 6. Well-educated through LOTE medium .......................................................................184 6.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................184 6.2 Pre-migration experiences of education and English language learning ....................189 6.2.1 Tertiary-educated participants ............................................................................189 6.2.2 Disrupted educational careers ............................................................................191 6.2.3 English as a school subject ................................................................................193 6.2.4 English for communication in transit countries ..................................................194 6.2.5 Summary ...........................................................................................................197 6.3 Experiences of language learning and settlement ......................................................197 6.3.1 Formal language learning and Arabic speakers .................................................199 6.3.2 Formal language learning and French speakers ..................................................201 6.4 Finding jobs and re-establishing