Panel Discussion
(2024 VicTESOL Symposium)
18 November 4:30pm – 5:30pm AEDT, Online
Come join the multidisciplinary team of panelists who will unpack the keynote session and discuss their experiences working with students with refugee backgrounds; The panelists will discuss their own experiences, not only from a teaching of English language perspective but will discuss a wide range of issues that students with a refugee background confront in contemporary schools.
Our panelists will be made up of individuals who work with students with a refugee background, in different professional capacities with a whole range of diverse expertise and experiences.
Facilitator
April Edwards has extensive experience working as an EAL and English teacher, EAL Coordinator and EAL specialist mentor to English teachers. She has promoted the implementation of EAL strategies across the curriculum and for the last 6 years she has worked in Initial Teacher Education and as an EAL consultant to both the Victorian Department of Education and the Victorian and Curriculum Assessment Authority. April currently works at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, as a Teaching Academic of English, TESOL and literacy across the curriculum. Her research focuses on culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies that seek to include all learners whilst evoking new, more pluralistic understandings of the self and others.
Panel Members
Sarah Cunningham, Job Readiness Worker, Catholic Care
Sarah has been employed with CatholicCare Victoria since 2020, coordinating a Job Readiness Program for refugee youth and their mothers in Geelong’s Northern Suburbs. She is passionate about their clients having informed options, choice and control over their own education and employment journey once they arrive in Australia. Sarah has worked in education and employment programs and been an advocate with disadvantaged communities for over 14 years and worked alongside many refugee and multicultural clients during that time.
Sarah sees any role she undertakes within the Refugee Community as an absolute honour and loves working alongside inspirational clients and colleagues, to achieve great things. “We play a small part of a much bigger puzzle for many of our clients, we can’t do it on our own and I value the many partnerships and programs, we work with including many amazing teachers and educators.
Debra Gibson, Principal at Doveton College P-9
Debra Gibson is the Principal of Doveton College – a vibrant learning community comprising an Early Learning Centre for children 0-5 years of age, school for Foundation to Year 9 and a range of adult learning classes.
Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to creating positive and inclusive learning environments for all students with a particular focus on supporting disadvantaged and at-risk young people. Under her leadership Doveton College continues to improve student outcomes (emotional, social and educational), provide equality of access and opportunity and wrap a wide range of health and allied health supports and services around children, young people and their families.
As a educator and educational leader in a range of primary and secondary school settings, Debra brings a diversity of experience, a wealth of knowledge, and an unwavering determination to ensure that every child gets what they need to succeed.
Christine Bakopanos, Counsellor-Advocate Senior Practitioner at The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture- known as Foundation House
Christine Bakopanos is a Counsellor-Advocate Senior Practitioner at The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture- known as Foundation House. Foundation House provides a range of services to people from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds who have survived torture or war related trauma.
Christine has been working at Foundation House for the past 24 years in both research and counselling roles (undertaking individual assessment, counselling and advocacy, and therapeutic group work) with adults, young people and children. She has also undertaken professional debriefing, reflective practice and supervision of other service providers, particularly school wellbeing staff and bicultural workers.
Through her years of experience at Foundation House she has developed expertise in refugee trauma counselling, however her strength and key interest lies in working with refugee young people individually and in therapeutic group work. She also has had a keen interest in supporting school staff and educators, as well as the broader educational, youth service, and justice sectors, in being able to best respond to the complex needs and presentations of highly traumatised refugee and asylum-seeker youth, including unaccompanied minors, and disengaged at-risk youth who are from refugee backgrounds.
Houda El Kheir, Multicultural Education Aide
Houda El Kheir has been working as a Multicultural Education Aide at Meadows Primary School, in Melbourne’s north for the last 5 years. She works closely with teachers, the principal and the wellbeing team in supporting newly arrived and refugee families to navigate the Australian schooling system. Her cultural lens, strong connection to community and Arabic language have been integral in fostering a safe and supportive environment, which facilitates the personal growth, resilience and confidence in both the students and their families.
Houda facilitates small groups to support students in developing their oral language and communication skills. She translates at Student Support Group meetings and will at times attend school visits with refugee families, in preparation for high school transition, or when exploring a Specialist School setting.
Cost
Tickets for all four sessions of the 2024 VicTESOl Symposium are now available here.
Individual tickets:
$15 – VicTESOL members (including members of other state TESOL associations)
$35– Non-members
Become a member today, for member prices!
