Voices in VicTESOL: A VicTESOL Podcast

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Episode 7 – Multicultural Days in Australian schools as forms of lazy multiculturalism with Prof Megan Watkins

Prof Megan Watkins, Katrina Tour and Melissa Barnes take a critical perspective on traditional celebrations of Multicultural Days in Australian schools. This conversation explores why traditional events filled with flags, food, music and costumes often represent a missed opportunity for meaningful multicultural education and sheds light on how schools can approach such events differently.

Season 1, Episode 6

S1E6 – Use of learning resources by displaced Ukrainians in Australia with Dr Tetiana Bogachenko

Tetiana Bogachenko, Katrina Tour and Melissa Barnes explore the journeys of displaced people from Ukraine in Australia and discuss how they navigate education, employment, and community participation using both formal and informal learning resources. From understanding their unique challenges to uncovering the resilience and agency they bring to their new lives, this conversation sheds light on the role of education in displacement and what it means to rebuild life in a new land.

Related article: ⁠Bogachenko, T., & Burke, R. (2024). Educational ‘exchange rates’ in (re) settlement: The use of formal and informal learning resources by displaced people from Ukraine in Australia. International Journal of Educational Research, 127, 102412.

Season 1, Episode 5

S1E5 – Trauma‑informed university support for refugee background students with A/P Sally Baker

Sally Baker, Katrina Tour and Melissa Barnes explore trauma-informed university support for students from refugee backgrounds in Australia and what it means to create a university culture that truly cares.

Season 1, Episode 4

S1E4 – School context in refugee education with Dr Melanie Baak and Dr Sarah McDonald

Melanie Baak, Sarah McDonald, Katrina Tour and Melissa Barnes explore how different school environments shape educational experiences for students from refugee backgrounds, encouraging educators and school leaders to reflect on their practices and consider new strategies for supporting refugee students.

Season 1, Episode 3

S1E3 – Arts-Based Approaches to Languages Education with A/P Rachel Burke

Rachel Burke, Katrina Tour, and Melissa Barnes explore arts-based approaches to language education for young learners from refugee backgrounds, uncovering the ways they can create inclusive, engaging, and hopeful learning spaces for some of the most vulnerable yet resilient young learners. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation that promises to change the way we think about language education and the possibilities it holds for children from refugee backgrounds.

Season 1, Episode 2

S1E2 – Enablers and barriers for plurilingual practices: How EAL/D teachers support new arrivals in a rural secondary setting with David Partridge

David Partridge, Melissa Barnes and Katrina Tour explore a compelling topic that intersects language learning and support for new arrivals in rural secondary schools.They discuss the dynamic landscape of plurilingual practices within rural educational settings, examining both the facilitators and challenges faced by English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) teachers. Additionally, many practical strategies are offered to support educators interested in bringing students’ home into their classrooms.

Season 1, Episode 1

S1E1 – Generative AI in language learning with Dr Edwin Creely

Dr Edwin Creely (Monash University), Katrina Tour and Melissa Barnes are diving into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and its impact on language learning. They discuss exciting opportunities that generative AI offers for language learning and challenges associated with its use. They also speculate about the future developments in AI technologies and what they might mean for language learners and teachers.

Voices in VicTESOL: A VicTESOL Podcast

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