Welcome to the latest edition of our CEO’s column News From Adam.
I am often impressed at the diversity that exists in our membership. The settings vary (from universities and TAFE to stand-alone centres) as do the locations (from every state in Australia to a range of global locations). I’m lucky enough to have had the satisfaction of working in a range of settings and in different programs.
One of my career highlights was working with a high school preparation program for international students preparing for entry to private schools in Sydney. The challenges were so very different. These were kids and they came with all the issues kids have. Of course, as always, it’s never “just English”. In this case, it was creating carefully tailored programs of study for teenagers, thinking about the safest and best homestay arrangements, handling the odd melt-down and bringing into place a range of specialist supports. It was complex, challenging and there were some failures here and there.
What lingers most in my memory about that time in my career was the powerful collegiality existing across the high school sector. As with our broader sector, people were willing to give and to share and find common solutions to specific problems. This willingness to collaborate makes us special in ELT and I’m so pleased that NEAS, being of and for its members, is able to reflect and facilitate this wonderful attribute through our Communities of Practice (CoPs).
NEAS is hosting a high school CoP in Brisbane on the 26th of July on the theme of Language, Learning, Leadership: Empowering Young ESL Students for Success. We’re planning this to be a great opportunity for sharing, debating and considering the issues specific to High School. Discussions may include adapting to regulatory changes, engaging with onshore families, and recognising the importance of homestay experiences in fostering cultural awareness. Additionally, it highlights the significance of enhancing academic skills through multidisciplinary approaches and acknowledges the significance of developing students’ language skills and leadership qualities in helping and guiding young ESL students.
For more details and to register, click here.
June 2024
