Listen to Marg James’ interview about the HARs on Statewide Drive, ABC Radio
On Wednesday 14 November Margaret was interviewed by Barry Nicholls on Statewide Drive, ABC Radio, Perth, WA, about some of the recent challenges facing Indigenous learners in the schooling system. They discussed some of the linguistic difficulties that learning to read and write in a second language presents and how this often manifests in low scores in high school. This of course makes school a much more unfriendly and difficult place for students. barry was intersted in what the Honey Ant Readers program is doing to help address this. To listen to the interview, click here: Interview on Statewide Drive with Barry Nicholls
I have been very blessed by hearing all the good news about the Honey Ant Readers as well as the valuable information about Aboriginal English being spoken by Aborigines.
I am a German emigrant living in Adelaide since 2006 with my 7 children and husband. I have been a language teacher in England for many years before I came to South Australia where I found that by English License was not accepted by Teacher Registration. I found myself having to repeat the complete license of four year Teacher training again. This is my second Semester with CDU and I am currently studying Teaching Indigenous Learners. I have been working on my Assignments when I came across your site Honey Ant Readers. I do so love all what you are doing and have done, as a Lingual speaking more that five different European languages I do understand where you are coming from and the way forward. I have noticed the great injustices in this country not just for Aboriginal children but also for the new emigrant children not able to speak the language. I work for the education Department as a Bilingual officer for German. I have seen how difficult not understanding and speaking the English language can be and would love to make a difference for this children not speaking English as first language. If I can be of any help or support I would love to offer my help and be very grateful for any information from you on how I can make a difference.
Thank you so very much for what you are doing.
Regards
Martina Riding
Hi Martina
Thank you for your letter of encouragement. It is wonderful that you are studying teaching again, as our schools can only be made richer by teachers, like yourself, who themselves speak many languages.
To familiarise yourself with the many differences between Standard English and Aboriginal English is a great start as it is only in understanding the difficulties these speakers may have on entering school that you can really help them. I am constantly amazed by the brilliance and determination of the little ones who untiringly ‘sound out’ English words that they have no understanding of at all! It is very important for children to be guided from what is familiar to what is new and unfamiliar in every way, including language and print literacy.
One of my happiest moments is when a child says to me “Margaret the books are so EASY”! We then always talk about which book is their favourite and which one they are up to etc. It makes them proud!
Please contact me if you’d like to know more about ideas on how to use the resources in an interactive, lively way and if you’d like me to deliver a workshop on this, or on any of the aspects underpinning the books such as Aboriginal English, Second language acquisition or communicative language teaching including teaching language through singing.
Good luck with your end of semester results and in the course going forward.
Margaret