Migrant English students celebrate their stories
When students from the Adult Migrant English Program at Swinburne TAFE stood up in front of an audience to read out their stories for Adult Learner’s Week, it was the result of much hard work and dedication.
Although some of them had never written anything in English before, the students soon became enthusiastic about sharing their stories. ‘Fine Print: Student and Teacher Writing issue’, a collection of short stories by adult learners, was published by the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council to recognise the Migrant English students’ achievements.
Student Shulan Wang, a migrant from China, read out her story 'Childhood Memories', a reflective piece that details her experiences with bullying as a child.
The English class at Swinburne is the first formal education Wang has had since she moved to Australia nine years ago. Wang believes the class has improved her language skills and her confidence. "I would never have thought that I could write my own story in English," she said.
Teacher Amy Lai-Chow’s philosophy on teaching another language is simple - errors are signs of learning.
“The students come from learning contexts where mistakes are prohibited. I help them understand that mistakes are the ‘mother of success’,” said Lai-Chow.
The Adult Migrant English Program aims to help newly arrived migrants and refugees settle in Australia by providing English lessons. The program currently runs at Swinburne University’s Hawthorn, Prahran, Croydon and Wantirna campuses.
