This ongoing study examines the current English language and literacy support provided for refugee-background students (RBS) in regional New South Wales (NSW) to facilitate their integration into mainstream academic classes. The successful integration of refugees into the NSW educational system is argued to be crucial to facilitate their integration into Australian society (NSW Department of Education, 2018). However, little is known about the provision of English language and literacy support in the public high schools of regional NSW, despite the crucial role that these schools play in developing the English language proficiency and literacy of students. This study therefore aims to investigate the current support provided for RBS, including good practices and the challenges faced in supporting their English language and literacy needs of RBS in the public high schools of regional NSW.
The study also aims to explore the multiple layers of context surrounding the current English language and literacy support provided for refugee-background students in the public high schools of regional NSW for a holistic investigation of the research topic. These layers of context, which are identified via Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (1979), include the following: state policies, school-based strategies, classroom-level practices and the lived experiences of refugee-background students. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework (1979) is employed as the conceptual framework of this study as it allows for the exploration of multiple perspectives and the multi-layered factors influencing the current English language and literacy support provided for RBS in the public high schools of regional NSW. The framework consists of four ecological systems: the micro-, meso-, exo- and macro- systems. The microsystem in the study is represented by the classroom environment, which is the students' most immediate surrounding in school. The mesosystem, on the other hand, is represented by the school environment, including the structures, norms and practices of the school. The exosystem encompasses the official policies at the school, including cultural and social norms in the selected regional town in NSW, and societal perceptions towards refugees in the respective communities. To access information on the various factors operating in the respective ecological systems, a wide range of data collection methods will be employed.
The research questions of this study are as follows:
1. How are refugee-background students and regionality represented in policies related to the provision of English language and literacy support in NSW?
2. How does the representation of RBS and regionality impact targeted resource provision in the policies related to English language and literacy education in NSW?
3. What are the experiences of school leaders, teachers and EAL/D teachers in the selected public high school in regional NSW in providing English language and literacy support for
refugee-background students in the classroom?
4. What are the English language and literacy learning experiences of refugee-background students in the classrooms of the selected public high school in regional NSW?
5. How do external stakeholders view policy and practice for English language and literacy support for refugee-background students in the public high schools of regional NSW?