Multilingualism At Parramatta High School In Australia (Research Paper Sample)

Social Linguistic
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Introduction
Today being a dynamic world, both mass migration and globalization in schools and suburbs around the globe are turning to be multilingual and multiethnic places. Yet Nortier (2008), points out that there exists little linguistic research on various ways in which language can be used by different multilingual communities. Over the past one decade, Australia’s population has been increasing gradually, thus leading to the development of more multicultural system which associated with a growing diversity of races, languages, values and cultures. In Australian various efforts have been developed by either individuals, educational organizations and jurisdictions to allow Australia achieve multicultural successes. According to Ricketts et al., (2014), success is seen as a short concept since it is mainly dependent on specific efforts of various groups or individuals and who have either moved on, had support withdrawn or even passed away.
The, need for both educational and schools systems have played a crucial role in Australia through supporting cultural responsiveness to the multicultural system. The main contributor of high Austrian population is high migration rate which has results from an increase in the number of families and students entering Australia through the use of humanitarian visas. Jenny M et al., (2014) points out that development of more a more multicultural system associated with multiculturalism in Australia has led to an increase teaching profile which is mainly dominated by middle class, non-Indigenous European educators.
Presence of foreign teachers in Australia has also increasingly resulted in the development of mismatch among schools and culture expectations of various students with different language origin.
The aim of his paper is to discuss different language practices at Parramatta high school which located in natural swampy environment in the western suburb of Sydney in Austria. In Parramatta high school about 95% of all the students use a language other than English (LOTE) as a means of communication at home (Byrne, 2013).
Multilingualism At Parramatta High School In Australia
Parramatta high school is multicultural with the pre-dominant languages being English, Chinese, Turkish as well as Arabic. Parramatta high school has wide ranges of programs that support and promotes student diversity (Komorowska, H. 2011). One of these programs was held in 2016 and involved Korean, Indian, Afghani and Chinese students and communities whose first language is not English (PHS, 2016).
Through recent, Parramatta high school in Australian High Schools students was seen to effectively speak in their main ethnic language infrequently in both communications and their various friendship contexts. Wright et al., (2016), pointed out that No student who were reported of speaking their main ethnic language all the time while at school. From the study, only about seven students out of the possible 20 participants never used their main ethnic language to communicate while at Parramatta high school. While on the other side the results from the study were relatively stronger. From the above study, main ethnic languages tend to play an incidental role in several of peer groups or individual interactions (Pachucki et al., 2015).
Regardless of their different language backgrounds, Parramatta high school students highly valued their increased ability to effectively gossip in their primary ethnic language without educators or other students understanding their information. When one participant, Abrihet, was asked what he would miss if he woke up one day and find out that he could not efficiently communicate with his ethnic language his response was ‘...Gossiping about other students in your ethnic language which they couldn’t understand easily'.Costas et al., (2017), points out that The increased value which is placed on having an ethnic language which is a seen secret language leads to a potential dilemma to a huge number of students in Parramatta high school. Also students such Abrihet, who mainly speak an ethnic language which is not known widely in the Parramatta high school community.
However, Abrihet while in his friendship group he has learned different words from Cambodian language which is spoken by the two other friends in their group. Abrihet explains that sharing languages at Parramatta high school was beyond words sharing but also played a crucial role in sharing secrets and facilitating encompassing and crossing. As Basílio et al., (2017), defined crossing as the efficient use of various language varieties which are associated with ethnic or social groups which the speaker is not a member(Basílio et al.,2017).
Rampton et al.,(2014), points out that Crossing can also be effectively characterized as a language play form. In this language play, speakers are usually self-conscious in using actual words from another ethnic language group. Rather than the language play mainly conveying the intended meaning it can also be associated with other hidden meaning. Such as swearwords and greetings or insults (Pujalor, 2001) Language play in a diverse linguistic environment is seen as a type of multilingual language play which resulted in the formation of a firm student peer culture at Parramatta high school ( Rampton et al.,2014).
Initiatives to improve multilingualism at Parramatta high school
According to Halliday, et al., (2006), there are several methods which can effectively contribute improving multilingual identities such as Acknowledging languages spoken in Parramatta high school, promoting Cultural innovation and free language interaction. Kirsch et al.,( 2017),points out that education policymakers and other stakeholders should come together so as to recognize the necessities of having a multicultural language system effectively. In a dynamic school environment, multicultural language system helps to promote the development of the school performance and student-student or student-teacher relationship achieve the increasing global languages requirements (Moore et al,2015).
Acknowledge all the languages spoken in school
Any language spoken in school should be embraced fully. Verbal or visual support will also play a crucial role in promoting multilingualism when either in or out of the class environment (Lo Bianco, J. 2009). Students are also expected to learn the importance of both first and secondary language (Rodriguez, 2017).
Free language interaction
All students should be encouraged to share their ethnic languages freely and also get to know the similarities and differences in their languages (Van Lier, 2014). Free language interaction can also be achieved by forming different linguistic groups and giving students a specific topic to work on in different languages and later allowing each group to present using various languages (Van Lier, 2014).
Cultural innovation
According to Meng, et al, (2017), cultural innovation can also be another crucial method of promoting multi-lingual. Culture can be utilized as a tool to effectively promote and enhance diversity. Cultural artifacts and goods from different ethnic groups can also be exchanged; this also plays a vital role in boosting diversity (Meng, 2017). Thus, culture can be a method which can be used to promote the growth of linguistic diversities. Enhancing cultural creativity among students can also be the best tool which will allow them to effectively avoid major language disparities in schools (Behar-Horenstein, 2017).
Language policy formulation
According to Jaspers et al., (2017), a language system provides effective guidelines for both language use and diversity. Formation of a language policy will also greatly assist in promoting diversity. In this system of formation of a language policy students will be taught to embrace other people's languages and also prepare them with sufficient skills and attitude which will allow them to face the larger world with confidence (Banks et al., 2001). Learning different languages equip learners with different opportunities that help them adjust to any given environment and also promote ethical behaviors when engaging the rest of the world.
Sustainability point of view;
Having a sustainable point of view broadly acknowledges diversity as a vital key to sustainability (Pascual et al., 2017). When a learner is fully equipped with different languages, he/she develops abilities and concepts of sustainability (Wals et al...2002). At Parramatta school, for example, their primary mission is to create a platform whereby learners exchange knowledge among themselves for global sustainable development. Also, sustainable point of view also contributes to national or student-student reconciliation (Pascual et al., 2017)
Rationale
To achieve the above initiative of promoting multilingualism at Parramatta high school a lot has to be done.The teaching of various languages should begin at early stages. Parramatta High School In Australia will assist in breaking up the social-cultural links and efficiently help all learners to appreciate other languages during early stages (Gee, J. 2015). Various programs have to be in place to promote diversity issues. There must be a way to make students attitudes active when learning different languages and should not be a form of punishment to students.
The student should also enjoy the b benefits of secondary languages globally. If students feel that something is significantly beneficial to them, then it will be difficult for them to drop the languages (Murillo, 2017). It should also be acknowledged that language policies are long term investment processes and that will also promote long terms achievement. Learning languages offers a complete understanding of different societies and culture thus leading s...