Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters your planning and implementation KIT

based on the ARC Linkage Project

Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals: Intergenerational, intercultural encounters and second language development
A collaborative research project with the Faculty of Arts: Dr Marisa Cordella, Dr Hui Huang and the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences: Prof Colette Browning

Project participants

Structure of this KIT

Summary of the research project Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals: Intergenerational, intercultural encounters and second language acquisition Benefits: Who will enjoy participating in this program? And why? Setting up an Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program in your community: A 4 step process Running an Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program: Are you a language teacher and interested in connecting your students with older speakers to enhance their language learning experience? Resources and templates Acknowledgment

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page 5 page 6

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page 9-24 page 25

1 Summary of the research project Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals: Intergenerational, intercultural encounters and second language acquisition (2010-2012) (page 1 of 2)
This KIT originates from a research project which was funded by the Australian Research Council from 2010 to 2012. It brings together students of Chinese, German or Spanish with older speakers of the language, promoting mutually beneficial intercultural, intergenerational encounters. Regular meetings offer students real interaction with target language speakers and enhance their communicative competence. At the same time these meetings increase seniors social activities and improve their quality of life. This initiative of connecting community members from different generations and different cultural backgrounds has a positive impact on the social fabric of the Australian society. It fills a gap in recent trends that show a decline in voluntary work and an erosion of individual connectedness in Australia. This project fosters community engagement and social cohesion in a multicultural society. It shapes future attitudes and interactions across multicultural communities as is shown on the project website and in publications.
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1 Summary of the research project Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals: Intergenerational, intercultural encounters and second language acquisition (2010-2012) (page 2 of 2)

On this website you find background information about the research project, pictures, testimonials and feedback from participants in action, current project activities, results, benefits and lots of inspiration! www.arts.monash.edu.au/intergenerational This KIT has been designed for you to set up and run a similar program. The necessary steps, important contacts and procedures are clearly outlined and adaptable templates are provided.

2 Benefits: Who will enjoy participating in this program? And why?

I want to increase students opportunities in engaging in authentic and natural interaction.

Language teachers

Seniors speaking other languages than English

Language students

Local councils/ Community organisations

This projects brings benefits to a wide range of community members by connecting seniors and students. Seniors can share their knowledge with young people. Young language students have increased opportunities to talk and interact in the language they are learning. It is a way to actively engage and connect members of the community for local councils and community organisations. This KIT has been designed for language teachers and provides assistance in setting up a similar project in your school.
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3 Setting up an Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program: A 4 step process

Step 1 + Step 2: Engage students who are learning another language and find seniors who speak the language the students are learning

Step 3: Pair students and seniors

Step 4: Let students and seniors meet and converse in the target language regularly

4 Running an Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program: Are you a language teacher and interested in connecting your students with older speakers to enhance their language learning experience? (page 1 of 2)

Get your principals support to set up the project in your school. Refer to the project website for feedback from participants and benefits for the students language learning. Contact your language consultant within the DEECD or ISV to indicate your interest and to find out about schools or communities involved in similar programs in your area.

Calculate costs and discuss them with your principal. Apply for funding if necessary.

Contact community groups and local councils to find out about interested seniors in your area. Organise a police check and a working with children check for seniors. Organise transport and travel reimbursement.
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4 Running an Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program: Are you a language teacher and interested in connecting your students with older speakers to enhance their language learning experience? (page 2 of 2)

Encourage students to immerse themselves in this unique and very effective opportunity to enhance their language proficiency and contribute to social inclusion. Inform the your school community about the project. Assist the student and senior pairs in setting up a regular date, time and space to meet and develop a list of topics and hints with your student that supports their VCE curriculum.

Exchange your experiences with other teachers and motivate them to implement this program in their classes.

5 Resources and templates (page 1 of 16):

More information Research Project: Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals (Monash University 2010-2012) Project website http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/intergenerational/ Dr Marisa Cordella (Spanish), Marisa.Cordella@monash.edu Dr Hui Huang (Chinese), Hui.Huang@monash.edu Ms Ramona Baumgartner (German), Ramona.Baumgartner@monash.edu

5 Resources and templates (page 2 of 16): Language consultants

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), Languages Education Unit Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ studentlearning/teachingresources/lote/ proflearn.htm http://www.independentschools.vic.edu.au/

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5 Resources and templates (page 3 of 16):

Community groups Victorian Multicultural Commission Community Resource Directory Council on the Ageing Federation of Ethnics' communities council in Australia Ethnic communities council of Victoria Municipal Association of Victoria http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/ http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/ resources/community-directory http://www.cotavic.org.au/ http://www.fecca.org.au/ http://www.eccv.org.au/contact http://www.mav.asn.au/policyservices/social-community/multicultural/ Pages/default.aspx

Local councils

Cultural Diversity Officers/ Community Development Officers/ Multicultural Liaison Officer etc.

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5 Resources and templates (page 4 of 16):

Funding Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Community Grants http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/grants/ application-forms

Volunteering Victoria

http://www.volunteeringvictoria.com.au/gr ants-and-funding/228-grants-and-fundinginformation-online
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/funding /grant_main.jsp www.seniorsonline.vic.gov. au

Community grants database

Seniors online (Participation for CALD Seniors small grant program)

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5 Resources and templates (page 5 of 16): Police checks

Victoria Police
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/ content.asp?Document_ID=274 http://www.volunteeringvictoria.com.au/volun teer-information/86-working-with-childrencheck http://www.volunteeringvictoria.com.au/volun teer-information/86-working-with-childrencheck

Volunteering Victoria

How to organise police checks

Enquire about a community volunteer fee number (VCF) with Victoria Police Find out current cost of a Police Check Inform participants about how to complete the police check (required documents, where to get documents certified, where to send the application to) If necessary assist participants in completion of police check

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5 Resources and templates (page 6 of 16):

Working with children checks Department of Justice Australia Post
http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/working+wit h+children/home/about+the+check/what+is+checked/wwcc++applicants+-+faqs http://apps.nowwhere.com.au/ austpost/PostOfficeLocator/default.aspx http://www.volunteeringvictoria.com.au/volunteer-information/86working-with-children-check http://www.volunteeringvictoria.com.au/volunteer-information/86working-with-children-check

Volunteering Victoria

How to organise working with children checks

Check the website about the current procedure Inform participants about how to complete the working with children check (required documents, nearest post office, arrange time and date, costs for photo, procedure, include your schools details in application and you will receive a copy of the completed check If necessary assist participants with the completion of working with children check

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5 Resources and templates (page 7 of 16):

Transport Kingston Age Friendly Transport Project http://www.vcta.org.au/2011conference/KAFTP% 20presentation%20for%20Comm%20Tsp%20 Forum.pdf/

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5 Resources and templates (page 8 of 16):

Teacher Checklist teacher
Steps to have completed before the program can roll out Keep a record of required paperwork for each participant Your participants database page 20 Your sessions database

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page 18 page 19

Checklist seniors-students Pair list and contact list seniors Schedule students

Students Plan students

Students keep a record of the sessions and their learning experience Gives parents background information and includes consent form Informs students about meeting day, time, venue, time frame and topics

Information sheet parents Information sheet students

page 21 page 22 page 23

Seniors Information sheet seniors

Gives seniors information about logistics, contact details and schedule page 24

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5 Resources and templates (page 9 of 16): Checklist teacher

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program checklist teacher
School community

The schools principal is supporting this project Venues for meetings have been set up and staff who is directly/indirectly involved have been informed (e.g. librarians) The school community has been informed about the meetings and will welcome the seniors to the school community _________________________________________________________________________

Seniors
Seniors have Police Check Seniors have Working with Children Check Transport for seniors is organised Seniors contact details are added to database Information sheet with details about time, dates, venue, time frame and topics are sent to seniors _________________________________________________________________________

Students
Information sheet has been sent out to parents Consent forms have been collected Students are paired with seniors A regular time in the students timetable has been set aside for the meetings Conversation topics have been established with the students Regular debriefing sessions have been scheduled with the students Students have information sheet with details about time, dates, venue, time frame and topics Students have student plan template _________________________________________________________________________

Miscellaneous
_________________________________________________________________________

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5 Resources and templates (page 10 of 16): Checklist seniorsstudents

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Checklist seniors
Working with children check

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Checklist students

Consent form Student Plan Schedule Information Sheet

Seniors Carlos Y

Police Check

Contact Information Pair details Sheet list

Transport

Students Peter X

Pair list

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5 Resources and templates (page 11 of 16): Pair list and contact list seniors Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters
Pair list and contact list seniors
Students Name:
Senior: Phone No.: Address: Notes

Students Name:
Senior: Phone No.: Address:

Notes

Students Name:
Senior: Phone No.: Address:

Notes

Students Name:
Senior: Phone No.: Address:

Notes

Students Name:
Senior: Phone No.: Address:

Notes

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5 Resources and templates (page 12 of 16): Schedule students

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Schedule students
Student and Senior: Peter X and Carlos Y Day: Time:
Meeting Topic Mondays week A 2-3pm

Student and Senior:

Student and Senior:

Student and Senior:

Student and Senior:

Student and Senior:

Student and Senior:

Day: Time: Venue:

Day: Time: Venue: 2

Day: Time: Venue: 3

Day: Time: Venue: 4

Day: Time: Venue:

Day: Time: Venue:

Venue1:

Library

Introduction

15/03/2012

Familiy

29/03/2012

Debrief: Beg. of May

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Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

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Debrief: End of June

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

Debrief

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5 Resources and templates (page 13 of 16): Plan students

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters Plan Student
Details My name

My senior partner's name

NUMBER OF SESSIONS

Session 1 Date and Venue Topic What did I expect? What did I learn? Notes

Session 2 Date and Venue Topic What did I expect? What did I learn? Notes

Session 3 Date and Venue Topic What did I expect? What did I learn? Notes

Session 4 Date and Venue Topic What did I expect? What did I learn? Notes

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5 Resources and templates (page 14 of 16): Information sheet parents

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Information sheet parents

[School logo] [Type parents names] AddressBlock GreetingLine 1. Write information and background about the program. Include benefits for students. 2. Inform about the logistics of the program (How many meetings, intervals, time frame, timetable slot). 3. (Insert your contact details.) 4. Attach tear off section that asks for parents consent.

[Type the closing] [Attach tear off section]

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5 Resources and templates (page 15 of 16): Information sheet students

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Information sheet students

[School logo] [Type students name] AddressBlock GreetingLine 1. Thank student for participation. Remind student of commitment. 2. Insert partners name, meeting day, time, venue, time frame and topics. 3. Refer to attached plan.

[Type the closing] [Attach plan]

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5 Resources and templates (page 16 of 16): Information sheet seniors

Intergenerational and Intercultural language encounters program Information sheet seniors

[School logo] [Type seniors name] AddressBlock GreetingLine 1. Thank senior for participation. 2. Insert partners name, meeting day, venue and address of school. 3. Insert list of dates and topics. 4. Insert your contact details and refer to attached map.

[Type the closing] [Attach map of school]

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6 Acknowledgment
Firstly, we would like to thank the Australian Research Council (ARC) for the Linkage grant (2010-2012), that made the research project Connecting younger second language learners and older bilinguals: Intergenerational, intercultural encounters and second language development possible.

We would like to acknowledge the following three schools, their staff and the volunteers who brought the ARC Linkage project to life. Their participation, commitment and motivation are an inspiration to all future participants and organisers:
Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill: Their principal, their Chinese and German teachers and LOTE coordinators and Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2010-2012. Glen Waverley Secondary College, Glen Waverley: Their principal, their Chinese teachers and LOTE coordinators and Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2010-2012.

Wantirna College, Wantirna: Their principal, their Spanish teacher and Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2010-2012.
All Chinese speaking, German speaking and Spanish speaking senior volunteers.

We would also like to thank the four partner organisations and their representatives for their contributions, support and advice: Council on the Ageing, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Independent Schools Victoria and Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship. Finally, we would like to pay tribute to the initiator of the ARC Linkage Project, the late Professor Michael Clyne. All future programs will continue his legacy as a pioneer and tireless advocate of multilingualism in multicultural societies.
Monash University March 2012. Pictures: All pictures were taken as part of the ARC Linkage Project. They are published with participants and teachers consent. Monash University reserves the right to alter information, procedures, fees and regulations contained in this document. Please check the Monash University website for updates (www.monash.edu.au). All information reflects prescriptions, policy and practice in force at time of publication. Published March 2012.

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