By Mojgan Mokhatebi Ardakani & Dr. Robyn Moloney

1. Evaluating and developing current curriculum design for Persian heritage learners in Persian community schools in Sydney, Australia By Mojgan Mokhatebi Ardakani & Dr. Robyn Moloney

2. This study will evaluate and develop current curricula used in different Persian community schools running in Sydney, Australia in primary level (K-5). • Primary school Persian heritage learner • The most important group of learners in terms of their age • They have been neglected in community language studies • The main purpose of this study • To examine diverse factors associated with improving the quality of language teaching and learning of heritage learners of Persian • to formulate theory, • to develop classroom activities • to create enlightened programs for students who bring knowledge of Persian language as their home language into the classroom.

3. Persian heritage learners will be asked about their: • demographic information • home-language use • previous language learning experience • motivation and attitudes toward language learning • life experiences • age and the place that they have started Persian language learning • needs and concerns • Goal • proficiency levels

4. Data collected will be used in crafting a purposeful study to examine diverse factors associated with improving the quality of Persian language teaching and learning among Persian heritage learners. • A brief history of community languages program in Australia • Australian context : Community language • American context : Heritage language • Baldauf (2005) : community language developed and funded after World war II • Clyne (1991) : Australian primary schools started to teach languages from early 1973 • Early 1980s: community language teaching • within regular schools through insertion classes • After- hours programs

5. According to NSW community languages program website, Languages programs in NSW are delivered through: • School programs provided in government and non-government primary and secondary schools • The Open High School and Distance Education centers • The outside tutor system • Programs conducted outside of school hours by the Saturday School of Community Languages • Saturday School of Community Languages • The Community Languages Schools Program

6. The community languages school program • outside of mainstream school hours • Heritage language learners • Non-heritage language learners • Non-for-profit organization • Government provides free use of mainstream school facilities outside of school hours to these schools • per capita funding of $60 per annum • Saturday schools of community languages : year 11/12 (HSC) • (Oguro & Moloney, 2009) • Lack of support from Community, Family, Government • Consequences for heritage learners • loss of ancestral language • weaker connections with their community and culture and even their immediate family • loss of self-esteem.

7. Consequences for society and government (Christian, 2008, p.257) loss of these heritage language learners lack of potential sources of language professionals needed for trade, diplomacy, security and defence Regarding the inevitability role of families and government and their support in heritage language learning, this study also seeks to promote their support and involvement in heritage language learning and bilingualism in primary school as it is the foundation for language learning throughout the rest of learner’s life. Why is family motivation, expectation and support important in Community language learning? Christian (2008) Lynch (2008) refers to Conference (UCLA, 2001) unless the heritage language community is motivated and supportive of programs, these programs are doomed to failure. Hornberger (2005) Zhang (1997) A list Parents’ expectations

8. The role of Australian government in supporting community language programs Diaz (1997) : role of government support is a matter of great urgency. Recommendation: full recognition of young children’s bilingual and biliteracy development during the first years of school Lynch (2008) Community support and government funding in formal program evaluation a better understanding by government as to how such schools manage to survive under so many constraints and, while giving out grants, have more reasonable expectations on them

9. Need Analysis Lynch (2008) different program evaluation audiences, leads to a discussion of needs analysis as the traditional basis for establishing and evaluating language program objectives. audiences such as Persian heritage learners, their family, their community and Australian government, their needs analysis as a basis for evaluating and developing language program objectives. Need Analysis concept 1. The Council of Europe distinguished between objective needs andsubjective needs (Richterich, 1975; Richterich & Chancerel,1980; Richterich, 1983) 2. Berwick (1989) Perceived needs and felt/expressed needs various stakeholders in the program design and planning stage 3.Brindley (1989) Teacher/expert- defined needs and learner-defined need

10. Why are primary school learners the focus of this study? Au(2008) Childhood as special status in language acquisition childhood language memory can remain accessible through adulthood. For example, Penfield (1959) Diaz (1997) Siren’s (1991) research on “language maintenance and shift in early childhood” that shows the crucial role of day care and school settings lack of research into early childhood language maintenance and shift in Australia Christian (2008) the elementary and secondary school years as foundation of language proficiency and public/private school programs can incorporate that goal into their curricula Lo Bianco (1986) learning in the mother tongue from the beginning of school for infants as greater time exposure to the language than most second language learners are likely to enjoy. Clyne(1991) an understanding of other languages and cultures from the early years of primary school

11. An introduction to Iranian community in Sydney 2006 census: 22 550 (Australia) 11 940 (Sydney) 1980s , 1990s To study As refugees 7.6% 0-14 66.7% Iran-born

12. A brief description of four Persian community schools in Sydney • pilot study, four school principals were interviewed • School #1 • Under supervision of DET in Iran • Uses the same curriculum and assessment • 9 AM-1 PM • Iranian students, Afghan students • Students who are in Sydney for a short period of time and those who want to come back to Iran • Teacher qualification • The emphasis is on reading and writing

17. School # 2 • School follows their curriculum, flexible at the same time • Dual language program, material is written by school principal • The focus is on Farsi and Mathematics • 20 students in primary school • Student placement based on their level of proficiency not their age • Emphasis on reading and writing • Students from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan • Experience of learning Persian language in Iran and its impact • Australia-born learners as slow learners • Lack of Parents’ involvement in child’s learning process

21. School number # 3 • 78 students in 2009 (including HSC learners) • 4-18 years old (40% male, 60% female) • Most of them are born in Iran • Their own curriculum, Farsi and Mathematics • Geography and history are taught through showing documentaries • CDs and non-Persian learners’ material provided from Iran • Persian songs and movies as teaching material • Debate classes, emphasis on reading and writing, no attention to listening • Teacher qualification • Lack of relationship between parents and school • Time devoted to homework during the week

22. School #4 • 60 learners in 2009, female more than male (5-15), Australia-born • Kindergarten, year 1 (two years), beginner, intermediate, HSC, adult • Learners started by speaking at home, then reading and writing at school • Learners who had schooling in Iran are more capable in understanding abstract meanings • Extracurricular programs such as book-reading competition, theatre, choir and poster-making • Searching internet to do homework, dictation is emphasized • Parents’ lack of time to involve in child learning • Teachers’ qualification • Parents as teachers

28. Issues and concerns • Time constraints for learning Persian language in Persian community schools • Lack of parents’ involvement and support in school activities • Years of schooling in Iran and its effect on learners’ perception and understanding of abstract meaning. • Place of birth as a factor in language proficiency in early years of schooling and its impact on the pace of learning • Shortness of time devoted by students in doing their homework • Kids’ lack of interest and resistance in communicating in Persian language in Persian community schools during class and in recess time • Lack of attention to listening skill and resources for developing this ability and focusing on reading and writing • Lack of standard curriculum among these schools

29. The aim of this ongoing research: An ethnographic approach: interview and observation Survey questionaire To examine the possibility of designing a model for a standard curriculum and To provide new resources respectively in order to improve the quality of Persian Language learning among Persian heritage learners. A glimmer of hope in promoting Persian language learning among Persian heritage learners lies in the development of a curriculum which satisfies all various stakeholders.

30. References Au, T. K. (2008). Salvaging Heritage Languages. In D.M. Brinton, O. Kagan & S. Baucks (Eds). Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging (pp. 337-351).New York: Routledge. Baldauf, R.B. (2005). Coordinating Government and Community Support for Community Language Teaching in Australia: Overview with Special Attention to New South Wales.International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8(2), 132-144. Christian, D. (2008). School-based programs for Heritage Language Learners: Two-Way Immersion. In D.M. Brinton, O. Kagan & S. Baucks (Eds). Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging (pp. 257-269). New York: Routledge. Clyne, M. (1991). Community Languages: The Australian Experience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

31. Community Information Summary: Iran-born (2006). Retrieved at October, 2009 from: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/comm-summ/_pdf/iran.pdf Diaz, C.J. (1997). Bilingualism, Biliteracy and Beyond. In C.J. Diaz (Ed.), Bilingulism: Building Blocks For Biliteracy (pp. 1-20).Australia: Language. Hornberger, N.H. (2005). Heritage/Community Language Education: US and Australian Perspectives. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8(2), 101-108. Kagan, O. (2009). The Heritage Language Learner Survey: Report on the Preliminary Results. Retrieved August, 2009 from http://www.International.ucla.edu/languages/nhlrc Lo Baianco, J. (1987). National Policy On Languages. Canberra: Australian GovernmentPublishing Services.

32. Lynch, B.K. (2008). Locating and Utilizing Heritage Language Resources in the Community: An Asset-Based Approach to Program Design and Evaluation. In D.M. Brinton, O. Kagan & S. Bauckus (Eds). Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging (pp. 321-337).New York: Routledge. NSW Community language program (2008). Retrieved at September,22 from:http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eas/commlang. Oguro, S. & Moloney, R. (2008). Falling through the Gap: An analysis of the provision for Heritage Japanese Learners for students at senior secondary level. 2nd International free Linguistics Conference: University of Sydney. Tucker, J.R. (2008). Learning Other Languages: The Case for Promoting Bilingualism within our Educational System. In D.M. Brinton, O. Kagan & S. Bauckus (Eds). Heritage Language Education: A New Field Emerging (pp. 39-53).New York: Routledge. Zhang, X.F. (1997). Community Saturday School (Datong Chinese School), Its Positive Roles and Constraints. In C.A. Diaz (Ed.). Bilingulism: Building Blocks For Biliteracy (pp. 55-67).Australia: Language.