Case studies – Continuers

Case study: Helene

Helene is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Japanese Continuers.

Helene's exposure to Japanese

Helene’s family was living in Japan at the time Helene was born and remained there until Helene was 7. Enrolment records from Helene's school where instruction was in Japanese, indicate that she attended a Japanese school throughout Year 1 for a period of one year. Her school reports and records from Year 2 to Year 10 show her formal schooling in Australia. During this time, Helene studied Japanese from Years 5 to 10. Helene's application for eligibility determination, supported by her signed and witnessed statutory declaration supports the above information clearly.

Analysis

• Helene had no more than one year of formal education at primary level in a school where Japanese was the language of instruction. Complies.
• Helene is now 16. She left Japan at age 7. In the last 10 years, her country of residency has been Australia where English is the medium of communication. Complies.

Determination

Helene's exposure to Japanese complies with the 2 eligibility criteria for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Helene is eligible to study Stage 6 Japanese Continuers.

Case study: Anwar

Anwar is enquiring whether he is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean Continuers

Anwar's exposure to Korean

Anwar was born in Korea. His parents are diplomats, and his family communicates in Korean and English at home.

Anwar lived in Korea until he was 4 years old. When Anwar was 5 years old the family returned to Australia. Anwar completed all his schooling in Australia. In Stages 4 and 5 Anwar studied Korean at his local secondary high school and has also been studying Korean at a community college on the weekends since he was 12.

The information described above is clearly stated in Anwar's application for languages determination, supported by his signed and witnessed statutory declaration. Notes taken at the time of Anwar's enrolment included in his enrolment forms also support this. Copies of his passport entries were also provided by his parents.

Analysis

• Anwar had no formal education in a school where Korean was the language of instruction. Complies.
• Anwar is now 17. He left Korea at age 5. In the last 10 years his country of residency has been Australia where English is the medium of communication. Complies.

Determination

Anwar's exposure to Korean complies with each of the 2 eligibility criteria for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Anwar is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean Continuers.

Case study: Leigha

Leigha is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese Continuers.

Leigha's exposure to Chinese

Leigha attended primary school in Australia. At age 11, Leigha's family moved to Singapore and there she attended an Australian International School from Years 7 to 10. The language of instruction at the school is English and follows the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) curriculum, including NESA’s curriculum for Stages 4 and 5 Chinese. This is specified in Leigha's school reports and in a letter from the principal of Australian International School, Singapore. The principal's letter highlights the multilingual nature of Singapore and expresses that Leigha's school life was conducted entirely in English. Leigha lived in a district of Singapore where Malay is the main medium of communication.

Leigha's application for eligibility determination, supported by her signed and witnessed statutory declaration, corroborates the above information.

Analysis

• Leigha had no formal education in a school where Chinese was the language of instruction. Complies.
• Leigha has been a resident in a country where Chinese is one of the official languages of communication for more than 3 years. Despite living in a district where Malay was the main medium of communication her exposure to Chinese during that time cannot be quantified. Does not comply.

Determination

Leigha's exposure to Chinese does not comply with one eligibility criterion for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Leigha is not eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese Continuers.

Case study: Simon

Simon is enquiring whether he is eligible to study Stage 6 Indonesian Continuers.

Simon's exposure to Indonesian

Simon is the son of Australian diplomats who lived in Indonesia for 5 years with his family. Simon was 5 when he arrived. From Kindergarten to Year 4, Simon attended an Indonesian school where Indonesian was the main language of instruction. This information is clearly conveyed in Simon's application for eligibility determination. Simon's passport also shows this.

Since returning to Australia in Year 5, Simon has been educated in schools where English has been the sole language of instruction as shown in school records and reports. He studied elective Indonesian from Years 7 to 10.

Analysis

• Simon had more than one year's education since Year 1 in a school where Indonesian was the language of instruction. Does not comply.
• Simon is now 15. In the last 10 years, he had been a resident in Indonesia for 5 years. Does not comply.

Determination

Simon's exposure to Indonesian does not comply with all 2 eligibility criteria for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Simon is not eligible to study Stage 6 Indonesian Continuers.

Case study: Ruby

Ruby is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese Continuers.

Ruby's exposure to Chinese

Ruby was born in Australia and completed all her schooling in Australia. Her parents are Chinese, and Ruby speaks Chinese at home with them. She attended a bilingual school in Australia where Chinese was the language of instruction from Year 1 to Year 4. In Year 5, Ruby transferred to her local primary school and from Year 7 she attended her local secondary school in Australia. English was the language of instruction in both schools. Ruby continued studying Chinese in a community languages school from Years 7 to 10 to maintain her language skills.

Ruby's application for languages eligibility, supported by her signed and witnessed statutory declaration, provides the above information. Ruby also provided translations of school reports from her bilingual school. Local school records also indicate she studied Chinese in Years 7 to 10 on Saturdays.

Analysis

• Ruby never lived in China. Complies.
• Ruby’s study of Chinese in a community languages school is not considered formal education in Chinese. Complies.
• Ruby's formal education from Year 1 to Year 4 was undertaken in a school where Chinese was the language of instruction. This amounts to 4 full academic year of education in the Chinese language. Does not comply.

Determination

Ruby's exposure to Chinese does not comply with 1 eligibility criterion for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Ruby is not eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese Continuers.

Case study: Dal

Dal is enquiring whether he is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean Continuers

Dal's exposure to Korean

Dal was born in Australia to Korean parents and moved to Korea at age five. He is now 16 years old and moved back to Australia a year ago. His languages eligibility application, supported by his signed and witnessed statutory declaration, states that he attended international schools that followed the International Baccalaureate curriculum in Korea. English was the medium of instruction. He also studied Korean during the primary and middle years program. This is clearly seen in the reports Dal presented from his schools in Korea, showing his attendance and courses studied.

At his current school in Australia, Dal continued to study Korean in Year 10 as shown in his school records.

Analysis

• Dal's formal education until the age of 15 was undertaken in schools where English was the language of instruction. Complies.
• In the last 10 years, Dal had been a resident in Korea for 10 years, which is substantially more than 3 years residency allowed in the languages eligibility criteria for this course. Does not comply.

Determination

Dal's exposure to Korean does not comply with 1 eligibility criterion for [Language] Continuers courses where there are [Language] in Context and/or [Language] and Literature courses.

Dal is not eligible to study Stage 6 Korean Continuers.