Case studies – In Context

Case study: Felicia

Felicia is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.

Felicia's exposure to Chinese

Felicia's application for eligibility determination, supported by her signed and witnessed statutory declaration, demonstrates Chinese is her first language. Felicia was born in China and attended the local school until she was eight. Her parents are Chinese.

School records from Felicia's primary and secondary schools in Australia show that English has been the language of instruction from the time she came to Australia at age eight. Felicia's application for eligibility determination also states that she has been learning Chinese at a community languages school on Saturday mornings since she was 12 years of age.

Analysis

• Felicia has had no formal education in a school where Chinese is the language of instruction since she was 8 years old. Complies.

Determination

Felicia's exposure to Chinese complies with the eligibility criterion for [Language] in Context courses where there is a [Language] and Literature course.

Felicia is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.

Case study: Anika

Anika is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.

Anika's exposure to Chinese

Anika was born in Holland. Her parents are diplomats, and her family communicates in Dutch and English at home.

When Anika was 5 years old, the family moved to China where she attended the local school for 3 years. Chinese was the language of instruction. Afterward, the family moved to Argentina, where Anika attended an international school and English was the language of instruction.

When Anika turned 12, Anika and her family spent 3 months in China before coming to Australia. She was in Year 7 and attended a local school where Chinese was the language of instruction. Upon arriving in Australia, Anika studied Stages 4 and 5 Chinese.

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

Analysis

• Anika returned to China after a gap of 4 years and had 3 months exposure in a school where Chinese was the language of instruction. This brief period of attendance after a significant break from Anika's earlier exposure to Chinese does not constitute formal education. Complies.

Determination

Anika's exposure to Chinese complies with the eligibility criterion for [Language] in Context courses where there is a [Language] and Literature course.

Anika is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.

Case study: Maxwell

Maxwell is enquiring whether he is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean in Context.

Outline of the extent of Maxwell's exposure to Korean

Maxwell's languages eligibility application, supported by his signed and witnessed statutory declaration, states that Maxwell was born in the UK to a Korean mother and a British father. He moved to Korea when he was 2 years old. He attended the local primary school until he was 10 where the language of instruction was Korean. He also spoke Korean at home.

Maxwell's application also states that in January of the following year, he turned 11. He and his family moved to Australia where Maxwell started primary school in Term 1 of Year 6. At his Australian primary school, the language of instruction was English. Maxwell has gone on to attend his local secondary school in Australia and has also studied Korean in Stages 4 and 5, as school records and reports show.

Analysis

• Maxwell has had no formal education in a school where Korean is the language of instruction since he was 10 years old. Complies

Determination

Maxwell's exposure to Korean complies with the eligibility criterion for [Language] in Context courses where there is a [Language] and Literature course.

Maxwell is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean in Context.

Case study: Amber

Amber is enquiring whether she is eligible to study Stage 6 Korean in Context.

Amber's exposure to Korean

Amber and her parents' first language is Korean. Amber attended school in Korea where Korean was the language of instruction, until she was 11 years old. Afterwards, Amber and her family moved to Australia where she attended her local primary school and secondary school in Australia from Year 6 to Year 10. English was the language of instruction in both schools and Amber studied Korean in Years 7 to 10.

Amber's application for languages eligibility, supported by her signed and witnessed statutory declaration, provides the above information. Amber provided translations of school reports from her school in Korea.

Analysis

• Amber's formal education until the age of 11 was undertaken in a school where Korean was the language of instruction. This amounts to an additional full academic year of education in the Korean language beyond age ten. Does not comply.

Determination

Amber's exposure to Korean does not comply with the eligibility criterion for [Language] in Context courses where there is a [Language] and Literature course.

Amber is not eligible to study Stage 6 Korean in Context.

Case study: Zoran

Zoran is enquiring whether he is eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.

Zoran's exposure to Chinese

Zoran is 16 years old, and his first language is Chinese. His language eligibility application, supported by his signed and witnessed statutory declaration, states that he moved to Australia one year ago. Until Zoran's move to Australia, all his formal schooling had been in schools where Chinese was the medium of instruction. This is seen in the reports Zoran presented from his school in China, showing his attendance and courses studied. In the area of China where Zoran attended school, Cantonese was the dialect used, which Zoran speaks.

At his current school in Australia, Zoran studied Chinese in Year 10 as shown in his school records.

Analysis

• Zoran's formal education until the age of 15 was undertaken in schools where Chinese was the language of instruction. In determining eligibility, background speakers of Cantonese and other Chinese dialects are considered background speakers of Chinese. Does not comply.

Determination

Zoran's exposure to Chinese does not comply with the eligibility criterion for [Language] in Context courses where there is a [Language] and Literature course.

Zoran is not eligible to study Stage 6 Chinese in Context.