This article examines the pedagogical potential of drama-rich processes to develop and improve oracy skills for students learning English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D). Research was conducted through a multi-level, qualitative case study of Sydney Theatre Company and University of Sydney’s School Drama ™ program. School Drama is a co-mentoring teacher professional learning program that promotes a dual focus of developing teachers’ capacity to use drama pedagogy with literature, and improving literacy outcomes and engagement for students. The research context was an intermediate Intensive English class at a western Sydney secondary school, involving students from refugee backgrounds. Data gathering included observations, focus groups, teacher interviews, and artefact analysis. While this instance of the program presented behavioural and structural limitations, benchmarking assessment depicted a marked to moderate improvement in oracy skills. Vocabulary, imagination and creativity and confidence emerged as the most salient ways oracy was developed and improved.
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: A Systematic Review of Psychological Interventions / Unbegleitete minderjährige Flüchtlinge: Eine systematische Übersicht über psychologische Interventionen. Kindheit und Entwicklung
In 2014, 34,300 applications for asylum were placed by unaccompanied refugee minors in 82 countries. Unaccompanied refugee minors are at a very high risk for psychological disorders, since the absence of a parent is associated with developmental risks that are further increased owing to experiences made while on flight. Given the current refugee situation in…