Supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in Australian Schools Workshop

The demographics of Australian schools are changing because of the enhanced cultural and linguistical diversity (CALD) in the country. There is a gradual increase in the number of CALD students in schools. There are students from migrant or refugee backgrounds. Further, some come to Australia as international students. Despite elevated level of resilience and personal strengths these students can at times experience migration related stressors, adjustment, and academic issues. The aim of the present workshop is to enhance the teachers understanding of the culture and its dimensions, the background of these ethnic students, their migration, acculturative, psychosocial, language, and academic challenges. Although, the school staff try to assist these students, sometimes gaps in their knowledge or misconceptions can be unhelpful. Further, strategies that teachers can adopt to augment the CALD students’ integration and a sense of belonging in the school and the larger society will be discussed. A didactic and interactive approach will be adopted for this workshop.

This workshop will be presented by Nigar G Khawaja (PhD), a Professor at the School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology. She is a Clinical Psychologist and has been teaching in the Professional Masters programs of Clinical Psychology and Education and Developmental Psychology. She is an elected Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and Higher Education Academy. As a part of her cross-cultural and transcultural research she has worked extensively with culturally and linguistically diverse adolescents and adults from migrant and refugee backgrounds. As an academic and a researcher, she has spearheaded research, training programs, and resources to hone the cultural competency skills of education and health professionals. She has published 100 + papers in international peer reviewed journals and received funding from multiple government and non-government sources. Nigar is keen to promote the skills of professionals working with CALD populations.

This workshop is $50 or free for all PTAQ teacher and student Members.

The workshop will be held online, and a link will be sent the day before the event.