I Quit! An exploratory study into language teacher attrition in Queensland schools
Author(s)
Mason, Shannon
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Two decades of mandatory language education in Queensland has failed to
produce increased student participation beyond the compulsory years (Liddicoat
2010). So, what have been the barriers to success in Queensland, and how can
the Queensland experience inform other states? A major factor inhibiting the
success of language education is a chronic shortage of language teachers. An
exploration into the supply and demand chain has put forth a strong case that
teacher attrition—teachers leaving to teach in other subject areas, other areas of
education, or to other careers—is a major cause of this shortage.
This paper reports on ...
View more >Two decades of mandatory language education in Queensland has failed to produce increased student participation beyond the compulsory years (Liddicoat 2010). So, what have been the barriers to success in Queensland, and how can the Queensland experience inform other states? A major factor inhibiting the success of language education is a chronic shortage of language teachers. An exploration into the supply and demand chain has put forth a strong case that teacher attrition—teachers leaving to teach in other subject areas, other areas of education, or to other careers—is a major cause of this shortage. This paper reports on the initial findings from a research study at Griffith University that is seeking to identify the reasons why language teachers leave their jobs. Data collected from 227 former and current language teachers in Queensland reveal that lack of preparedness, lack of support, and lack of respect for the subject area has a strong impact on language teacher attrition. More than half of the responding former teachers have remained attached to education, which suggests an inherent and deeper problem specific to language education, compared to teacher attrition in the broader educational context. While the focus of this research is primary and secondary teachers, there are implications for the tertiary sector which link to the themes presented. Firstly, it discusses language education policy during the early years of learning and its shortcomings. Secondly, the shortage of quality language teachers and its impact on quality language education in earlier years is shown to be a probable obstacle to student pathways into university language studies.
View less >
View more >Two decades of mandatory language education in Queensland has failed to produce increased student participation beyond the compulsory years (Liddicoat 2010). So, what have been the barriers to success in Queensland, and how can the Queensland experience inform other states? A major factor inhibiting the success of language education is a chronic shortage of language teachers. An exploration into the supply and demand chain has put forth a strong case that teacher attrition—teachers leaving to teach in other subject areas, other areas of education, or to other careers—is a major cause of this shortage. This paper reports on the initial findings from a research study at Griffith University that is seeking to identify the reasons why language teachers leave their jobs. Data collected from 227 former and current language teachers in Queensland reveal that lack of preparedness, lack of support, and lack of respect for the subject area has a strong impact on language teacher attrition. More than half of the responding former teachers have remained attached to education, which suggests an inherent and deeper problem specific to language education, compared to teacher attrition in the broader educational context. While the focus of this research is primary and secondary teachers, there are implications for the tertiary sector which link to the themes presented. Firstly, it discusses language education policy during the early years of learning and its shortcomings. Secondly, the shortage of quality language teachers and its impact on quality language education in earlier years is shown to be a probable obstacle to student pathways into university language studies.
View less >
Conference Title
LCNAU second Biennial Colloquium 2013
Publisher URI
Subject
Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified
Education not elsewhere classified