dc.contributor.author | Mason, Shannon | |
dc.contributor.editor | Prof Catherine Travis, Dr Peter Hendriks | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2017-09-08T12:30:37Z | |
dc.date.available | 2017-09-08T12:30:37Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10072/342098 | |
dc.description.abstract | 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. | |
dc.description.peerreviewed | Yes | |
dc.language | English | |
dc.publisher | LCNAU | |
dc.publisher.place | Australia | |
dc.publisher.uri | https://www.lcnau.org/proceedings/2013-proceedings/ | |
dc.relation.ispartofconferencename | LCNAU Colloquium 2013: Practices and Policies: Current Research in Languages and Cultures Education | |
dc.relation.ispartofconferencetitle | LCNAU second Biennial Colloquium 2013 | |
dc.relation.ispartofdatefrom | 2013-07-03 | |
dc.relation.ispartofdateto | 2013-07-05 | |
dc.relation.ispartoflocation | Canberra, Australia | |
dc.relation.ispartofedition | 1st | |
dc.subject.fieldofresearch | Language, Communication and Culture not elsewhere classified | |
dc.subject.fieldofresearch | Education not elsewhere classified | |
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode | 209999 | |
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode | 139999 | |
dc.title | I Quit! An exploratory study into language teacher attrition in Queensland schools | |
dc.type | Conference output | |
dc.type.description | E1 - Conferences | |
dc.type.code | E - Conference Publications | |
gro.faculty | Arts, Education & Law Group, School of Languages and Linguistics | |
gro.hasfulltext | No Full Text | |
gro.griffith.author | Mason, Shannon | |