Macquarie University develops citizenship program for migrants
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Some
of the Macquarie team involved with the citizenship project:
CD director/programmer Peter Vitez,
Citizenship Project Manager Pam McPherson, and
Publications Manager Louise Melov.
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Migrants learning English through the Adult Migrant English Program
(AMEP) all over Australia can now learn how to become Australian
citizens, thanks to a new program developed by the AMEP Research
Centre at Macquarie University's National Centre for English Language
Teaching and Research (NCELTR).
The new 20-hour program, titled Let's Participate: A course in
Australian Citizenship, will allow migrants to learn English while
acquiring useful knowledge about Australia's society and institutions
and a better understanding about Australian Citizenship.
The project to develop the course syllabus and accompanying teaching
materials was led by NCELTR's Pam McPherson, and involved a team
of people from Macquarie University and the Department of Immigration
and Multicultural Affairs.
McPherson explains that applicants for Australian Citizenship must
meet several requirements, two of which are that they have a knowledge
of English and understand the responsibilities and privileges of
Australian citizenship.
"Migrants who have successfully completed this new program through
the AMEP will meet the 'Knowledge of the rights and responsibilities
of citizenship' criterion," she says. "They can also meet the
'Knowledge of English' requirement by participating in English courses
in the AMEP."
The course is supported by workbooks at three different English
language levels, a teacher's guide, fact sheets, a CD-ROM, audio
cassettes and a video.
McPherson says that because of the low levels of English language
proficiency of migrants, the fact sheets were developed in a variety
of languages to help them understand the course. "The fact sheets
provide an overview of the content of the citizenship course in
their own language before they learn about it in English," she says.
There are six units in the course: An introduction to Australian
Citizenship, Australia and its people, Democratic government in
Australia, Rights, responsibilities and privileges, Law and democracy
in Australia, and the final unit teaches migrants how to become
Australian citizens.
The course was launched in June by the Minister for Immigration
and Multicultural Affairs, The Hon Philip Ruddock MP.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Ruddock said "Choosing to become an
Australian Citizen is a very significant expression of a commitment
to Australia. New migrants from non English-speaking backgrounds
who enrol in this course will make that choice with the benefit
of up to date knowledge and information about Australia."
The course will be taught by AMEP providers all over Australia,
and teaching materials will be available from the end of July.
Story by Beth Weakley
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