S har ing the communit y voi ce of Eumundi and it s hinte rland Issue 4, Thursday 24 September 2020
New life – new language
To participate fully in all aspects of life in their new country, 15 adult learners from diverse backgrounds share the same goal: to be able to speak English. This group are currently undertaking this challenge with the help of TAFE Queensland East Coast English Language teacher Margaret Miles and her volunteer assistant of 7 years, Ruth Crooke funded federally. For two days a week, students come from their homes in Doonan, Tewantin, Cooroy, Black Mountain, Sunshine Beach and Noosa to meet in the Noosa Board Room at Noosa Civic, where they participate in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).
The students come from 10 different countries: Vietnam, Japan, Brazil, France, Cuba, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They have different educational backgrounds, and are new arrivals of 8 weeks, and longer-term residents of 4 years. All are determined to make their new life in Australia a success. The challenge is great for both students and teachers, and was made even greater by COVID19 when this complex classroom moved to online learning. Both teachers and students agree that one of the major benefits of the classroom is the social Continued on page 3
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