Parry what issues did you face as a student in school when english was your second language?
In school English was my second language, I experienced lack of communication issues with other student. Not able to understand what other was talking about can be tough. Misunderstanding also can lead to other issues with teachers and students around me.
What support did you recieve?
The best support are friends from school they always help me when I dont understand and try their best to improve my English. Also ESL teacher also very helpful with my reading and writing skills, they will explain things many times with patient when I didnt understand.
Was this support helpful and how?
Yes very helpful, with a strong connection with friends it helps me speaks more in English and support from them allow myself to express how I feel and improve my knowledge and culture within a new environment.
What would you tell otherstudents whose second language is english or what do you wish you knew back then?
I will let them know that don't be afraid to speak to others because you never know how much you know and how much you can learn from others. I will not trade the world for the learning experience I had with my friends and teachers in the school, and one thing I will change in the past is that to be less shy to speak out even though my English wasn't as good.
Why do you work for the migrant centre? How do you help out?
I work with the migrant centre because as a migrant myself, I believe by sharing my experience with other migrants will help them build up their courage to speak out their experiences. As well as encourage them to see that cultural can be share in this country and we all learn from each other to build our country to be more stronger and more cultural as that is part of society today. I mainly work with youth in relation to art and music in the migrant centre because I believe art and music brings out thier creativity and enable young people to express their feelings and emotions through artistic ways. Also by learning others art and music, it enable more innoactive forms of melodies and art expression to be form which will increase a higher level of artistic methods in our society,
What advice would you give to teachers teaching students whose second language was english?
I would say 'patience' and 'embracing other cultures' are the key to teach student whose second language was english. Teacher needs to have enormous amount of patiences in order to listend and understand ESL students so they can learn in an adapting environment like their own family. Teachers who can embrace other's cultures will gain strong trust relationship with their students and also acknowledge the differences of different culture in order to teach the australia culture.
What is something small that people can do to help migrants?
Building trust with migrant can be difficult, but it is something that can be build up in small things such as daily conversations and simply ask questions that interest in their culture. Understanding their culture and engage in their activities will help migrants build closer relationship with you and enable them to bulid trust therefore enable to teach them our culture in Australia also.
