From the margins to the mainstream: ESL students, social transition and visual art

© 2013 Dr. Meg Elizabeth WielgoszThis thesis investigates the social transition of students learning English as a second language (ESL) into mainstream primary classrooms. In this context, successful social transition relates to the process by which these students gain access to the classroom community and become, in their own eyes and those of their peers, valued members of this community. It is characterised by three key elements: positive identity construction, negotiation of shared meanings and celebration of linguistic and cultural capital. The success of this transition is a key contributing factor to student motivation and engagement, along with linguistic and academic achievement. In particular, this thesis is intended as an exploration of the ways in which visual art education is and could be used in primary schools to support these students in achieving a successful social transition. The relationship between visual art education and social transition was explored through case studies of the visual art programs operating in six government primary schools across Melbourne, identified as having high numbers of ESL students and a strong commitment to visual art education. Driven by the research question “To what extent and in what ways can visual art education be used in primary schools to assist ESL students in their social transition to mainstream classrooms?”, a mixed methods, ethnographically influenced approach was employed. Multiple data collection methods were utilised, including: classroom observations, online teacher surveys, document analysis and teacher and student interviews. From this data collection and subsequent analysis, the following five key research findings were revealed: • Research Finding One: Supporting the social transition of ESL learners into mainstream classrooms is a primary concern of teachers and the students themselves. • Research Finding Two: Visual art programs in primary school contexts offer profound opportunities for supporting ESL students in achieving a successful social transition. • Research Finding Three: ESL students’ identity construction is strongly supported through involvement in visual art programs. • Research Finding Four: Visual art programs offer powerful opportunities for increased verbal communication between ESL students and their peers, however this negotiation of shared meanings is frequently under-emphasised. • Research Finding Five: ESL students’ existing linguistic and cultural capital is rarely reflected in visual art programs and remains a valuable untapped resource. The study was driven by a desire to explore innovative possibilities for supporting this transition and, in doing so, yield findings that might assist teachers of these students as well as informing the wider education community, in both Australia (where this study took place), and internationally. As such, eight recommendations arising from this study are posited, with the aim of outlining a pathway forward to better accommodation of diversity and ESL students’ social transition through visual art programs