Broome Campus Aiming to Improve Literacy in Community Schools

Education students from The University of Notre Dame Australia Broome Campus are urging anyone with unwanted magazines and other reading materials to drop them in at the Broome Campus reception to support literacy development in remote communities. The materials will be donated to the remote community schools when the students visit as part of their education course. The request comes after Education Lecturer Panda Gardner and second year education student Renee Howard travelled to Birlirr Ngawiyiwu Catholic School recently. The visit to the school at Ringer Soak, near Halls Creek, gave Ms Howard an insight into life in a remote community school. “It was an awesome experience,” Renee said. “Going to one of the communities showed me the potential and opportunities communities like that have. The kids there were great,” she said. “I was really impressed.” Fellow education student Steve Boniwell will head to Balgo for a five week practical placement in June. Mr Boniwell said it would be exciting teaching in a completely different environment.“There is so much to learn about Aboriginal culture and what life is like in these communities,” he said. “A lot of the kids speak two or three languages and English is often a second language,” he said. “I’m going to learn just as much as the students.” Assistant Dean of Education, Broome Amanda McCubbin said the students were looking for magazines that could be used as a foundation on which to build literacy programs in the schools. “It is fantastic to see our students taking part in activities such as this. It builds a real sense of community between the University and Kimberley schools and assists with literacy development in these communities,” Ms McCubbin said