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Papers of Beth Graham Open access - reading. A reasonable portion may be copied for private study and research and/or published with acknowledgment. [Access code: R1 C1b] Date range: 1979-1999 Extent: 26.5 cm (2 boxes) The papers were deposited in the AIATSIS Library by Beth Evelyn Graham in December 2002. The arrangement of the papers in this collection is based on a listing prepared by Graham. The collection consists of papers and curriculum materials, prepared by Graham, on bilingual education in the Northern Territory. There are manuscripts of published papers, unpublished working papers and published curriculum materials. Some of the material was written in association with others. Topics covered include reading and language development, mathematics, early childhood and team teaching. There is also a program of activities called ‘Let’s talk our language’ developed, as a result of concerns expressed by Aboriginal people about losing their language/s, by Graham and Kathryn Gale. For a complete listing of material by Beth Graham, and also material on bilingual education, that is held by the Institute, see the Mura® online catalogue. Beth Graham (M.Ed, FACE) trained as an infant teacher, taught in several infant schools and lectured in Early Childhood Education at Coburg Teachers’ College. She moved to the Northern Territory in late 1962. At Yirrkala in the 1960’s, education was only in English, which was in reality a foreign language to these traditionally oriented Indigenous children. During this time Graham became involved in the school-based development of Aboriginal assistant teachers and came to realise that because this approach allowed for more effective communication, much better educational and social outcomes were possible, particularly in the early years. Graham and her family returned to Yirrkala in 1974 and began to work with the Yolngu people in that community to develop programs of bilingual education for children attending both the main school and Homeland Centre schools. At this time her appreciation of issues related to a curriculum for bilingual education in this Indigenous context, and the school based development of untrained or partly trained Yolngu teachers, was further extended. In 1979 she became an adviser in bilingual education and until 1988 worked with bilingual schools and communities in the Northern Territory and beyond. Her particular curriculum concerns were in the areas of language, mathematics and early childhood education. The task was to assist schools and communities to develop programs to meet the needs of children from very isolated communities who came to school speaking a traditional Indigenous language in which their particular way of looking at the world was encoded. During this period Graham published extensively and also completed a Graduate Diploma in Intercultural Studies and a Master’s program which focused on the teaching of mathematics within bilingual programs at Deakin University. After her retirement she was asked to upgrade the Team Teaching materials which she had originally developed. Beth Graham supplied this biographical note in February 2003. Series 1 Reading and language development, 1981-88 Series 3 Early childhood, 1981-86 Series 4 Team teaching, 1979-99 Series 5 ‘Let’s talk our language Series 6 Papers in collaboration with Stephen Harris, 1985-92 Series 1 Reading and language development, 1981-88 This series contains papers and curriculum materials, prepared by Graham, on bilingual reading and language development for Aboriginal Australians. The curriculum materials were designed to support team teaching, the strategy used in the delivery of bilingual education in the Northern Territory. Other material on team teaching can be found in Series 4. Back to Top > Back to Series List Item
Back to Top > Back to Series List This series contains papers, working papers and curriculum materials, prepared by Graham, on bilingual education in the area of mathematics. Item
Back to Top > Back to Series List Series 3 Early childhood, 1981-86 This series consists of papers, a working paper and curriculum material relating to early childhood bilingual education for Aborigines. Item
Back to Top > Back to Series List Series 4 Team teaching, 1979-99 This series consists of papers, a working paper and curriculum material on team teaching. The curriculum material in Series 1 was designed to support team teaching. Item
Back to Top > Back to Series List Series 5 ‘Let’s talk our language' This series relates to a project undertaken by Graham, in association with Kathryn Gale, as a retirement project. The project resulted from concerns, expressed by Aboriginal people, about losing their language/s. Graham and Gale developed a series of activities for children that could be undertaken at home, in pre-school, or at school. The program they designed is particularly designed for communities without bilingual/bicultural or other viable language maintenance/survival programs. There are four booklets in the program, designed to meet the needs of learners in specific language situations. This series consists of the second draft of the four booklets, an introductory paper and a letter prepared by Graham and Gale. The form letter, sent out with copies of the booklet, requested that copies of the booklets be sent to communities, schools, families, child care centres and other appropriate groups of Aboriginal people concerned about the loss of their language/s and wishing to do something about it. The Library received the papers in plastic envelopes housed in a 2-hole binder. They have been re-housed in archival folders. 2 items Back to Top > Back to Series List Series 6 Papers in collaboration with Stephen Harris, 1985-92 The two papers in this series are on research relating to bilingual research and education. Item
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Back to Top > Back to Series List Finding Aid compiled by J. Churches, February 2002 |