Roles and Responsibilities of Bilingual Liaison and Bilingual Tutors in Schools Abdirizak Abdi, National Migrant and Refugee Education Co-ordinator Presentation for NRRF on July, 2014

Funding support for schools Bilingual support staff have a key role in helping to establish the liaison between students, schools and communities that is often critical to student achievement. Schools can use ESOL funding to employ bilingual support staff. Additional funding for bilingual support In 2013, 26 schools received additional funding to provide bilingual tutor support. 22 schools received funding to provide bilingual liaison support. In many cases schools were funded for both roles. Cost: $303,358.

Bilingual Liaison Roles Bilingual Liaison Workers in schools can: Assist with successful adjustment to schooling. Support closer family-school links and improved school-family-student communications and relationships. Provide assistance to guidance, health, special needs and pastoral care. Provide mentoring and career advice for refugee students. Provide social and emotional support to students. Translate important school communications. Provide cultural information to the staff. Undertake home visits for routine and emergency matters.

Bilingual Tutor Roles To work with students to: Provide in-class, small group withdrawal and one-to-one support in curriculum areas. Develop student work skills in an effective and appropriate way for their own culture. Assist with successful adjustment to schooling in general and transition to the mainstream. To work with school staff to: Help identify specific barriers to learning and assist teachers in setting up provisions to remove these barriers. Assist with bilingual assessments. Assist schools in setting up ethnic related resource materials and ensuring their effective use. Improve school-student communication and relationships.

Person Description The Bilingual Liaison Worker and Bilingual Tutor must: Be an educated and reputable person from the community preferably with experiences in education in countries of origin and NZ. Have a high level of literacy in first language and in English. Understand the cultural and social aspects of NZ especially in education. Have experience in working with children in social and learning areas. Have experience in giving guidance and support to students of the same ethnic group and/or other groups. Be mindful of confidentiality issues when working with students