Some aspects of retention rates and rates of progress of the Chinese-Timorese and Vietnamese at the Adult Migrant Education Centre in Darwin

Abstract

Introduction
The impetus for this study arose from infonnal discussions among teachers at the Adult Migrant Education Centre (AMEC) in Darwin. Stated simply, a number of teachers feel that after their initial enrolment, fewer Vietnamese students re-enrol to continue learning English at AMEC in comparison with Chinese students from Timor, particularly in the higher levels of the program. Teachers have also questioned whether the rates of progress of Vietnamese students are equal to those of the Chinese-Timorese.

The need for research into these questions is particularly pertinent to AMEC in Darwin as the majority of enrolments at the Centre over the last three years have been from people of Chinese-Timorese and Vietnamese origin. This trend seems likely to continue in the immediate future.

Information gained by means of the study will be made available to AMEC. Any differences which may occur in retention rates or rates of progress may suggest a need to revise or restructure the English language learning opportunities which are currently available, or to introduce different options. The information may assist individual teachers in their course design and planning. It will be available for use in a proposed evaluation of AMEC, and may also indicate further directions for research.

Date of Award	Dec 1983
Original language	English