Cathy Bow is a linguist with research experience in both descriptive and applied linguistics. She has described the sound system of an African language, investigated language development in children with impaired hearing, explored endangered language documentation, and researched the language and communication needs of international medical graduates. Cathy has worked as a teacher of English as an Additional Language, and as a trainer and coach for language learners. She works as project manager for the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, and co-ordinator of the Digital Language Shell and the online Bininj Kunwok language and culture course.
Cathy is a member of the Top End Language Lab and TopEndSTS, and completed her PhD 'Entanglements of digital technologies and Indigenous language work in the Northern Territory' in November 2020 through Charles Darwin University and the Australian National University.
Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, 2020
In this paper I consider how three digital resources for the preservation and transmission of Aus... more In this paper I consider how three digital resources for the preservation and transmission of Australian Indigenous language function as 'sociotechnical assemblages.' The three projects under consideration are a digital archive of materials from a particular era in Indigenous education in Australia's Northern Territory, an online template for presenting language data under Indigenous authority, and an online course teaching a specific Indigenous language (Bininj Kunwok) in a higher education context. Considering each of these as a sociotechnical assemblage-collections of heterogeneous elements which entangle the social and the technical-and exploring how they constitute connections and contrive equivalences between different knowledge practices, and how they resist such actions, highlights how they can open up spaces for new collaborative work.
The lack of opportunities to study Indigenous languages at tertiary level in Australia highlights... more The lack of opportunities to study Indigenous languages at tertiary level in Australia highlights the devaluing of Indigenous languages and cultures in Australia. Innovation in methods of delivery is required, to enable Indigenous language authorities to configure their own arrangements of content and pedagogy in collaboration with university academics, to comply with the different requirements of each group. Some of the identified challenges of developing university courses for Indigenous languages include shortages of resources, teachers, students, and COLLABORATIVELY DESIGNING AN ONLINE COURSE TO TEACH AN AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS
The fluctuating fortunes of Northern Territory bilingual education programs in Australian languag... more The fluctuating fortunes of Northern Territory bilingual education programs in Australian languages and English have put at risk thousands of books developed for these programs in remote schools. In an effort to preserve such a rich cultural and linguistic heritage, the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages project is establishing an open access, online repository comprising digital versions of these materials. Using web technologies to store and access the resources makes them accessible to the communities of origin, the wider academic community, and the general public. The process of creating, populating, and implementing such an archive has posed many interesting technical, cultural and linguistic challenges, some of which are explored in this paper.
A socio-technical approach is taken to explore a digital archive of Australian Indigenous cultura... more A socio-technical approach is taken to explore a digital archive of Australian Indigenous cultural heritage. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is considered in terms of what it is currently doing and what it was intended to do. Two ethnographic stories focusing on user interactions and the outcomes of an online survey serve to evaluate the effectiveness of the Archive from the perspective of different users. This is then juxtaposed with a consideration of the original grant application, outlining what was envisaged for the project. This analysis serves to highlight some of the contingent relations and diverse socio-technical aspects of a specific knowledge infrastructure, as it allows multiple forms of interaction, new connections and generative activities as people discover, access and interact with the content now and into the future.
Journal of Copyright in Education and Librarianship, 2019
Australian copyright law and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) have always sat... more Australian copyright law and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) have always sat uncomfortably together, each with their own internal logic and legitimacy, but forcing certain arrangements and compromises when applied to specific contexts. The collection of Indigenous language materials into a digital archive has required finding means to observe and respect these two incongruent knowledge traditions. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, an open online repository containing thousands of books in dozens of languages from Indigenous communities of Australia’s Northern Territory, offers opportunity to explore how the need to attend to both knowledge traditions led to specific decisions and practices. In particular, where the Australian copyright law was satisfied, additional steps were needed to respectfully incorporate Indigenous perspectives. This paper outlines the negotiations and compromises inherent in seeking a solution which observes and respects both Indigenous and western knowledge practices in a unique collection of cultural heritage materials.
Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language... more Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language and cultural materials that encounter many hurdles for their long-term survival. The library is supporting an ARC-funded project known as the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, by providing a repository, web application, digitisation programme and professional advice. The collaboration between the library and research team addressed a number of challenges in relation to appropriate ways to represent complex and variable metadata, widely varying content from diverse sources and in various conditions, and in making these fragile and endangered materials accessible to a global audience. The open access archive now includes thousands of items in dozens of Northern Territory Indigenous languages, providing a sustainable repository for researchers and allowing Indigenous communities to share their languages, histories, knowledge and practices around the world. The project serves as a rich case study demonstrating how academic libraries can work with researchers to support the archiving of cultural heritage.
Research, Records and Responsibility: ten years of PARADISEC Edited by Amanda Harris, Nick Thieberger and Linda Barwick , Oct 2, 2015
An impetus to preserve thousands of books produced in Aboriginal languages during the years of bi... more An impetus to preserve thousands of books produced in Aboriginal languages during the years of bilingual education in the Northern Territory has led to the development of the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages (www.cdu.edu.au/laal). The challenge has been to squeeze a complex range of materials into specific categories which meet the standards of a Western-style archive while also respecting the Indigenous creators and knowledges represented therein. This paper considers some of the technical, social and political issues that are thereby raised in bringing the archive to life, and the compromises that have been required.
Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, 2016
The promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curricul... more The promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curriculum priority in the new Australian Curriculum provides both a challenge and an opportunity for teachers and teacher educators. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages contains authentic language materials which can assist in resourcing and supporting teachers to meet this challenge across all areas of the curriculum, and to encourage connections with Indigenous cultural authorities.
Curriculum Perspectives Vol. 34, No. 3. , Nov 2014
The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is coming to life on the Internet at www.cdu.edu.au/la... more The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is coming to life on the Internet at www.cdu.edu.au/laal. As digitised books and other related resources in Aboriginal languages of the Northern Territory are uploaded to the database, its developers are working to configure ways in which the large number of resources in the archive can establish and invigorate connections between and within schools, researchers, and the traditional owners of Indigenous languages and cultures. We introduce the archive, its history and its possible futures, then explore some ways it might be used in classrooms around Australia. We focus upon the new Australian Curriculum's Cross Curriculum Priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and the Draft Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages. We conclude with curriculum considerations outside of the purview of the Australian curriculum.
Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC’04), 2004
Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. De... more Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. Despite the plethora of data collection applications available, it is often difficult for researchers to identify and integrate applications which enable the management of collections of multimodal data in addition to facilitating the actual collection process itself. In research projects that involve substantial data analysis, data management becomes a critical issue. Whilst best practice recommendations in regard to data formats themselves are propagated through projects such as EMELD, HRELP and DOBES, there is little corresponding information available regarding best practice for field metadata management beyond the provision of standards by entities such as OLAC and IMDI. These general problems are further exacerbated in the context of multiple researchers in geographically-disparate or connectivity-challenged locations. We describe the design of a solution for a group of researchers c...
Proceedings of EMELD Workshop 2004: Linguistic Databases and Best Practice, 2004
Linguistic forms are inherently multi-dimensional. They exhibit a variety of phonological, orthog... more Linguistic forms are inherently multi-dimensional. They exhibit a variety of phonological, orthographic, morphosyntactic, semantic and pragmatic properties. Accordingly, linguistic analysis involves multi-dimensional exploration, a process in which the same collection of forms are laid out in many ways until clear patterns emerge. Equally, language documentation usually contains tabulations of linguistic forms to illustrate systematic patterns and variations. In all such cases, multi-dimensional data is projected onto a two-dimensional table known as a linguistic paradigm, the most widespread format for linguistic data presentation. In this paper we survey a representative sample of paradigms and develop a simple relational data model. We show how XML technologies can be used to store and render paradigms. The result is a flexible and extensible model for the storage, interchange and delivery of linguistic paradigms.
Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, 2020
In this paper I consider how three digital resources for the preservation and transmission of Aus... more In this paper I consider how three digital resources for the preservation and transmission of Australian Indigenous language function as 'sociotechnical assemblages.' The three projects under consideration are a digital archive of materials from a particular era in Indigenous education in Australia's Northern Territory, an online template for presenting language data under Indigenous authority, and an online course teaching a specific Indigenous language (Bininj Kunwok) in a higher education context. Considering each of these as a sociotechnical assemblage-collections of heterogeneous elements which entangle the social and the technical-and exploring how they constitute connections and contrive equivalences between different knowledge practices, and how they resist such actions, highlights how they can open up spaces for new collaborative work.
The lack of opportunities to study Indigenous languages at tertiary level in Australia highlights... more The lack of opportunities to study Indigenous languages at tertiary level in Australia highlights the devaluing of Indigenous languages and cultures in Australia. Innovation in methods of delivery is required, to enable Indigenous language authorities to configure their own arrangements of content and pedagogy in collaboration with university academics, to comply with the different requirements of each group. Some of the identified challenges of developing university courses for Indigenous languages include shortages of resources, teachers, students, and COLLABORATIVELY DESIGNING AN ONLINE COURSE TO TEACH AN AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS
The fluctuating fortunes of Northern Territory bilingual education programs in Australian languag... more The fluctuating fortunes of Northern Territory bilingual education programs in Australian languages and English have put at risk thousands of books developed for these programs in remote schools. In an effort to preserve such a rich cultural and linguistic heritage, the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages project is establishing an open access, online repository comprising digital versions of these materials. Using web technologies to store and access the resources makes them accessible to the communities of origin, the wider academic community, and the general public. The process of creating, populating, and implementing such an archive has posed many interesting technical, cultural and linguistic challenges, some of which are explored in this paper.
A socio-technical approach is taken to explore a digital archive of Australian Indigenous cultura... more A socio-technical approach is taken to explore a digital archive of Australian Indigenous cultural heritage. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is considered in terms of what it is currently doing and what it was intended to do. Two ethnographic stories focusing on user interactions and the outcomes of an online survey serve to evaluate the effectiveness of the Archive from the perspective of different users. This is then juxtaposed with a consideration of the original grant application, outlining what was envisaged for the project. This analysis serves to highlight some of the contingent relations and diverse socio-technical aspects of a specific knowledge infrastructure, as it allows multiple forms of interaction, new connections and generative activities as people discover, access and interact with the content now and into the future.
Journal of Copyright in Education and Librarianship, 2019
Australian copyright law and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) have always sat... more Australian copyright law and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) have always sat uncomfortably together, each with their own internal logic and legitimacy, but forcing certain arrangements and compromises when applied to specific contexts. The collection of Indigenous language materials into a digital archive has required finding means to observe and respect these two incongruent knowledge traditions. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, an open online repository containing thousands of books in dozens of languages from Indigenous communities of Australia’s Northern Territory, offers opportunity to explore how the need to attend to both knowledge traditions led to specific decisions and practices. In particular, where the Australian copyright law was satisfied, additional steps were needed to respectfully incorporate Indigenous perspectives. This paper outlines the negotiations and compromises inherent in seeking a solution which observes and respects both Indigenous and western knowledge practices in a unique collection of cultural heritage materials.
Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language... more Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language and cultural materials that encounter many hurdles for their long-term survival. The library is supporting an ARC-funded project known as the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, by providing a repository, web application, digitisation programme and professional advice. The collaboration between the library and research team addressed a number of challenges in relation to appropriate ways to represent complex and variable metadata, widely varying content from diverse sources and in various conditions, and in making these fragile and endangered materials accessible to a global audience. The open access archive now includes thousands of items in dozens of Northern Territory Indigenous languages, providing a sustainable repository for researchers and allowing Indigenous communities to share their languages, histories, knowledge and practices around the world. The project serves as a rich case study demonstrating how academic libraries can work with researchers to support the archiving of cultural heritage.
Research, Records and Responsibility: ten years of PARADISEC Edited by Amanda Harris, Nick Thieberger and Linda Barwick , Oct 2, 2015
An impetus to preserve thousands of books produced in Aboriginal languages during the years of bi... more An impetus to preserve thousands of books produced in Aboriginal languages during the years of bilingual education in the Northern Territory has led to the development of the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages (www.cdu.edu.au/laal). The challenge has been to squeeze a complex range of materials into specific categories which meet the standards of a Western-style archive while also respecting the Indigenous creators and knowledges represented therein. This paper considers some of the technical, social and political issues that are thereby raised in bringing the archive to life, and the compromises that have been required.
Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts, 2016
The promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curricul... more The promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a cross-curriculum priority in the new Australian Curriculum provides both a challenge and an opportunity for teachers and teacher educators. The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages contains authentic language materials which can assist in resourcing and supporting teachers to meet this challenge across all areas of the curriculum, and to encourage connections with Indigenous cultural authorities.
Curriculum Perspectives Vol. 34, No. 3. , Nov 2014
The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is coming to life on the Internet at www.cdu.edu.au/la... more The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is coming to life on the Internet at www.cdu.edu.au/laal. As digitised books and other related resources in Aboriginal languages of the Northern Territory are uploaded to the database, its developers are working to configure ways in which the large number of resources in the archive can establish and invigorate connections between and within schools, researchers, and the traditional owners of Indigenous languages and cultures. We introduce the archive, its history and its possible futures, then explore some ways it might be used in classrooms around Australia. We focus upon the new Australian Curriculum's Cross Curriculum Priority: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and the Draft Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages. We conclude with curriculum considerations outside of the purview of the Australian curriculum.
Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC’04), 2004
Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. De... more Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. Despite the plethora of data collection applications available, it is often difficult for researchers to identify and integrate applications which enable the management of collections of multimodal data in addition to facilitating the actual collection process itself. In research projects that involve substantial data analysis, data management becomes a critical issue. Whilst best practice recommendations in regard to data formats themselves are propagated through projects such as EMELD, HRELP and DOBES, there is little corresponding information available regarding best practice for field metadata management beyond the provision of standards by entities such as OLAC and IMDI. These general problems are further exacerbated in the context of multiple researchers in geographically-disparate or connectivity-challenged locations. We describe the design of a solution for a group of researchers c...
Proceedings of EMELD Workshop 2004: Linguistic Databases and Best Practice, 2004
Linguistic forms are inherently multi-dimensional. They exhibit a variety of phonological, orthog... more Linguistic forms are inherently multi-dimensional. They exhibit a variety of phonological, orthographic, morphosyntactic, semantic and pragmatic properties. Accordingly, linguistic analysis involves multi-dimensional exploration, a process in which the same collection of forms are laid out in many ways until clear patterns emerge. Equally, language documentation usually contains tabulations of linguistic forms to illustrate systematic patterns and variations. In all such cases, multi-dimensional data is projected onto a two-dimensional table known as a linguistic paradigm, the most widespread format for linguistic data presentation. In this paper we survey a representative sample of paradigms and develop a simple relational data model. We show how XML technologies can be used to store and render paradigms. The result is a flexible and extensible model for the storage, interchange and delivery of linguistic paradigms.
Proceedings of EMELD Workshop 2004: Linguistic Databases and Best Practice, 2004
Interlinear text has long been considered a valuable format in the presentation of multilingual d... more Interlinear text has long been considered a valuable format in the presentation of multilingual data, and a variety of software tools have facilitated the creation and processing of such texts by researchers. Despite the diversity of tools, a common core of editorial functionality is provided. Identifying these core functions has important implications for software engineers who seek to efficiently build tools that support interlinear text editing. While few applications are specifically designed for the creation or manipulation of interlinear text, a number of tools offer varying degrees of incidental support for this modality. In this paper we provide a comprehensive set of critieria upon which the derivation of functional criteria can be based. We describe the basis on which a group of tools was selected for investigation, along with the evaluation criteria. Finally we consolidate our findings into a functional specification for the development of software applications for the ed...
Proceedings of the Australasian Language Technology Workshop 2003, 2003
Interlinear text is a common presentational format for linguistic information, and its creation a... more Interlinear text is a common presentational format for linguistic information, and its creation and management have been greatly facilitated by the development of specialised software. In earlier work we developed a four-level model and corresponding formal specification for interlinear text. Here we describe a suitable XML representation for the model and show how it can be rendered into a variety of convenient presentational formats. We conclude by discussing architectural extensions, an application programming interface for interlinear text, and prospects for embedding the interlinear model into existing applications.
Conversational speech samples were analysed over a six-year period postoperatively for nine profo... more Conversational speech samples were analysed over a six-year period postoperatively for nine profoundly deaf children implanted with the Cochlear Limited 22-electrode cochlear implant between ages 2-5 years. Four years post-implant, at least 90% of all syllables ...
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2001
Eighty-seven primary-school children with impaired hearing were evaluated using speech perception... more Eighty-seven primary-school children with impaired hearing were evaluated using speech perception, production, and language measures over a 3-year period. Forty-seven children with a mean unaided pure-tone-average hearing loss of 106 dB HL used a 22-electrode cochlear implant, and 40 with a mean unaided pure-tone-average hearing loss of 78 dB HL were fitted with hearing aids. All children were enrolled in oral/aural habilitation programs, and most attended integrated classes with normally hearing children for part of the time at school. Multiple linear regression was used to describe the relationships among the speech perception, production, and language measures, and the trends over time. Little difference in the level of performance and trends was found for the two groups of children, so the perceptual effect of the implant is equivalent, on average, to an improvement of about 28 dB in hearing thresholds. Scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals showed an upward trend at about 60% of the rate for normally hearing children. Rates of improvement for individual children were not correlated significantly with degree of hearing loss. The children showed a wide scatter about the average speech production score of 40% of words correctly produced in spontaneous conversations, with no significant upward trend with age. Scores on the open-set Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) monosyllabic word test and the Bench-Kowal-Bamford (BKB) sentence test were strongly related to language level (as measured by an equivalent age on the PPVT) and speech production scores for both auditory-visual and auditory test conditions. After allowing for differences in language, speech perception scores in the auditory test condition showed a slight downward trend over time, which is consistent with the known biological effects of hearing loss on the auditory periphery and brainstem. Speech perception scores in the auditory condition also decreased significantly by about 5% for every 10 dB of hearing loss in the hearing aid group. The regression analysis model allows separation of the effects of language, speech production, and hearing levels on speech perception scores so that the effects of habilitation and training in these areas can be observed and/or predicted. The model suggests that most of the children in the study will reach a level of over 90% sentence recognition in the auditory-visual condition when their language becomes equivalent to that of a normally hearing 7-year-old, but they will enter secondary school at age 12 with an average language delay of about 4 or 5 years unless they receive concentrated and effective language training.
Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 2004
Open-set word and sentence speech-perception test scores are commonly used as a measure of hearin... more Open-set word and sentence speech-perception test scores are commonly used as a measure of hearing abilities in children and adults using cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. These tests are usually presented auditorily with a verbal response. In the case of children, scores are typically lower and more variable than for adults with hearing impairments using similar devices. It is difficult to interpret children's speech-perception scores without considering the effects of lexical knowledge and speech-production abilities on their responses. This study postulated a simple mathematical model to describe the effects of hearing, lexical knowledge, and speech production on the perception test scores for monosyllabic words by children with impaired hearing. Thirty-three primary-school children with impaired hearing, fitted with hearing aids and/or cochlear implants, were evaluated using speech-perception, reading-aloud, speech-production, and language measures. These various measures were incorporated in the mathematical model, which revealed that performance in an open-set word-perception test in the auditory-alone mode is strongly dependent on residual hearing levels, lexical knowledge, and speech-production abilities. Further applications of the model provided an estimate of the effect of each component on the overall speech-perception score for each child.
... Language outcomes for children with impaired hearing. Blamey, Peter, Bow, Catherine, Paatsch,... more ... Language outcomes for children with impaired hearing. Blamey, Peter, Bow, Catherine, Paatsch,Louise, Sarant, Julia and Galvin, Karyn 2004, Language outcomes for children with impaired hearing, Australian and New Zealand journal of audiology, vol. 26. ...
Kriol, an English-lexifier contact language, has approximately 20,000 speakers across northern Au... more Kriol, an English-lexifier contact language, has approximately 20,000 speakers across northern Australia. It is the primary language of the remote Aboriginal community of Ngukurr. Kriol is a contact language, incorporating features of English and traditional Indigenous languages. The language has been perceived both positively and negatively, although recent literature suggests a shift towards more favorable views. This paper investigates how community members in Ngukurr responded to the question of non- Indigenous residents (known locally as Munanga) learning Kriol. Interviews with local Indigenous residents showed positive attitudes to Kriol, with respondents providing a number of perceived benefits for outsiders learning the language. Our interviews provide empirical evidence for pride in the language, affirming a shift to more positive attitudes.
A review of 'Language Learner Autonomy: Policy, Curriculum, Classroom - A Festschrift in honour o... more A review of 'Language Learner Autonomy: Policy, Curriculum, Classroom - A Festschrift in honour of David Little. Breffni O'Rourke & Lorna Carson (eds). Peter Lang AG, 2010 . Published in LinguistList 25-Nov-2010 http://linguistlist.org/issues/21/21-4744.html
Community-based orthography development engages the native speakers as custodians of the language... more Community-based orthography development engages the native speakers as custodians of the language in decisions about how it should be written. While there are various guidelines on how to go about such an activity, examples of the implementation and resulting challenges are underrepresented in the literature. This paper describes a workshop which brought together native speakers from four Bantu languages of Western Zambia to establish writing systems for their languages (Fwe, Mashi, Makoma and Kwangwa) and considers some of the linguistic and non-linguistic issues involved in initial development of writing systems.
Focus on Health Professional Education 15(2), 2013
Aims: To identify and analyse critical moments in international medical graduate (IMG) doctor–pat... more Aims: To identify and analyse critical moments in international medical graduate (IMG) doctor–patient consultations about sexual health, including recognising and responding to patient cues.
Methods: Data were taken from eight video-recordings involving eight IMG doctors interviewing simulated patients in practice Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) workshops. The data were examined using discourse analysis to analyse doctors’ responses to patient cues about the (simulated) patient’s sexual activity.
Results: The four successful candidates responded to a clearly signalled patient cue, and their interactions followed a six-step pattern to elicit information required to make a diagnosis. The four doctors who pursued a targeted line of enquiry in relation to the patient’s cue were able to elicit the necessary information to form a diagnosis and, thus, pass the OSCE station. The doctors who did not pursue this cue failed the station.
Conclusions: Eliciting relevant information in discussion of sexual health requires sophisticated use of language and communication skills. Training should include a focus on noticing and responding to patient cues as well as asking questions that are potentially culturally sensitive.
The Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO) started in 2008 in only two locatio... more The Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO) started in 2008 in only two locations and has since grown to a nationwide competition with almost 1500 high school students participating in 2013. An Australian team has participated in the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) every year since 2009. This paper describes how the competition is run (with a regional first round and a final national round) and the organisation of the competition (a National Steering Committee and Local Organising Committees for each region) and discusses the particular challenges faced by Australia (timing of the competition and distance between the major population centres). One major factor in the growth and success of OzCLO has been the introduction of the online competition, allowing participation of students from rural and remote country areas. The organisation relies on the goodwill and volunteer work of university and school staff but the strong interest amongst students and teachers shows that OzCLO is responding to a demand for linguistic challenges.
Language in Uniform: Language Analysis and Training for Defence and Policing Purposes, 2015
This chapter describes a recent project exploring the feasibility of mapping the outcomes of a co... more This chapter describes a recent project exploring the feasibility of mapping the outcomes of a competency-based language teaching and assessment system for military personnel to a pre-existing general proficiency scale. The project was conducted by the Language Testing Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, as part of an external review of assessment practices within the Defence Force School of Languages (DFSL) located in the Australian state of Victoria. A review of the claims underlying competency-based assessment on the one hand and proficiency scales on the other indicate that it may be difficult to generalise from performance on a particular task to descriptions of ability, as characterised on the Australian Defence Language Proficiency Rating Scale (ADLPRS) (DFSL 2005). To test this contention, two small-scale empirical studies were conducted. The studies compared end-of-course competency-based assessments and general proficiency tests, in relation to two DFSL courses...
Cross-cultural missionaries face huge challenges when beginning work in a new context. The need t... more Cross-cultural missionaries face huge challenges when beginning work in a new context. The need to learn a new language is a crucial part of understanding the people and culture and as a key to ministry. However, language learning is also one of the most difficult and challenging features of a missionary’s activity. Because of this combination of importance and difficulty, it is crucial that missionaries be trained and supported in learning a new language. Such training needs to be focused on language as a tool for building relationships, rather than academic activity. This paper presents two programs which provide training and support for cross-cultural missionaries in new language contexts, either at home or abroad. The first is a pre-field preparation course for language learning (MILL) which aims to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to successfully learn their target language. The second is a program of ongoing support for missionaries learning langu...
Conversational speech samples were analysed over a six-year period postoperatively for nine profo... more Conversational speech samples were analysed over a six-year period postoperatively for nine profoundly deaf children implanted with the Cochlear Limited 22-electrode cochlear implant between ages 2-5 years. Four years post-implant, at least 90% of all syllables ...
Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. De... more Many linguistic research projects collect large amounts of multimodal data in digital formats. Despite the plethora of data collection applications available, it is often difficult for researchers to identify and integrate applications which enable the management of collections of multimodal data in addition to facilitating the actual collection process itself. In research projects that involve substantial data analysis, data management
Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language... more Charles Darwin University Library is directly helping to sustain and preserve Aboriginal language and cultural materials that encounter many hurdles for their long-term survival. The library is supporting an ARC-funded project known as the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, by providing a repository, web application, digitisation programme and professional advice. The collaboration between the library and research team addressed a number of challenges in relation to appropriate ways to represent complex and variable metadata, widely varying content from diverse sources and in various conditions, and in making these fragile and endangered materials accessible to a global audience. The open access archive now includes thousands of items in dozens of Northern Territory Indigenous languages, providing a sustainable repository for researchers and allowing Indigenous communities to share their languages, histories, knowledge and practices around the world. The project serves as a rich case study demonstrating how academic libraries can work with researchers to support the archiving of cultural heritage.
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Methods: Data were taken from eight video-recordings involving eight IMG doctors interviewing simulated patients in practice Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) workshops. The data were examined using discourse analysis to analyse doctors’ responses to patient cues about the (simulated) patient’s sexual activity.
Results: The four successful candidates responded to a clearly signalled patient cue, and their interactions followed a six-step pattern to elicit information required to make a diagnosis. The four doctors who pursued a targeted line of enquiry in relation to the patient’s cue were able to elicit the necessary information to form a diagnosis and, thus, pass the OSCE station. The doctors who did not pursue this cue failed the station.
Conclusions: Eliciting relevant information in discussion of sexual health requires sophisticated use of language and communication skills. Training should include a focus on noticing and responding to patient cues as well as asking questions that are potentially culturally sensitive.