Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are learning how to ‘recycle right’ using real-world activities based on South Australia’s popular three-bin system.
Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation launched a new teaching resource developed which recognises that many newly arrived migrants had come from countries where recycling and waste bin collection did not exist.
“This is a fundamental part of our community’s approach to managing waste and reducing the need for landfills. By using this Recycle Right resource we can build on South Australia’s reputation as a community of enthusiastic recyclers”, explained Minister Caica.
The teaching resource was initially created and developed by KESAB environmental solutions (KESAB) with assistance from Port Adelaide Enfield Council.
In 2010, as part of the Recycle Right campaign, Zero Waste SA approached KESAB to update the resource.
English Language Centre(ELC) Lecturer Susannah McCallum explains how TAFE SA students became involved:” One of the curriculum units is 'sustainability' and I contacted ZeroWaste last year in order to get someone to talk to the students about recycling. It turned out that Simone Cunningham [from Zero Waste] was working on a resource to assist English language teachers in this area and together we trialled this with [the TAFE SA] class and a few others.”
Minister Caica thanked the TAFE SA ELC team and 18 international students involved for piloting the activities.
“The great thing about the ZeroWaste resource is that it covers all levels, from elementary to advanced. A number of our students study this Sustainability unit, which can be delivered at different levels. Not only does this help to improve vocabulary and English language skills but also assists newly arrived students (either international or migrants) to 'survive' the tricky process of recycling,” enthused ELC Lecturer Susannah McCallum.
The resource is available from the Recycle Right website at www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au.
Find out more about English as a Second Language courses at TAFE SA.