Predictors of participation in senior secondary languages study

Abstract

Various stakeholders have called for changes in approaches to languages policy, in response to concerns about student participation, particularly in the senior secondary years of schooling in Australia. To examine the issue, predictors of students' senior secondary participation in Languages were investigated using the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) data. The analysis indicated that student characteristics including socio-economic status (SES), immigration status and location were significant predictors of students' participation. The discussion is positioned within a broader discourse about languages education in Australia and indicates that more should be done to accommodate learners who are under-represented in senior secondary languages programs. The findings of this study contribute to existing research on debates about equity and trends in languages participation.