Voices from Sudan: The Use of Electronic Puzzles in an Adult Refugee Community Learning

Abstract

Few research papers have been written specifically about women refugees learning English language skills in Australia. The chance to work with a group of Sudanese women (with limited English language skills), endeavouring to settle in an Australian regional city, afforded us the opportunity to use electronic puzzles to enhance their language learning. These women had spent many years in refugee camps in Africa with basically no formal education in their first language, or in any other language. According to 2006 Australian census data, there were 19,049 (7.7%) Sudanese-born residents in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Nationally, ‘the Humanitarian program offers resettlement to refugees and to displaced persons who have suffered discrimination amounting to gross violations of their human rights’ (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). During the 10 years to 30 June 2007, Sudan accounted for most settler arrivals in Australia from Africa under the Australian humanitarian programme. Sudan has experienced desolation because of natural disasters and civil wars; these impacted significantly on the refugees’ education (Awulian Community Development Association, 2010). During the time of this study, there were 800 Sudanese migrants in the Australian regional city where the programme was offered.