Employer: TAFE Queensland

Kelly Barron is an experienced language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy senior teacher, delivering English language and digital literacy training to young refugee students in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at TAFE Queensland.  

Kelly’s efforts to support integration and create pathways for her students go well beyond the classroom, through her commitment to provide her students with the best possible introduction to life in Australia. Her in-depth knowledge of how best to engage with young people has led to her facilitating interactive activities for her students. Incorporating music, art, swimming lessons and sport, and frequent opportunities to learn from others in in the community. 

Recently, Kelly engaged in a collaborative planning and teaching process to incorporate a multi-class afternoon program for students aged 18 to 25 years enrolled in the AMEP in Toowoomba. The program included content-based English language lessons covering topics such as student health, wellbeing, and settlement into Australian life. Students also participated in exercise activities, visited other training departments, attended career talks with pathway advisors, discussed diet and health issues, and took part in workshops run by local health educators such as a tobacco treatment specialist and a consultant pharmacist. 

Kelly organises weekly meet ups with another vocational teacher and their students, to broaden her own students’ social networks, increase cultural awareness amongst non-refugee students and promote mutual understanding and connections. These sessions also enhance language skills and extend student knowledge of potential vocational pathways.