1. Intercultural understanding and ACARA
In the Australian Curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.
Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.
Classrooms and schools in Australia today are very diverse with students (and staff) coming from a range of cultures, linguistic backgrounds and social and economic situations. Students
come to school with a range of different interests, experiences, abilities and perspectives.
The new Australian Curriculum has a strong emphasis on learner diversity and defines this diversity as:
Students in Australian classrooms having multiple, diverse, and changing needs that are shaped by individual learning histories and abilities as well as cultural, language backgrounds and socio-economic factors.
ACARA further states that the new Australian Curriculum is based on the assumptions that:
….each student can learn and the needs of every student are important. It enables high expectations to be set for each student as teachers account for the current levels of learning of individual students and the different rates at which students develop.
This definition of learner diversity, reflects diversity in its broadest sense and includes (but is not limited to) students from a range of equity and other groups e.g. students with disabilities; gifted and talented students, geographically isolated students, refugees, newly arrived students, ESL students, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from low socio-economic backgrounds etc. However, this workshop will focus primarily on cultural diversity (including linguistic and religious diversity) of students and the rapidly changing nature of this cultural diversity.

2. Cultural diversity of Australia (2011 Census)
NSW
2.5% of people are Indigenous.
2.5% of people are Indigenous
69.8 % of people were born in Australia.
68.6% of people were born in Australia.
24.6% of people were born overseas.
25.7% of people were born overseas.
61.1% of people are Christian.
64.5% of people are Christian.
30.9% of people said they had no religion or did not identify a religion at the last census.
25.7% of people stated they had no religion or did not identify a religion at the last census.
Intercultural Understanding
ESL and Multicultural Programs Unit

3. Linguistic diversity of Australia
76.8% of people speak only English.
72.5% of people speak only English.
20.4% speak two or more languages.
24.5% speak two or more languages.
Indigenous languages are spoken by about 61,800 people.
Indigenous languages are spoken by about 1,299 people.
Most common languages other than English: Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese and Greek
Most common languages other than English: Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Greek
Intercultural Understanding
ESL and Multicultural Programs Unit

4. Cultural and linguistic diversity in NSW government schools
749, 162 students enrolled (2012)
229,106 (30.2%) students from language backgrounds other than English (2012)
47,086.8 (6.3%) are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (2012)
137,140 (18.3%) students require ESL support (2012)
3,998 students from refugee backgrounds (1 June 2013)
3,303 international students (2012)
6,500 – 7,500 newly arrived ESL students enrol each year
Intercultural Understanding
ESL and Multicultural Programs Unit

5. Main languages spoken in NSW government schools (as % of LBOTE)
Chinese languages – Mandarin, Cantonese and other Chinese (18%)
Arabic (13.2%)
Vietnamese (6.6%)
Greek (4.0%)
Hindi (4.0%)
Tagalog (Filipino) (3.6%)
Samoan (3.2%)
Korean (3.1%)
Spanish (2.9%)
10.Italian (2.6%)
Main languages spoken by newly arrived students:
Mandarin, Arabic, Korean, Filipino, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Samoan, Tamil, Persian, Dari, Indonesian, Nepalese, Urdu, Spanish, Thai, Assyrian, Japanese, Punjabi, Bengali

6. Main languages spoken in NSW government schools (as % of LBOTE)