Presentation
Good Student or Good Learner? Building Learner Agency in Short ELICOS Courses
English Australia QLD PD Fest 2026 (St. Lucia, Brisbane, 21/03/2026)
21/03/2026
Metrics
1 Record Views
Abstract
It is not uncommon to see students begin their English language learning journey at an Australian ELICOS with a preconceived belief about what it means to be a good ‘student. ’Being quiet, obedient, accuracy-focused, and dependent on the teacher may be the norm in some cultures. While understandable, these behaviours can limit participation, risk-taking, and meaningful communication in Australian classrooms, making learner agency essential.
With recent student visa regulations and decreased international enrolments, some providers have noticed increased interest in short, under 12 week programs on visitor visas. Although there is no conclusive national evidence that short-term cohorts are rising across the ELICOS sector, Department of Home Affairs data shows more visitor visa entrants and fewer student visa holders. This may contribute to local increases in short-term cohorts, but it remains anecdotal rather than a confirmed national trend. Still, concentrated engagement is vital to build confidence
and support proactive learning within compressed timeframes. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore practical, researchinformed strategies to guide learners from passive to proactive. Through task redesign, teacher talk reframing, micro routines, and culturally informed discussion, participants will gain techniques to enhance autonomy, participation, and willingness to communicate—regardless of background or visa type.
Details
- Title
- Good Student or Good Learner? Building Learner Agency in Short ELICOS Courses
- Creators
- Chiaki Lawler - Southern Cross University
- Event
- English Australia QLD PD Fest 2026 (St. Lucia, Brisbane, 21/03/2026)
- Identifiers
- 991013362061302368
- Academic Unit
- SCU College
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Presentation