Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students

CALD students Special Interest Group (SiG) focuses on understanding the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse students in enabling programs and examining how institutional supports, or the lack of them, influence student engagement and success. It also explores how increasing diversity within student cohorts shapes enabling educators’ teaching practices, including their interactions with students and approaches to curriculum design and pedagogy.

A key focus of the SiG is to utilise strengths-based perspectives challenging deficit-focused framings to highlight the cultural knowledge, linguistic capabilities, and diverse perspectives students bring to learning environments.

Why join this SIG?

In this SiG we provide a dedicated space to deepen understanding of diverse student experiences and to critically reflect on teaching practices. We aim to support educators in developing more inclusive, responsive, and culturally responsive pedagogies that better meet the needs of diverse cohorts. The group also fosters collaboration and shared reflection on challenges in practice, including how curriculum design, assessment, and classroom engagement strategies can be improved to support equity and participation.

Our aim is to help improve teaching practice and contribute to broader conversations in higher education about inclusion, equity, and valuing linguistic and cultural diversity as an asset in enabling education.

Interested in joining this SIG?

Become part of a community of practice, collaborate with colleagues and contribute to the future of Enabling Education.