As you come walking through the school gates, you could see different flags hanging out there
and it's telling everyone that we are all trying to be inclusive, a welcoming school.
It's not just the Yazidis, it's African refugees, Afghanis and Burmese.
We try not to have them as one particular body
so they're spread throughout the school.
So the kids use what English they do know within their classroom situation
and out in the playground.
Please say to Mr Abassi and the family that they are more than welcome here.
- She says “Welcome.” - Thank you.
I've got a lot of questions to ask him.
They’re part of the form I have to fill in for the Department of Education.
- You need to complete the paperwork. - No problem.
Okay. So Dad's name is Mohoram Ali Abassi?
Your name? Is your name Mohoram Abassi?
I come from Iraq, we are 8.
My brother is in this school.
I came here when I was 2 and I came from Burundi.
I was born in Burma.
I lived in Malaysia for 5 years.
We have different activities and different programs
that are really geared towards their integration and resettlement into the school system.
We have the intensive English classes which we do for the kids.
There's four refugees on staff.
One from Burma, two are from Africa and one is a Yazidi.
When I came here, most of them had issues with the other kids
because they can't understand each other
so they were just feeling, like, isolated from the other kids.
And they would come to me and say "We don't know what to do."
"We don't understand each other, can you come and explain what they want?"
I was really shy when I started school.
I didn't really talk much in classes.
“You come into school with me.”
Most of the time I'm full-time in the class working with the teacher.
Some of the material they cannot understand so we are there to help them.
While the teachers are teaching them
we are also working as... interpreting the material for them.
- "Come... on... Sam." - "Come on, Sam."
We're doubly aware of the trauma that they've come from.
Could you ask Mr Abassi, does he want the girls to wear their head scarves to school?
- Mr Abassi... - Yes, sir.
Do you want the girls to wear their head scarves to school? - Yes, sir.
We just take it step by step.
They might be 10 years old but we'll still have to start at a kindergarten level
as far as their reading, writing and speaking goes.
"Snake."
We use a lot of pictures, visuals.
If they can see a picture, they know what it is in their language
and then they just have to associate it with the English words.
In the mornings they go with the other ESL kids.
But in the afternoons or mid session they come back and join in the Maths
because they're normally good at Maths.
Then in the afternoons we do Art or Science.
They all have the same opportunities.
My role is Community Engagement Officer.
It gives the students and the parents
the confidence to liaise with me
and know exactly what's happening in the school environment in terms of their children's education.
The main language spoken at home, is that Dari?
Do you speak Farsi or Dari at home?
We are originally Afghan and our language is Dari. However, since our kids have grown up in Iran they speak Farsi.
- Farsi and Dari. - Farsi and Dari.
- What about this? - "This." - What about this? "Win."
- And this? - "Comes."
He said "I like Australia" because it is safe.
There is no war.
Australia is very different from Burma
and it's very safe here.
They said “Our teachers, they were beating us."
“They were hitting us with sticks."
“But the teachers here, they are just very friendly.”
So they are settling in very well.
It’s great to see them develop their confidence
and their language so that they can make friends and be part of the school.
I like everything now.
I’ve got more friends than I used to
‘cos not most kids get this opportunity like me.
The teachers are really nice to me. They're really kind.
I learn English more and more
and I’ve made lots of friends.
It gives the student that confidence, that self-esteem
to become more involved in school activities.
I have four legs, two ears and one long tail.
- Mouse? - Yes!
Most of them are very hungry to learn.
I’ve learned English very well.
They're like sponges, they just want so much information.
Because they are more confident,
their English speech is becoming better.
So they can understand their friends, they're making a lot of friends.
They said “Here we just feel it is a new life for us.”
I want to be a doctor.
He said “Because I want to help people.”
The children will start school on Tuesday
and then we're pretty good to go.