Academic Qualifications
Dip. Ed. (Melbourne), 1985 - methods: History and ESL
PhD (Edinburgh), 1984
MA (Melbourne), 1979 with first class honours
BA (Hons) (Melbourne) , 1977 with first class honours - Russian Language and Literature
Research Interests
Language and communication issues in contexts of linguistic and cultural diversity, including language teaching and learning, bilingualism, language ecology (language maintenance and shift, intergenerational language transmission) and intercultural communication with a strong focus on applied and community-based research.
Helen's current research includes:
- Communication and cultural competence in diabetes education, prevention, self-management and care
- Ongoing research with migrant communities about intergenerational language transmission processes within families, including a focus on the impact of new communication technologies and their impact on heritage language maintenance and patterns of diasporic communication and connectedness
- Language diversity and the provision of culturally response teaching and language services
Recent Project Experience
Funded Projects:
- Victorian Office for Multicultural Affairs Research Grant (forthcoming), 'Understanding Language and Literacy Usage in African Language Communities Emerging in Victoria, $14,983 as Chief Investigator and Project Leader (2007).
- Victoria University Priority Research Grant 'Cultural competence in reinventing health - the case of diabetes', $5.1 million. Principal Investigator: Professor Maurice Eisenbruch; Helen Borland is a Chief Investigator and co-node leader for the Communication node (Grant awarded 2006).
- Victorian Office for Multicultural Affairs Research Grant 'The Numbers of Speakers of African Languages Emerging in Victoria', $14,960 as Chief Investigator and Project Leader (2005-6).
- DEET Equity Grant, 'Analysis of LOTE Background Student Graduation Rates', $39,000 (Project Coordinator and Chief Investigator) (1995-1996).
Other Projects:
- Ongoing research with migrant communities about intergenerational language transmission processes within families, including a focus on the impact of new communication technologies and their impact on heritage language maintenance and patterns of diasporic communication and connectedness
Organisational and Community Involvement
Active links with the Maltese community (extending back close to 20 years)
Links with the Vietnamese community that are currently being further developed
Links with newly arrived African communities through current VOMA and IHD projects
Links with VOMA and some other agencies
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
Damnet, A. and Borland, H. (2007) 'Acquiring nonverbal competence in English language contexts: the case of Thai learners of English viewing American and Australian films', to appear in Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 17/1, pp. 127-148.
Borland, H. 2006 'Intergenerational language transmission in an established Australian migrant community: What makes the difference?', International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 180, pp. 23-41.
Borland, H. 2005 'Heritage languages and community identity building: the case of a language of lesser status', International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8/2, pp. 1-15.
Borland, H. and A. Pearce 2002 'Identifying key dimensions of academic disadvantage at university in Australia', Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 25/2.
Chapters in Books
Tarigan, B. and Borland, H. 2005 From Traditional Focus on Forms to Communicative Grammar Practice: Assessing the Effects on Indonesian Students' Use of English Tense and Aspect'. In Zein, T.T., Ansari, K. Hasibuan, N. H., Suriyadi, Purba, A. and Martin 2005 Bahasa Sastra dan Budaya Dalam Untaian Karya: Sebuah cemetuk persembahan untuk Prof. H. T. A. Ridwan, (ISBN: 979 458 227 1), USU Press: Medan, pp. 117-138.
Borland, H. 1998 'Maltese youth and success at university: a case study', in Cauchi, M., H. Borland and R. Adams (eds) Maltese Background Youth: Language, Education, Employment and Welfare, Europe-Australia Institute, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, pp. 42-51.
Selected Refereed Conference Papers
Islam, W. and Borland, H. (forthcoming, 2007) 'Non-native speakers' adjustment to Australian postgraduate academic culture: How South Asian students cope with linguistic stress related to spoken genres' to appear in refereed conference proceedings of the 'Communication Skills in University Education' conference, University of Auckland, November, 2006.
Islam, W. and Borland, H. (2006) 'South Asian students' adaptation experiences in an Australian postgraduate coursework environment', refereed conference proceedings of the ISANA conference, Sydney, December, 2006. ISANA paper in proceedings
Borland, H. and Sciriha, L. 2005 'Internationalising education through the Web: Virtual Learning for Diasporic Communities', refereed Conference Proceedings, Internationalising Education: Risks and Returns, Victoria University, Melbourne (13 pp.).
Borland, H. 2003 'Global citizenship and university language policy: models for supporting and developing bilingualism within higher education', refereed Conference Proceedings of the UNESCO Conference on Teaching and Learning for Intercultural Understanding, Human Rights and a Culture of Peace, Jyvaskyla, FinlandJune, 2003.
Borland, H. and A. Pearce 1997 'Expectations of tertiary literacy: Attitudes and experiences of lecturers and their LOTE background students', in Z. Golebiowski (ed.) Policy and Practice of Tertiary Literacy, volume 1, Proceedings of the First National Tertiary Literacy Conference, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, 245-257.
Monographs
Borland, H. and C. Mphande 2006 The Numbers of Speakers of African Languages Emerging in Victoria, Report for the Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs, Department for Victorian Communities (released May, 2006) (108 pp. ISBN: 1 86272 666 3).
Borland, H. and A. Pearce 1999 Valuing Diversity: Language, Culture and Success at University, Centre for Educational Development and Support, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne (139 pp. ISBN: 1 86272 545 4).
Cauchi, M., H. Borland and R. Adams (eds) 1998 Maltese Background Youth: Language, Education, Employment and Welfare, Europe-Australia Institute, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne (95 pp., ISBN: 1 86272 528 4).
Golebiowski, Z. and H. Borland (eds) 1997 Academic Communication Across Disciplines and Cultures, Volume 2, Proceedings of the First National Tertiary Literacy Conference, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne. (as editor of refereed proceedings) (293 pp., ISBN: 1 875338 87 X)
