Generation Next Blog

February 2021

Don’t be afraid to pass your first language, and accent, to your kids. It could be their superpower

By |2021-02-16T11:49:26+11:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|

Chloé Diskin-Holdaway, University of Melbourne and Paola Escudero, Western Sydney University Australia is a multicultural society. There are different traditions, cultures, accents and languages all over the country. The latest Census data show almost 30% of Australians speak a language other than English, or English and another language, at home. In our latest survey, we [...]

Growing up in lockdown: young people give their perspectives

By |2021-02-16T11:49:40+11:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|

Barry Percy-Smith, University of Huddersfield Throughout the pandemic, decisions made by adults have had a significant impact on all aspects of young people’s lives, yet some teenagers feel their voice and experiences during the pandemic have not been heard. The political has become personal for many, leading some young people to become increasingly engaged with [...]

Back to school: how to help your teen get enough sleep

By |2021-02-16T11:49:51+11:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Uncategorized|

Lynette Vernon, Edith Cowan University When the holidays end, barring a fresh outbreak of COVID-19, teenagers across Australia will head back to school. Some will bounce out of bed well before the alarm goes off, excited to start a new school year, but many others will drag themselves to the shower or reach for caffeine [...]

Can’t remember last night? 48% of drinkers have had a blackout by age 19

By |2021-02-16T11:49:59+11:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Drugs & Alcohol|

Wing See Yuen, UNSW and Amy Peacock, UNSW Alcohol-related blackouts aren’t good for anybody’s health, but they are particularly dangerous for young people. Our recent research found blackouts are common once young people start drinking. At age 14, nearly one in ten adolescents who drank alcohol in the past year had a blackout. By age [...]

Remote learning didn’t affect most NSW primary students in our study academically. But well-being suffered

By |2021-02-16T11:50:06+11:00February 16th, 2021|Categories: Education|

Jenny Gore, University of Newcastle; Andrew Miller, University of Newcastle; Jess Harris, University of Newcastle, and Leanne Fray, University of Newcastle There have been some reports students fell behind during the remote learning period in 2020. For instance, a report by the NSW education department found NSW students in year 3 were up to four [...]

Why we need real stories for better Holocaust education in Australia

By |2021-02-16T11:37:19+11:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Society & Culture|

Jan Lanicek, UNSW On January 27 communities worldwide commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz — the largest complex of concentration camps and extermination centres during the Holocaust. This is the first year the International Holocaust Remembrance Day will be marked nationally in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will address the event, which [...]

To learn at home, kids need more than just teaching materials. Their brain must also adapt to the context

By |2021-02-15T17:49:21+11:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Education|

John Munro, Australian Catholic University Research during the first phase of remote teaching in Victoria reported some students found the workload “too high”, missed interactions with peers, felt their thinking ability was impaired, and reported a difficulty coping with study and life more generally. All these factors impact on students’ sense of well-being. While learning [...]

Is your child anxious about starting school for the first time? Here’s how you can help

By |2021-02-15T17:34:21+11:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Education|

Mandie Shean, Edith Cowan University Starting school is an important event for children and a positive experience can set the tone for the rest of their school experience. Some children are excited to attend school for the first time, yet others feel anxious. Back to school anxiety is a widely accepted phenomenon, but there is [...]

Mental health and wellbeing: Listening to young Indigenous people in Narrm

By |2021-02-15T17:25:06+11:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Mental Health & Wellbeing|

  Indigenous Australians prefer the term "social and emotional wellbeing" to "mental health". They recognise that mental health is connected to our relationships, our place in the world, with our past and with nature. Indigenous researcher Cammi Murrup-Stewart has completed a PhD thesis investigating the links between Indigenous culture and Indigenous health. “Within the Aboriginal community, concepts [...]

The need for mental health education in Australian schools

By |2021-02-15T17:12:12+11:00February 15th, 2021|Categories: Education, Uncategorized|

The disruption and stress of 2020 resulted in a spike in mental health problems that are likely to continue into 2021. Mental illness accounts for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury for youth aged 10-19. One in seven Australian young people are affected by a mental disorder, with a recent report finding that [...]

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