Master of Philosophy (Linguistics)
James Cook University
Leisale is a secondary school teacher who is passionate about the preservation of indigenous cultures and languages. Over 10 years, she has taught English and Social Sciences to junior and high school students in Vanuatu who come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. In 2017, Leisale was the recipient of a Vanuatu Government scholarship to undertake her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education (Language and Literature) at The University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. She went on to earn her Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Linguistics) from the same university.
Through her Master of Philosophy at James Cook University, Leisale is researching the experience of children whose first language is Lewo, her own native tongue, in the hopes of promoting and protecting the use of indigenous languages in Vanuatu. She hopes to share her research outcomes with her community and inspire young women to step into leadership and speak up to share their knowledge.
