17 November 2017
Australian applied linguistics and language educators are calling for a stronger focus on language education to meet the 21st century challenges of globalisation and massive population movement.
Meeting at the 2017 Research Centre for Languages and Cultures symposium hosted by UniSA, researchers are urging stronger policy support for language education in schools while celebrating the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the National Policy on Languages (NPL) in Australia.
With the aim of a more language-aware and capable society, Australia adopted the NPL written by Professor Joseph Lo Bianco in 1987, creating genuine engagement with Australia’s cultural diversity.
When language policy was socially divisive and tended to pit one set of interests against another, the NPL represented a breakthrough that integrated diverse interests into one comprehensive plan.
A landmark document for Australia, the policy captured the learning of Aboriginal languages, community languages and world languages, while developing the multilingual capabilities of all students ensuring English language literacy and also interpreting, translating and other services.
The symposium will celebrate the work of Prof Lo Bianco, recognise the long and complex 30 year history of language policy in Australia and look ahead to ensure the linguistic and cultural resources of the country are nurtured and developed within language policy.
UniSA’s Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics in the School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, Angela Scarino says language and communication within and across cultures cannot be taken for granted.
“Recognising language as central to communication in personal, social and work environments, it is important for national education policy to reflect the pivotal role of language learning.
“For most people language is almost invisible and yet it is our most powerful resource. Policies that encompass provision for language learning for all people and include all languages in all domains of life are invaluable.”
Chair of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Melbourne, Prof Lo Bianco says Australia has lost its way with language policy today and hopes the conference will help to recover some of the enthusiasm and ambition of the NPL for the country’s future needs.
“Policy today is a competition between different interests when we need more cooperation with shared principles and common goals. I also think the levels of language study in schools are pitifully low and that is partly due to the watering down of the NPL.”
Prof Lo Bianco will give a Hawke Lecture on Monday 20 November as well as participating at the conference.
“My presentation will focus on conflict occurring in other parts of the world to make the point that a strong and equal language policy should be seen as a key part of Australia’s future social cohesion,” he says.
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Media contact: Georgia Minarelli mobile: +61 413 314 726 email: Georgia.Minarelli@unisa.edu.au
Image: Shutterstock.com / Oksana Shufrych
