[lg policy] Ausralia: State school students soon required to learn second language

[Harold Schiffman]

 State school students soon required to learn second language
 Comments (15) »
<http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/State-school-students-soon-required-to-2nd-languag/2363194/#comments>
 [image: Adam Davies]
 Adam Davies <http://www.thechronicle.com.au/profile/adavies/> | 26th Aug
2014 6:00 AM


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   <http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/Barnaby-Joyce-wants-bush-do-its-bit-fix-budget/2362983/>

  QUEENSLAND state school students will be made to learn either Japanese,
German, Mandarin, French, Italian or Indonesian under an ambitious plan the
government claims will give kids the necessary skills to live in a global
society.

Under the plan, to take effect from next year, state school students in
years five to eight will be required to learn an additional language - a
year earlier than the current minimum.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said on Monday the change to the
government's mandatory languages policy coincides with a new plan released
for consultation that sets the future plan for language education in state
schools.

He said under the plan all state primary schools would offer languages from
prep before 2025.

"Everything we do in education is directed towards better student results
and it is widely acknowledged that learning a language has a positive
impact on a student's overall literacy, enhancing their learning in other
areas," he said.

"State schools decide which languages to offer in consultation with their
school community.

"Successful language programs need a strong, shared commitment from both
the school and community."

Queensland Association of State School Principals president Michael Fay
said a one size approach does not always necessarily work.

He said the association would be monitoring the situation closely.

"It will be received in different ways in different communities across the
state," he said.

"The best way to gauge if it has been a success is to see the uptake after
the compulsory years.

"Some schools, especially regional ones, have found languages other than
English have been a great addition to their curriculum, others have not."
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/State-school-students-soon-required-to-2nd-languag/2363194/


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