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Languages study comes under scrutiny
</h1><div><h2>
By
<cite>
Eva Tejszerski
</cite></h2>Nov. 28, 2013, 6:10 a.m.</div><div><div><ul><li><img style="display:block" src="http://transform.fairfaxregional.com.au/transform/v1/resize/frm/storypad-T2qzwWtn9D8xSkq8dmRgdc/99366743-73e1-415e-88cb-f12149984c5d.jpg/w1200_h678_fmax.jpg" alt="Special skills: (From left) Gabriella Cofini, Brigette Lo and Carolena Kostas will study a language for their HSC next year. Danebank’s head of languages, Jennifer Alfonso (right), wants more languages studied in senior secondary schools. Picture: Jane Dyson" title="Special skills: (From left) Gabriella Cofini, Brigette Lo and Carolena Kostas will study a language for their HSC next year. Danebank’s head of languages, Jennifer Alfonso (right), wants more languages studied in senior secondary schools. Picture: Jane Dyson"><p>
<span>Special
skills: (From left) Gabriella Cofini, Brigette Lo and Carolena Kostas
will study a language for their HSC next year. Danebank’s head of
languages, Jennifer Alfonso (right), wants more languages studied in
senior secondary schools. Picture: Jane Dyson</span></p></li></ul></div><p>AUSTRALIA is increasingly multicultural, yet student participation in school foreign language courses remains low.</p><p>It
is a worrying trend identified by the NSW Board of Studies which hopes
it will change after the new national curriculum is launched.</p><div><div><a href="http://www.theleader.com.au/advertise/" target="_blank">See your ad here</a></div></div><p>As
part of its review into languages education, the board is consulting
with schools on how languages can attract more enrolments, particularly
at HSC level.</p><p>NSW does not have a language policy for schools.</p><p>Almost
half the metropolitan NSW primary schools have a language program, but
only about 10percent of students study one in their HSC.</p><p>This is despite 63 senior secondary language courses available on offer as electives.</p><p>Teachers
said many students perceived languages as ‘‘too difficult’’, or
believed they could get higher marks doing other subjects.</p><p>But the biggest factor highlighted in the board’s discussion paper was the scarcity of language teachers.</p><p>The board said while there were many teachers who spoke a language other than English, they were not being utilised to teach it.</p>
<p>In the shire some schools have no choice but to send students off-site to learn a language.</p><p>But that was not necessarily a bad thing, said Tony Ginestra, curriculum co-ordinator at De La Salle Senior College, Cronulla.</p>
<p>‘‘We
are a senior school specialising in years 11 and 12, which means
students come from a variety of feeder schools with a diversity of
language education backgrounds,’’ he said.</p><p>‘‘By offering a variety
of choices through external providers, students can capitalise on
previous learning at their high schools.’’</p><p>Croatian, Italian, Hungarian and Spanish were taken up by students at the college in recent years, through Open High School </p><p>and Saturday School of Community Languages.</p>
<p>‘‘These choices tend to reflect the Catholic communities in the shire that choose our school system,’’ Mr Ginestra said.</p><p>Increasing ethnic diversity in the shire had led to demand for more diverse language education.</p>
<p>‘‘Students
who were born in Australia are now often interested in studying the
language spoken by their overseas-born parents and grandparents.’’</p><p>He said students accessed the college’s resources to stay in touch with their off-site tutors.</p><p>The
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority is developing
syllabuses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese, and a framework </p><p>for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.</p><p>Consultation on the board’s review ends on December 13.</p><p><b>DANEBANK’S PUSH</b></p>
<p> In years 7–10, NSW students are required to do 100 hours of language learning. </p><p>But when they reach year 11 few choose a language as an elective.</p><p>It is a different experience at Danebank Anglican School for </p>
<p>Girls, Hurstville.</p><p>Head of languages, Jennifer Alfonso, said the school had a strong tradition of continuing languages to senior level.</p><p>All students studied Japanese and then students opted to study French or German at school or by distance education.</p>
<p>‘‘We always get repeaters in year 11 and 12 who do the beginner course,’’ she said.</p><p>‘‘We actually pick up more students then because they realise languages will be useful later.’’</p><p>Ms
Alfonso said many languages graduates continued their skills in
university, in international studies, law, or other languages.</p><p>Brigette Lo is Chinese, but she is studying Japanese and aims to be </p><p>a doctor.</p><p>‘‘We’re
in a multicultural society so having the ability to learn a language at
school is good break from other subjects,’’ she said.</p><p>Carolena Kostas started learning German after her mother, who is Austrian, encouraged it.</p><p>Gabriella Cofini studies Italian online through distance education.</p>
<div><div><a href="http://www.theleader.com.au/advertise/" target="_blank">See your ad here</a></div></div><p>‘‘Most of my relatives don’t speak English well, so it’s a good skill that comes in handy,’’ she said.</p>
<p><b>Do you think there should be better language policies in schools?</b></p></div><div><div><div><span style="min-height:21px;width:72px"></span></div></div><div><a title="Print Story">Print Story</a></div>
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