<div dir="ltr"><h1>Opinion: NZ policy silent on language learning</h1> <div> <div class="" style="float:right;margin-left:10px"><br> <p><span class=""> </span></p> </div> <p>by Karen Ashton</p> <p>Recent
headlines about the state of language learning in New Zealand schools
makes for pretty miserable reading: 'Fewer pupils learning languages'
and 'Schools fail on foreign languages' (NZ Herald). Apparently;
'Overall, Ministry of Education figures show the percentage of secondary
school language learners to be the lowest since 1933' – the lowest
number of students learning languages for 80 years.</p> <p>According to
Dr Graham Stoop, the Ministry of Education's head of student
achievement, 'the drop in language enrolments was because students no
longer saw languages as important'.</p> <p>The reality is somewhat more
complex. Languages in our schools do not receive the support they
should. They are a learning area in the New Zealand Curriculum but not a
compulsory one. What’s more is that New Zealand is one of the few
countries where learning a language is not compulsory at any age.</p> <p>The
importance of languages – particularly Asian languages – is frequently
mentioned by the Government, as well as by business and education
leaders, in the media.</p> <p>The focus is usually on globalisation,
trade and the need for economic growth. However, there is a mismatch
between what is said at this level and what actually appears in terms of
policy directives and implementation.</p> <p>Although calls for the
introduction of a national languages policy in New Zealand were first
made over 20 years ago, and are supported by a wide range of
stakeholders, there is currently no such policy in New Zealand. The lack
of a national policy for languages, and the fact it is not a compulsory
learning area within the New Zealand Curriculum, sends a negative
message about the importance of language learning in New Zealand.</p> <p>It
doesn't stop there – further negative messages can be found in other
Government 'policies'. For example, a wide variety of credits in
subjects such as drama and PE count towards literacy credits at NCEA
level 1 and 2 – New Zealand's 'National Certificate of Educational
Achievement'. As well they should – no argument there.</p> <p>However,
there is ample evidence that learning a language supports first language
literacy – more evidence, I would suggest, than for a number of other
subjects that are credited.</p> <p>However, this is ignored in New
Zealand policy where only credits in Te Reo Māori and Latin count
towards literacy credits. Credits in languages such as French, German,
Spanish, Japanese and Chinese do not. No Government rationale for this
has been provided.</p> <p>This isn't the only area where the evidence
base in the research literature is ignored. The main messages from
Government or the media regarding language learning are around the
extrinsic benefits of learning a language as a ‘career tool’ to prepare
students to work in the increasingly 'globalised' world. And it appears
that schools and parents are significantly influenced by the extrinsic
benefits of a language in their decision-making.</p> <p>This can be
seen in Government funding support for Asian languages over other
languages and in the growth of Chinese as a trade language, overtaking
the numbers of learners of other languages, such as Japanese.</p> <p>However,
increasingly in the literature, intrinsic benefits such as the
attraction of learning about a new culture and making connections with
others are highlighted as important reasons or motivations for students
to study a language. Intrinsic, rather than extrinsic factors, are also
cited as key reasons for students continuing to learn a language.</p> <p>Interestingly,
the focus of the New Zealand’s curriculum's Learning Languages area is
also around intrinsic factors, such as connecting people locally and
globally, the interconnectedness of language and culture, and developing
the ability to move between different languages and cultures. Yet this
is just another example of mixed and conflicting messages.</p> <p>It is
hardly surprising that students are not taking languages given the lack
of support and incentive to do so at policy level. Long-term commitment
in planning and stability of policy is needed rather than the current
ad-hoc and sporadic rhetoric for current 'in-trend' languages.</p> <p><a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/expertise/profile.cfm?stref=049040"><em>Dr Karen Ashton</em></a><em> is a senior lecturer and specialist in second language learning and teaching in Massey University’s Institute of Education.</em></p> </div><h3>Related articles </h3><p><a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=08BAB3C9-E3ED-8CE9-2080-6730B8C5FF87">Massey welcomes new funding for Asian languages </a><br><a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=13CA8D80-BC1A-A2EF-4D8E-5BC4158C8796">Study encourages early language lessons for Kiwi kids</a><br><br></p><p class=""><a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=B1EF96EA-002F-77D5-33D2-5D68FE601CBC">http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=B1EF96EA-002F-77D5-33D2-5D68FE601CBC</a><br></p>
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