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<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Dear RNLDers,</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Yesterday, in a blog post on Crikey <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/fullysic/2012/07/11/ngurrju-manymak-pupuni-nt-drops-first-four-hours-in-english-policy/%3E">Ngurrju!Manymak! Pupuni! NT drops First Four Hours in English policy</a>,
Greg Dickson broke the news that the NT Department of Education and Training
has finally reversed its policy of Compulsory Teaching in English for the First
Four Hours of Each School Day.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Communities, linguists and educators have lobbied long
and hard for more than three years for the reversal of this retrogressive and
damaging policy. Greg Dickson, Piers Kelly, Jane Simpson and other linguist
commentators have written on numerous occasions about this topic on Crikey
(e.g. 4/5/12, 4/11/10) and the <a href="http://www.paradisec.org.au/blog/">Endangered Languages and Cultures</a> Blog (e.g.
2/11/12, 31/8/11). <a href="http://www.ausil.org.au/node/3741">AuSIL</a> wrote many letters and media releases, held public
forums, and produced the "Indigenous Languages in Education: What the
Research Actually Shows" booklet. Opposition to the policy was a strong
theme in submissions to the <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=atsia/languages/index.htm">House of Representatives Inquiry into languagelearning in Indigenous communities</a>.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">In place of the 4 hours policy, NT Ed has released a <a href="http://www.det.nt.gov.au/about-us/policies/documents/schools/framework-for-learning-english-as-an-additional-language">Framework for Learning English as an Additional Language</a>.
The second policy point is entitled "Home/local languages are
valued". It notes that "Programs designed to deliver English literacy
outcomes are inclusive of the student’s home/local language and culture as
agreed with parents and communities. Home/local languages can and should be used
where appropriate to support the learning and acquisition of concepts. There
will be times, particularly in the early years, when it may be better to
introduce concepts using the home/local language. This is good teaching
practice and is to be encouraged. This is the Department’s approach for English
as an additional language learning and one that is used across Australia and
internationally."</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Point V continues "Some communities will identify
a desire to have their children learn to read and write in their home/local
language as well as read and write in English. The Department of Education and
Training values home languages and culture and will support communities in this
endeavor through the use of school facilities after hours for cultural and
language activities and within the curriculum through language and culture
programs."</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">The Guidelines documents offers the advice that
"Learning English as an additional language is complex and multifaceted as
different first languages may present different challenges for teaching. The
complexity of the EAL process means that schools must choose instructional
approaches appropriate to the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of the
learners." Further, "Instructional programs must promote positive and
accurate representations of children’s (and families’) first language and
cultural heritage".</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">These points must offer encouragement to NT
communities who have keenly felt the destruction of language programs in their
schools, and the concomitant impact of the detrimental 4 hours policy on school
attendance and wellbeing within the community.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Congratulations to all
who have fought so hard for this outcome! Much work now lies ahead to rebuild
programs and we wish strength to al through the coming months.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">kind regards,</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font><span style="font-family:Helvetica" lang="EN-US">Margaret<br></span></font></p>
<font><br>-- <br>Dr Margaret Florey<br>Co-Director and Senior Linguist<br>Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity<br><br>ph: +61 0488 086 031
(office)<br>skype: RNLDorg<br>Suite 1107, 530 Little Collins Street<br>Melbourne, Victoria 3000<br><br><a href="http://www.rnld.org" target="_blank">www.rnld.org</a><br>ABN 24 215 634 040<br><br></font>