[EDLING:1747] New Zealand: Huge Risks In Second Language Policy

[Francis M Hult]

Via lg-policy...

> Huge Risks In Second Language Policy
> Wednesday, 2 August 2006, 9:03 am
> 
> 
> New Zealand First is urging extreme caution with regards to the proposed
> policy towards making schools offer a non-New Zealand language to all
> students, said New Zealand First Education spokesman, Brian Donnelly. The
> objective of making New Zealand more multi-lingual is laudatory. The
> question is whether or not this policy will achieve that end. Certainly
> half an hour a week, even if offered for four years in the same language,
> is not going to achieve that objective. The risk is that our children will
> end up with a superficial smorgasbord of ciaos, Bonjours, and Konichiwas
> but make no progress towards fluency.
> 
> There are huge practical problems in insisting that all schools make the
> offer of a language other than English or Maori to all pupils from years 7
> to 10. It has to be asked what has to give in order for this to happen. No
> one can deny there will be learning opportunity costs. It would be better
> if the government took an encouragement approach by production of support
> materials, assistance with staff development, production of best practice
> and evidence of benefits to students, rather than the big stick approach,
> said Mr Donnelly. Mr Donnelly has a post-graduate diploma in second
> language teaching and taught French to intermediate pupils in the 1970s
> from Massey University.
> 
> http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0608/S00015.htm