New NT education policy still sidelines Indigenous language (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

New NT education policy still sidelines Indigenous language

Saturday, November 5, 2011
By Emma Murphy, Darwin
AUS

The Northern Territory government’s latest proposed approach to
teaching Aboriginal students, like its previous policy, places a
primacy on reading and writing in English. It allows for students’
first language to be used to help teachers explain new concepts, but
critics fear it falls short of valuing Aboriginal languages.

The draft Literacy Framework for Students with English as an
Additional Language was released on August 31. It slightly amends the
controversial “First Four Hours” policy, introduced in January 2009,
which expired earlier this year.

Access full article below:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49339