[lg policy] Australia: Language policy is talk of the town

[Harold Schiffman]

Language policy is talk of the town

The United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People,
held on 9 August, has been used to announce a new National Indigenous
Languages Policy.    Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin
and Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett said the policy initiative
aimed to preserve Indigenous languages and help Indigenous Australians
to connect with their culture.   A recent report found of the 145
Indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 110 were at risk of
disappearing.

Plan to preserve Indigenous culture

 Ms Macklin and Mr Garrett said the new national approach would
improve coordination between organisations who were already working to
support Indigenous languages including Government, cultural
institutions, Indigenous language organisations, and education and
research bodies.   They said it focused on five key areas including
drawing national attention to the languages; encouraging the use of
endangered languages; ensuring Government recognition of languages in
areas where they are spoken fully and passed on; helping restore the
use of rarely spoken or unspoken Indigenous languages; and supporting
the teaching and learning of Indigenous languages in Australian
schools.    “We recognise the intrinsic connection between languages,
culture and country and the vital role they play in building and
enriching Indigenous community life,” Mr Garrett said.

   “These languages are also a significant part of Australia's
heritage, and we must ensure they are protected for the benefit of
future generations.”
 Mr Garrett said a focused and coordinated national approach was
“critical to safeguard Indigenous culture “and save the languages.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom
Calma welcomed the announcement.   “Protecting Indigenous languages is
about protecting our futures, our cultures and our lives for future
generations,” Commissioner Calma said.    He urged the Northern
Territory Government to reconsider its plans to dismantle bilingual
education through its mandatory four hours of English policy.   “The
Northern Territory Government’s decision to enforce four hours of
English in all Northern Territory schools is bad policy and goes
against the spirit of what the Australian Government agreed to in
April this year when it formally endorsed the Declaration,”
Commissioner Calma said.   “The Northern Territory Government’s policy
erodes the potential for the continuation of our languages and
cultures.”

http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn18214.html
-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to
its members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner
or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents.
Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal.
(H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************

_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list