[lg policy] Australia: Flexibility the key to language policy in NT schools: Expert

[Harold Schiffman]

Flexibility the key to language policy in NT schools: Expert

NIRS
Thursday, 19 July 2012 16:30

An education expert says a policy shift allowing Aboriginal kids in
the Northern Territory to speak traditional languages at school has
educational and cultural benefits.

The Territory Government has dropped a policy restricting the use of
Indigenous languages at school for the first four hours of the day in
favour of English.

Dr. Paul Black from Charles Darwin University says you can't place
'one-size-fits-all' restrictions on such a diverse range of
communities.

"I think there should be flexibility in the schools to find the
appropriate sort of program to suit them.

"Where the community wants the Indigenous language involved in the
school, there should be room for that.

"Where you might have Indigenous teachers who speak the language able
to help their students learn through the local language, there should
be room for that.

"One size doesn't really fit all here."

http://www.nirs.org.au/news/latest-news/7394-flexibility-the-key-to-language-policy-in-nt-schools-expert

-- 
**************************************
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,
and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message.
 A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well.  (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