Download as PDF, PPTX
![Funding
for
Indigenous
Languages
Support
Its $9 million annual budget falls far short of demand. According to the
recent House of Representatives Enquiry “funding for language programs
has remained at around $9 million for 15 years [and in 2012-13] the
budget for the ILS program is $9.9 million, with applications exceeding
$21 million” (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012, p. 65).
In 2014, $8.8 million was allocated for community language programs,
not exclusively education related.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/disbrayandwigglesworthremotecontrollanguagepolicyandpractice2014-150217105428-conversion-gate01/85/Remote-Control-Language-in-Indigenous-Education-Policy-and-Practice-14-320.jpg)
![Language
Speakers
percep(on
of
bilingualism
When
I
went
to
school,
it
was
a
bilingual
educa(on
at
Ernabella.
I
learned
my
first
language
and
then
English.
When
I
was
16
years
of
age
it
was
my
family’s
decision
that
I
have
to
go
away
to
school
[…]
I
stayed
and
learned
new
things
in
a
new
place
and
environment
[…]
I’m
s(ll
learning
today
and
everyday.
Pitjantjatjara
educator
and
educa(on
leader
Makin(
Minutjukur
(2013)
Warlpiri
is
like
a
vehicle
to
learn
a
new
language
[…].
I
think
that
the
proper
recogni(on
of
our
iden(ty
and
language
makes
us
strong
and
grown-‐up,
knowing
English
and
Warlpiri
together.
I
think
that
the
Indigenous
language
can
assist
in
many
ways
such
as
in
transla(on,
because
that
is
what
I
grew
up
on,
especially
the
experience
in
the
classroom
of
always
having
two
people,
a
Kardiya—a
European—and
a
Yapa
an
Aboriginal
person,
a
Warlpiri
person.
They
were
both
there
for
me
to
make
sure
that
I
got
the
proper
educa(on
in
both
ways.
That
has
been
an
important
thing
in
my
growing
up
in
both
worlds,
Warlpiri
and
English
(Commonwealth
of
Australia,
2012,
p.
25).](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/disbrayandwigglesworthremotecontrollanguagepolicyandpractice2014-150217105428-conversion-gate01/85/Remote-Control-Language-in-Indigenous-Education-Policy-and-Practice-21-320.jpg)
![Language
Speakers
percep(on
of
bilingualism
cont.
We
learn
from
our
elders
that
language
is
sacred.
Yolngu
kids
think
in
their
own
language,
which
can
then
inform
them
about
English,
its
meaning
and
its
value.
I
consider
that
Yolngu
kids
can
be
as
clever
as
any
one
else
in
the
world.
And
I
don’t
want
the
cleverness
ley
outside
the
classroom
door.
Not
for
my
kids,
or
my
grandkids.
They
should
have
equal
rights,
the
same
rights
as
any
kids
in
the
world,
whether
they’re
Chinese
or
Balanda,
equal
rights
to
learn
in
their
own
language.
There
should
be
a
choice
given
to
all
schools
and
communi(es
about
how
our
schools
should
operate.
Yalmay
Yunupingu
2014
And
yet,
Fogarty
and
Schwab
(2012
p.9)
note:
Calls
for
‘back
to
basics’
educa(on
fail
to
recognise
that
it
never
ley.
In
fact,
“[p]hone(cs,
arithme(c
and
grammar
exercises
have
long
formed
a
daily
part
of
the
teaching
and
learning
cycle,
especially
in
the
remote
schools
of
the
Northern
Territory
where
much
of
the
debate
is
focused.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/disbrayandwigglesworthremotecontrollanguagepolicyandpractice2014-150217105428-conversion-gate01/85/Remote-Control-Language-in-Indigenous-Education-Policy-and-Practice-22-320.jpg)
Uploaded byNinti_One
Remote Control Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice
This document summarizes a presentation given by Samantha Disbray and Gillian Wigglesworth at the ACTA Conference in Melbourne in October 2014. The presentation examined the concept of "remote control" in Indigenous language education policy and practice in Australia, where governments and other actors develop policies from a distance without local input. While rhetoric emphasizes the value of Indigenous languages, in practice the National Indigenous Languages Policy does not commit dedicated funding and privileges English. Data was presented from long-term studies of language practices in Northern Territory schools and communities to analyze the realities of language education policies.
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Similar to Remote Control Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice
Remote Control Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice
- 1. Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 1 Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 1 Remote Control Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice Samantha Disbray & Gillian Wigglesworth ACTA Conference, Melbourne October 2014
- 2. Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 2 Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 2 Remote Control Language in Indigenous Education Policy and Practice Samantha Disbray & Gillian Wigglesworth ACTA Conference, Melbourne October 2014
- 3. Remote control Governments-‐ Federal/State/ Territory from social/historic/physical distance Educa(on Department bureaucrats, local officers from social/historic distance School principals, visi(ng teachers from social/historic distance Local teaching staff, leadership & governance
- 4. Wider poli(cal & public discourse Remote control Governments-‐ Federal/State/ Territory from social/historic/physical distance Educa(on Department bureaucrats, local officers from social/historic distance School principals, visi(ng teachers from social/historic distance Local teaching staff, leadership & governance no distance
- 5. Guiding Ques(ons 1. What does language educa(on policy look like in social prac(ce? Who does it, with what purposes, to and for whom, and with what consequences? 2. How are language users and prac(ces ‘disciplined’ or regulated through explicit and implicit policies? (McCarty 2011; also Stri(kus & Wiese 2006; Levinson & SuZon 2001).
- 6. Data • Na(onal and Territory policy documents, official statements, posi(ons, default or de facto policies, responses in prac(ce • Long-‐term observa(on of local prac(ces in schools (8 sites in NT), documents generated in schools (workshop reports, mee(ng notes), interview data from community members, school staff and educa(on department officers, plus involvement in regional community educa(on bodies, such as the Warlpiri Educa(on and Training Trust, the Pitjantjatjara/Yankunykatjara Educa(on Council
- 7. “Knowing that our own language and culture play the biggest role in growing our spirit, our connec(on to our land and the stories of our grandmother and grandfathers. With our language we know where we belong, we know the names from our country and Jukurrpa (Dreaming stories and designs). Young people can’t lead a good, healthy and happy life without this. Language and culture come first. When kids feel lost and their spirit is weak then they can’t learn well or be healthy. They need to feel pride in their language and culture and know that they are respected. That’s the only way to start closing the gap” (Warlpiri Patu kurlangu Jaru 2012).
- 9. Rhetoric and Prac(ce Despite rhetoric of the value of Australian Languages to Australia, and the their benefits to speakers, the Na(onal Indigenous Languages Policy does not commit to ac(on, funding and privileges English.
- 10. Na(onal Indigenous Languages Policy hZp://arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages The importance of Australia's Indigenous languages The most recent report on Indigenous languages in Australia, the Na(onal Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) Report 2005, found that the situa(on of Australia’s Indigenous languages is grave and requires urgent ac(on. Of the 145 indigenous languages s(ll spoken in Australia, 110 are cri(cally endangered. All of Australia’s Indigenous languages face an uncertain future if immediate ac(on and care are not taken. The Australian Government is commiZed to addressing the serious problem of language loss in Indigenous communi(es.
- 11. Na(onal Indigenous Languages Policy hZp://arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages Con(nued Suppor(ng Indigenous Language Programs in Schools Significant funding for languages educa(on is being provided to the states and territories through the Na(onal Educa(on Agreement for languages, allowing jurisdic(ons flexibility to determine how funding is allocated. Funding can be used to support and maintain Indigenous language programs opera(ng in government schools. $56.4 million is also being provided over 2009 to 2012 through the Schools Assistance Act 2008 to support the teaching of languages generally, including Australian Indigenous languages, in non-‐ government schools.
- 12. Na(onal Indigenous Languages Policy hZp://arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages Con(nued Suppor(ng Indigenous Language Programs in Schools The Government is commiZed to languages educa(on and recognises the important role that Indigenous language learning plays in some schools, par8cularly bilingual schools. The learning of English is also a fundamental skill that all Australians, including Indigenous Australians, must have in order to maximise their learning opportuni8es and life chances. All Australian governments through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) processes have commiZed to halving the gap in the reading, wri(ng and numeracy achievements between Indigenous and non-‐Indigenous students within a decade.
- 13. Na(onal Indigenous Languages Policy hZp://arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages Indigenous languages & literacy & numeracy The Government is providing $56.4 million over four years to provide extra assistance to schools to enable them to expand intensive literacy and numeracy approaches that have been successful with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and provide professional development support to assist teachers to prepare Individual Learning Plans for Indigenous students.
- 14. Funding for Indigenous Languages Support Its $9 million annual budget falls far short of demand. According to the recent House of Representatives Enquiry “funding for language programs has remained at around $9 million for 15 years [and in 2012-13] the budget for the ILS program is $9.9 million, with applications exceeding $21 million” (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012, p. 65). In 2014, $8.8 million was allocated for community language programs, not exclusively education related.
- 15. NT Language and Culture in Schools 60 out of 154 schools -‐ one or more Indigenous language, overwhelmingly at primary level, for on average between 1 and 4 hours per week
- 16. Indigenous Language Prac((oners in NT Schools To do it well, you have to do it that way, to make it official. Its one of the official languages taught in the school. So you get proper money and so you make it official. Have a budget for it, you’ve goAa have the human resource and the material resources. We wrote a Language and Culture Policy, but no one sees it. Every new principal comes with a different idea. We have to start again and may be we can teach language and culture. Things are always changing, we are doing accelerated literacy, then kids maAer, now its visible learning There is no team-‐teaching, no learning together, planning together and teaching together, so Kardiya and Yapa just work apart.
- 17. 3. How do policy processes normalize some languages and speakers, and marginalize others?
- 18. The review focuses on the English language skills and knowledge that underpin success in the western educa(on system and proposes that these are gained through rigorous and relentless aZen(on to the founda(ons of the language and the skills that support par(cipa(on in a modern democracy and economy. This report recommends the explicit teaching and assessment of founda(onal elements of English literacy, including phonemic awareness, phonics and vocabulary. (Wilson 2014, p.12 Review of Indigenous Educa(on in the NT )
- 19. Language and Ideologies 1. Social Darwinism – set low educa(onal expecta(ons for Indigenous students 2. Cultural Imperialism – held Indigenous language and culture in low esteem and ac(vely repressed them 3. Cultural Depriva(on (Deficit) – Indigenous language and culture as a handicap to rec(fy (1-‐ 3 TruscoZ & Malcolm 2011) 4. Cultural Rela(vism – Pluralis(c, inclusive, rights-‐based support for Indigenous languages 5. Global Impera(ves – focus on global markets and economic needs, at the expense of more local objec(ves (eg. Home languages) (On points 4 & 5 see also Lo Bianco 2001) 6. Literacy Crisis – Lo Bianco, 2002, Lo Bianco & Freebody 2001, Hannan 2009) 7. Prac(cal Equality – ra(onaliza(on of a set of skills, goals & indicators for all.
- 20. Literacy is all things Languages > Language (English) > Literacy (English, in formal setngs ie. educa(on and the workplace) Literacy is the key to success (No other factors lead to/contribute to a lack of success eg. lack of iden(fica(on of the goals associated with this formula(on of success – mo(va(on, poverty, trauma, racism, mental health) Literate = either/or LiZle or no acknowledgement of bilingualism; knowledge of a language other than English does not lead to success or fulfillment, but rather acts against success and fulfillment.
- 21. Language Speakers percep(on of bilingualism When I went to school, it was a bilingual educa(on at Ernabella. I learned my first language and then English. When I was 16 years of age it was my family’s decision that I have to go away to school […] I stayed and learned new things in a new place and environment […] I’m s(ll learning today and everyday. Pitjantjatjara educator and educa(on leader Makin( Minutjukur (2013) Warlpiri is like a vehicle to learn a new language […]. I think that the proper recogni(on of our iden(ty and language makes us strong and grown-‐up, knowing English and Warlpiri together. I think that the Indigenous language can assist in many ways such as in transla(on, because that is what I grew up on, especially the experience in the classroom of always having two people, a Kardiya—a European—and a Yapa an Aboriginal person, a Warlpiri person. They were both there for me to make sure that I got the proper educa(on in both ways. That has been an important thing in my growing up in both worlds, Warlpiri and English (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012, p. 25).
- 22. Language Speakers percep(on of bilingualism cont. We learn from our elders that language is sacred. Yolngu kids think in their own language, which can then inform them about English, its meaning and its value. I consider that Yolngu kids can be as clever as any one else in the world. And I don’t want the cleverness ley outside the classroom door. Not for my kids, or my grandkids. They should have equal rights, the same rights as any kids in the world, whether they’re Chinese or Balanda, equal rights to learn in their own language. There should be a choice given to all schools and communi(es about how our schools should operate. Yalmay Yunupingu 2014 And yet, Fogarty and Schwab (2012 p.9) note: Calls for ‘back to basics’ educa(on fail to recognise that it never ley. In fact, “[p]hone(cs, arithme(c and grammar exercises have long formed a daily part of the teaching and learning cycle, especially in the remote schools of the Northern Territory where much of the debate is focused.
- 23. 4. How do minori(sed speech communi(es exercise agency in the face of restric(ve language policies? And finally 5. How can we use our work to address these maZers?
- 24. Creative and InnovativeWays to use, teach & promote Indigenous Languages
- 27. Ways Forward Local -‐ Bilingual affordances through innova(ve out of school partnerships Remote -‐ Na(onal mul(lingual language educa(on policy opens up ideological and implementa(onal spaces for mul(lingual educa(on (Hornberger 2009) Remote to Local -‐ TruscoZ & Malcolm 2011 – advocacy, beZer teacher training, decisive and well-‐implemented policy Remote to Local -‐ Recognise Campaign – Cons(tu(onal recogni(on
- 28. Angelo, D. (2013). Steps for encouraging early independent wri(ng: A language perspec(ve on whole-‐ class literacy learning inclusive of EAL/D learners. PracPcally Primary, 18(2), 11-‐16. Commonwealth of Australia. (2012). Our Land, Our Language. Language Learning in Indigenous CommuniPes. Canberra: House of Representa(ves Standing CommiZee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. Fogarty, W. (2013). Country as classroom. In J. Altman & S. Kerins (Eds.), People on Country: Vital Landscapes, Indigenous Futures (pp. 82–93). Annandale: The Federa(on Press. Fogarty, W., & Schwab, R. G. (2012). Indigenous EducaPon: ExperienPal Learning And Learning Through Country: CAEPR Working Paper No. 80/2012. Canberra: Australian Na(onal University. Freeman, L. (2013). NAPLAN: A Thin Veil of fairness -‐ excerpt from senate submission into the effec(veness of NAPLAN. TESOL in Context, 23(1,2), 74-‐81. Hoogenraad., R. (2001). Cri(cal reflec(ons on the history of bilingual educa(on in Central Australia. In J. Simpson, D. Nash, M. Laughren, P. Aus(n & B. Alpher (Eds.), Forty years on: Ken Hale and Australian languages (pp. 123-‐150). Canberra: Pacific Linguis(cs. Klenowski, V. (2009). Australian Indigenous students: addressing equity issues in assessment. Teaching EducaPon, 20(1), 77-‐93. Levinson, B., & SuZon, M. (2001). Introduc(on: Policy as/in prac(ce A sociocultural approach to the study of educa(onal policy. In M. SuZon & B. Levinson (Eds.), Policy as pracPce: Toward a comparaPve sociocultural analysis of educaPonal policy: Westport, CT: Ablex. Liddicoat, A. (2008). Models of na(onal government language-‐in-‐educa(on policy for indigenous minority language groups. In T. Curnow (Ed.), Selected papers from the 2007 Conference of the Australian LinguisPc Society (pp. 1-‐14). Adelaide. Lomawaima, K., & McCarty, T. (2006). To remain an Indian: Lessons in democracy from a century of NaPve American educaPon. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
- 29. Lowe, K., & Howard, P. (2010). So you want to work with the community? Principles and strategies for school leaders affec(ng the establishment of Aboriginal language programs. In J. Hobson, K. Lowe, S. Poetsch & M. Walsh (Eds.), Re-‐awakening languages: theory and pracPce in the revitalisaPon of Australia's Indigenous languages (pp. 194-‐ 209). Sydney: University of Sydney Press. Maori Language Commission. (n.d). hZp://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/act87/index.shtml. Nicholls, C. (2001). Reconciled to what? Reconcilia(on and the Northern Territory's Bilingual Educa(on Program. In J. L. Bianco & R. Wickert (Eds.), Australian Policy AcPvism in Language and Literacy (pp. 325–341). Melbourne: Language Australia Publica(ons. Osborne, S. (2013). Un(tled Sidney Myer Rural Lecture. Red Dirt Curriculum: Re-‐imaginging Remote EducaPon (pp. 18-‐22): Flinders University. Purdie, N., Frigo, T., Ozolins, C., NobleZ, G., Thieberger, N., & Sharp, J. (2008). Indigenous Languages Programmes in Australian Schools: A Way Forward: Commonwealth of Australia. The Australian. (2014, June 19). Language barrier in nod for all people. hZp://www.theaustralian.com.au/na(onal-‐affairs/indigenous/language-‐barrier-‐in-‐nod-‐for-‐all-‐people/ story-‐fn9hm1pm-‐1226959159261. Unsworth, P. (2013). Studying The Effects Of Naplan On Indigenous EducaPon In Remote Schools, Australia. University of South Australia, PhD Thesis: hZp://ura.unisa.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-‐jump-‐full&object_id=121270. Warhol, L. (2011). Na(ve American language educa(on as policy-‐in-‐prac(ce: an interpreta(ve policy analysis of the Na(ve American Languages Act of 1990/1992. InternaPonal Journal of Bilingual EducaPon and Bilingualism, 14(3), 279-‐299. Webb, J. C., Godinho, S. C., Woolley, M. F., & Winkel, K. D. (2013). Sharing Place, Learning Together: the birthplace of new ways? Medical Journal of Australia, 1. Wigglesworth, G., Simpson, J., & Loakes, D. (2011). Naplan Language Assessments For Indigenous Children In Remote Communi(es: Issues And Problems. Australian Review of Applied LinguisPcs, 34(3),
- 30. Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 30 Presenta(on Title | 00 Month 2010 | Slide 30 Thanks to all of the people who have taken part in the Remote Education Systems project so far and shared their insights. The work by the first author reported in this publication was supported by funding from the Australian Government Cooperative Research Centres Program through the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the CRC-REP or Ninti One Limited or its participants. Errors or omissions remain with the author.
- 31.