The document discusses the advantages of learning Indonesian as a foreign language in Australian schools. It notes that Indonesian has many strengths as a language option, such as being spoken by our closest neighbor and having similarities to English. However, it is in a precarious state in Australian schools due to decisions being made based on factors other than educational value, such as student numbers. The document argues that Indonesian should be promoted more strongly in schools given its clear educational benefits.

2. What skill does Australia need Competency in a
more of its citizens to have? foreign language.
How much study does it take Usually, school plus several
for a person to achieve years of university including in-
marketable language skills? country study.
Which Australians are most Those who have enjoyed and
likely to take up university succeeded at their school
language study? language study.
Which Australians are most Those who have studied a
likely to have enjoyed and language where satisfactory
succeeded at their school progress can be made, and which
language study? has allowed them to develop a
fascination with its culture.
Which language fills
these criteria AND is the Bahasa Indonesia!
language of our nearest
neighbour?

3. Indonesian: a SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• the language of our nearest • there can be difficulty in attracting
neighbour (especially WA), with whom good Indonesian teachers (the closure
our future is inextricably linked, and of many courses at schools and
the world’s 3rd largest democracy universities has led to people entering
other fields)
• Australia already has strong links
with Indonesia in a range of fields (e.g. • there are negative perceptions about
trade, education, military, policing, aid Indonesia in the community such as
) fear and prejudice related to Islam and
terrorism
• Indonesian or Malay are spoken by
about 280 million people in • there is in the community a general
Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and ignorance of Indonesia, its history and
Singapore culture and its importance to Australia
• directly related to Asia focus of • some schools have a difficulty with
Australian curriculum so opportunity the Travel Advisory at level 4 and do
for development of knowledge of not allow school trips to Indonesia
Indonesia

4. Indonesian: a SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• uses the Western alphabet and has a
lot of cognate words with English
• uncomplicated grammar (compared
to European languages), making
spoken and written competency
relatively quick to attain
• has a high level of phonemic
correlation with English, so can be
useful for students with literacy
difficulties in English.
• Year 10-12 students can develop
sufficient communicative competence
to use Indonesian in interpersonal
interactions

5. Indonesian: a SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• authentic texts that can fascinate
and engage students are relatively
understandable for school students
(e.g. websites, songs, magazines)
• exchange programs are easy and
inexpensive to organise
• likelihood of success in learning
Indonesian makes students more
likely to continue or take up a
language at university or beyond
• Australians will almost certainly
meet opportunities to use Indonesian
in their work or their
recreational/holiday activities

7. So why is Indonesian in such a precarious state in our schools?
Why are so many school administrators continuing to make such
damaging decisions, such as closing Indonesian courses?
Because they are basing their decisions NOT on what is educationally
sound (e.g. likelihood of student success, accessibility of
language, proximity of target country, pre-existing relationships with
target country) but on criteria irrelevant to educational value, such as
student numbers, community perceptions, and economic arguments.
Could it be that many school administrators actually DON’T
KNOW about the educational importance of learning
languages, and the advantages of Indonesian in particular?
If so, what implications does this have for OUR role?

8. Dr Jane Orton, on Chinese (paraphrased): it is the first time
in Australia’s history that we have had to confront the
necessity of learning a foreign language for our economic
survival.
The Chinese giant has made Australia sit up and take notice.
However, for decades we have known an even more
compelling argument exists much closer to us – a fast-
developing and populous neighbour with longstanding ties
with Australia that are not only economic, but also
cultural, social and humanitarian.

9. Indonesian: a SWOT analysis
Opportunities Threats
• teaching Indonesian language • school administrators may make
provides significant opportunity to decisions about Indonesian based on
unpack and address negative attitudes rationales OTHER than its great
towards Indonesia and especially Islam educational value, e.g. student elective
numbers, perceptions that Indonesian
• there is tremendous opportunity for is not popular, perceptions that good
students to discover and be fascinated teachers are hard to find, etc.
by the vibrancy and dynamism of
Indonesia. When this fascination is • if teachers of Indonesian are not pro-
nurtured by effective and motivational active in implementing innovative
teaching methods it will overcome teaching methods and materials
negative student perceptions “from designed to fascinate students, they
the inside” run the risk of failing to turn negative
perceptions around

12. Language 2: another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
uses the same alphabet as English its pronunciation is challenging
and has many cognates, so and its grammar complicated,
reading is enhanced making spoken and written
competency slow to attain
this country and its culture are
perceived as distinguished and lack of phonemic correlation
sophisticated, making it attractive makes speaking, listening and
regardless of economic benefits writing more difficult than with a
phonetic language
this language is the lingua franca
in many countries across the most Australians are unlikely to
globe with up to 115 million have an opportunity to use this
native speakers language in their work or
everyday lives
Year 12 students can develop
sufficient communicative
competence to use this language
in interpersonal interactions

13. Language 2: another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
authentic texts that can fascinate exchange programs are relatively
and engage students are relatively expensive
understandable for school
students (e.g. the economic argument for
magazines, songs, websites) languages does not work with this
language
likelihood of success in learning
this language makes students This language is no longer the
more likely to continue or take up international language it once
a language at university or was – the EU now uses English
beyond

14. Language 3: yet another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• the language of our biggest trading • time taken to learn it well is nearly
partner, with whom our future is 4 times that of French and more than
inextricably linked twice that of Indonesian
• spoken by the largest number of • very few non-heritage Year 12
native speakers in the world students develop sufficient communi-
cative competence to use this
• directly related to Asia focus of language in interpersonal interactions
Australian curriculum so opportunity
for development of some knowledge • while fluency in speaking and
of communities in Asia who speak this reading are attainable by non-
language heritage speakers in the long run
(including tertiary study and
• uncomplicated grammar (compared substantial time in-country), fluency
e.g. to French) in writing is almost impossible to
attain

15. Language 3: yet another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• a few non-heritage Australians will • time required to learn the language
develop significant competency and reduces time that can be spent
will have opportunities to use this acquiring knowledge of history and
language in their work society and engaging with materials
that can fascinate and engage
students
• authentic texts that would give
students insights into contemporary
society are difficult for school
students to understand and most
teachers choose not to use them
• there is no standardised script used
across the countries where this
language is spoken

16. Language 3: yet another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• is often introduced based on an
economic rationale but this is not the
only, or the best, rationale for
language learning at school
• non-heritage learners are at a
significant disadvantage in WACE
exams because they are statistically
moderated alongside heritage
learners and almost inevitably scaled
down substantially
• those who continue to study this
language at university are
overwhelmingly heritage speakers

17. Language 3: yet another SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• does not have cognates with
English, therefore learners’ innate
language awareness skills are less
useful
• teachers with appropriate skills are
very hard to find – those educated in
Australia often lack language skills,
and those educated in their native
countries often lack appropriate
teaching techniques for Australian
students
• non-heritage students in mixed
classes with heritage speakers can
become discouraged by their lack of
progress

18. So … what to do in your school?
1. Try your hardest to ensure your students enjoy their
learning, know they are succeeding, feel good about
their learning and develop a fascination with
Indonesia. You have the power - get ‘em by stealth!
THIS IS BY FAR YOUR MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY IN
MAKING INDONESIAN SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR SCHOOL.
2. Be ready and prepared to assist your school admin to
understand the educational value of Indonesian by
providing the clear FACTS where necessary.
3. Support your program by authentic experiences, e.g.
visits by exchange students, hands-on educational
incursions/excursions (kids will remember cooking or
talking to Indonesian peers, e.g. far longer than
watching a performance or listening to a speaker)