Bilingual Education In Schools In Aboriginal Communities In The Northern Territory

This book provides the first detailed history of the Bilingual Education Program in the Northern Territory of Australia. This ambitious and innovative program began in 1973 and at different times it operated in English and 19 Aboriginal languages in 29 very remote schools. The book draws together the grassroots perspectives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners and researchers. Each chapter is based on rich practitioner experience, capturing bottom-up aspirations, achievements and reflections on this innovative, yet largely undocumented language and education program. The volume also makes use of a significant collection of ‘grey literature’ documents to trace the history of the program. An ethnographic approach has been used to integrate practitioner accounts into the contexts of broader social and political forces, education policy decisions and on-the-ground actions. Language in education policy is viewed at multiple, intersecting levels: from the interactions of individuals, communities of practice and bureaucracy, to national and global forces. The book offers valuable insights as it examines in detail the policy settings that helped and hindered bilingual education in the context of minority language rights in Australia and elsewhere.

Advising group; B.H. Watts, W.J. McGrath & J.L. Tandy; Rationale for bilingual education - respect for Aboriginal languages, language for initial literacy, need for subsequent literacy in English; suggests model programs for various types of schools; implementation of program, linguistic considerations (multiple language communities, decisions on choice of languages taught - tables show communities, school population & languages spoken, state of linguistic analysis), amount of further linguistic research required; educational considerations - roles of Aboriginal & non Aboriginal teachers, staffing & teaching ratios, importance of in-service teacher training for Aboriginal Assistants, need to take sociocultural factors into account in planning teacher training; courses in Northern Territory; curriculum modifications - balance of teaching languages should be reviewed, need to foster interest of wider community by Aboriginal Studies courses etc; non Aboriginal children; production of reading and resource materials; need to develop adequate evaluation of childrens progress & program generally, recommends allocation of special Government funds & efforts to attract scholars; supporting services (staff, printing facilities, consultative committee); schools recommended for inauguration in 1973; procedure of visits; Appendix A - Preschool curriculum; Appendix B Infants school curriculum.

Conference themes of language and power, language maintenance and language in education suggested in an Aboriginal context; papers separately annotated.

This book explores the experiences of Indigenous children and young adults around the world as they navigate the formal education system and wider society. Profiling a range of different communities and sociolinguistic contexts, this book examines the language ecologies of their local communities, schools and wider society and the approaches taken by these communities to maintain children’s home languages. The authors examine such complex themes as curriculum, translanguaging, contact languages and language use as cultural practice. In doing so, this edited collection acts as a first step towards developing solutions which address the complexity of the issues facing these children and young people. It will appeal to students and scholars of sociolinguistics, applied linguistics and community development, as well as language professionals including teachers, curriculum developers, language planners and educators.

Identifies factors provoking shift from implicit language policies such as denigration of Aboriginal languages to the development of an explicit language policy where bilingualism replaces English monolingualism.