Australia promotes foreign language learning
The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, outlines how languages other than English will be taught in schools as the new curriculum is introduced, assuming that all Australian students will learn a language in primary and secondary school.
“Learning a second language provides us with a window into other cultures and ways of thinking, and is also of huge benefit to our overall education results, helping students in comprehension, critical analysis and other vital skills,” Mr Garrett said.
Mr Garrett said curriculum content will first be developed for Italian and Chinese Mandarin. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) will begin work with states and territories to develop curricula for Arabic, Auslan, classical languages, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.
“As Australia embraces the ‘Asian Century’ it’s vital that future generations are able to engage with our regional neighbours,” he said. “Providing Australian students with greater opportunity to learn regional languages is therefore important from an economic and diplomatic perspective.”
All Australian students will be entitled to learn a language other than English under the new Australian curriculum, with tuition in Chinese Mandarin and Italian among the first curriculum to be developed, announced Australia’s School Education Minister, Peter Garrett, this week.
The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Languages, outlines how languages other than English will be taught in schools as the new curriculum is introduced, assuming that all Australian students will learn a language in primary and secondary school.
“Learning a second language provides us with a window into other cultures and ways of thinking, and is also of huge benefit to our overall education results, helping students in comprehension, critical analysis and other vital skills,” Mr Garrett said.
Mr Garrett said curriculum content will first be developed for Italian and Chinese Mandarin. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) will begin work with states and territories to develop curricula for Arabic, Auslan, classical languages, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.
“As Australia embraces the ‘Asian Century’ it’s vital that future generations are able to engage with our regional neighbours,” he said. “Providing Australian students with greater opportunity to learn regional languages is therefore important from an economic and diplomatic perspective.”
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