An article by Louise McDermott (Media Advisor in the Public Affairs Unit at the Australian Human Rights Commission) in the Human Rights Law Resource Centre Bulletin, Volume 47 – March 2010
The article summarises the 2009 Social Justice Report released 22 January 2010, and highlights Indigenous Languages as one of three key themes to the report.
posted by admin on Monday, March 1, 2010
Courier Mail August 10, 2009 12:00am
THE Federal Government has pledged $9.3 million over the coming year to help take 113 indigenous languages off the critically endangered list.
(more…)
posted by admin on Monday, August 10, 2009
There is some confusion in the media about the money but the Australian Government announced a National Indigenous Languages Policy yesterday.
Here’s the various links.
(more…)
posted by admin on Monday, August 10, 2009
On the 9th of August the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts together with the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs released media statement and policy document on Indigenous Languages.
(more…)
posted by admin on Sunday, August 9, 2009
Australia has the highest rate of language extinction on the planet: that’s according to UNESCO who says language diversity is—like species diversity—rapidly declining. And once a language is gone, can it really be brought back to life?
Holding our tongues is an ABC Hindsight project about the long and painful task of reviving Aboriginal languages.
There are many different places on the net where people can find out about language revival and maintenance. The Holding our tongues site will be an ongoing project, aiming to bring as many of these resources as possible together in one place.
Check out the website to find out more.
Listen to the radio documentary.
posted by admin on Sunday, March 8, 2009
The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO says more than 100 languages in Australia are in danger of extinction.
The latest edition of UNESCO’s atlas of world languages in danger was launched in Paris yesterday and shows almost half the 6,700 languages spoken worldwide could disappear.
Sarah Cutfield from the Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies says the map is a great resource for those working to preserve traditional languages.
Original ABC article
UNESCO media release
Access to digital atlas
Unesco Endangered languages Worldmap (9M PDF)
posted by admin on Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Age: by Russell Skelton and Jewel Topsfield
AUSTRALIA’S human rights watchdog has accused the Northern Territory ALP government of threatening the existence of the world’s “longest surviving continuous culture” by severely restricting the teaching of Aboriginal languages.
Tom Calma, the nation’s race discrimination commissioner, said yesterday that the decision to mandate four hours of English in a five-hour school day would destroy bilingual teaching programs and prevent written culture being passed on to future generations.
Read the full article
posted by admin on Saturday, December 6, 2008
The Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard, today released the Indigenous Language Programs in Australian Schools — A Way Forward report.
The report was prepared by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), funded by the Australian Government’s School Languages Program.
The report provides a snapshot of the current situation of Indigenous language education in schools across Australia.
Over 16 000 Indigenous students and 13 000 non-Indigenous students located in 260 Australian schools are involved in an Indigenous language program. (more…)
posted by admin on Friday, December 5, 2008
Media Release | Greens Spokesperson Rachel Siewer
Plans to restrict the use of local Indigenous languages in Northern Territory schools are a backwards step, said the Australian Greens today.
“It is clear there is a huge amount of concern over English literacy in the Northern Territory, but we need to ensure there is a researched-based reason for any radical changes to the curriculum, particularly when it comes to language,” said Senator Rachel Siewert.
“What we need is evidence based policy that works towards creating better education methods for our children. We know that to engage kids with education, schools need to be accessible, culturally appropriate and meet kids’ needs. These changes don’t do this.”
“Evidence suggests that teaching in both Indigenous languages and English enables a more detailed and mature understanding of English and better engagement – as it allows children to learn based on already developed language skills,” said Senator Siewert.
Read the full press release
posted by admin on Friday, November 14, 2008
On the 13th February 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made an apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples on behalf of the Parliament of Australia. The State Library of Queensland, with assistance from Queensland University of Technology and Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, has captured responses to this historic event
The digital stories created as part of the joint project between State Library and QUT to capture responses to the 2008 Apology are now online at State Library’s Queensland Stories website.
posted by admin on Wednesday, October 22, 2008
