that munanga linguist

Another video - this time in Yolŋu Matha - rather powerful

2009-05-29T12:04:00.003+09:30

Hey I came across another video chock-full of language. This time it's Yolŋu Matha and it's not a language learning video. It's a powerful message from an Arnhem Land homeland, from someone clearly and rightfully disturbed by the latest government policy that leans towards developing big communities (already often barely functional) and against homelands/outstations (often places where family groups live peacefully, happily and healthily while maintaining language and cultural traditions). It's worth a viewing. Here's the message from the mob that posted the video:

Created in response to the Northern Territory and Federal Government's continued attempts to close down Indigenous Homeland communities.

Yolngu and other Indigenous people have been living on their Homelands since before Settlement. Since missionary days they have asserted their desire to remain on their own traditional country. Most people thought this right was enshrined in the Land Rights Act (NT).

However, current and recent Government policies have been effectively coercing Yolngu and other Indigenous people off their country. These measures include rolling back basic services to Homelands, and closing schools while simultaneously linking school attendance to parental social service payments.

Ngapartji Ngapartji and online language lessons

2009-05-24T23:21:00.002+09:30

While in Alice I was lucky enough to visit the Ngapartji Ngapartji office and meet a couple of the people involved in it. Just one of the things they are doing is making nice little language lessons. This one was availalble online. The language is Pitjantjatjara. (I'm assuming!!)

Docker River Language Lesson from alex kelly on Vimeo.

Neat huh?

nga-rlindiyi na-mbarnduwa-yurr

2009-05-16T10:41:00.002+09:30

(Marra - I'm going to Mparntwe (Alice Springs))

I'm off to Alice tomorrow for another week of teaching. It'll be freezing!! Yikes.

I like Alice though. I love that you hear people talking language all the time, everywhere, unselfconsciously. Because I've worked on very endangered languages for so long, my instinct is to stick a recording device in front of their face before valuable data gets lost into the ether, but then I realise that there's no need to do that with languages that are still viable. (viable, yet still virtually ignored by wider society).

Even though I'm enjoying my work, I've been missing Ngukurr and working out bush in general more and more lately. I think I'm over the burnout I was feeling two years ago and now I'm just feeling rather displaced from knowing how communities work and remembering what's important to people living in communities. I've become another whitefella who flies in and out (so-to-speak), hoping that what I do has some impact, but really not knowing if that's the case. What's worse, is that I think I've forgotten *how* to work out bush. I'm too comfy watching Austar and playing sport twice a week and sleeping in our new king size bed and cruising around Katherine on a scooter - I've forgotten that I can actually give all this up and reap alternative benefits by spending time in communities with some of the wonderful people that live there.

I think in the mid-semester break, I might try and do a bit of a tour of the region for two weeks - catching up with students in a low-pressure environment and hopefully getting a few more people interested in doing language courses. :-)

Oh, and a functioning language centre to support my students would be a big help too.

Barunga women and a bit of Kriol on YouTube

2009-05-08T09:07:00.002+09:30

Here's a little YouTube video featuring two deadly women from Barunga. It starts off in Kriol then goes into English, thanks to MK's wonderful English. If you watch it, you'll notice them being wonderful, but also a bit tongue-in-cheek, especially that Bangûrn. She's awesome.

hehehe...

off to Batchelor

2009-04-26T13:23:00.002+09:30

Well I'm off to Batchelor for the week to deliver another workshop.

Except I'm totally unprepared for this one due to spending 2.5 days at Timber Creek and 1 day at Mataranka last week. Luckily I'm a clever chicken and will hopefully be able to think up some fun stuff and 'effective training activities' for my students to do. :-)

I have five students doing Cert 1 in Own Language Work and their languages are Mayali, Rembarrnga and Dalabon. Hope it goes well! Wish me luck...

It better go well, otherwise I'll be spewing come Thursday that I'm not in Katherine playing Netball. Actually, I'll be spewing about that regardless. I have an unhealthy passion for netball. To the point where I'm ready to singlehandedly put together an NT mens side so that I can start playing in the national competitions! heheheh....

When I'm totally over this linguist gig, I'm retiring to become a full-time tennis nerd and netball nerd. Now there's a career aspiration!

hooray for Timber Creek

2009-04-21T17:29:00.003+09:30

In the tradition of the Simpsons episode that featured the "hooray for everything" group, I'm saying "hooray for Timber Creek".

I've been here in Timber Creek for 2 days for an Indigenous Language and Culture workshop organised by the Education Department. (There's still a few of them there who still care about Indigenous Language and Culture!). The best part is that it's lots of new stuff for me. Being in Timber Creek is new for me. Being around people from places west of Katherine is new for me. And at the workshop, I've met people from Kalkarindji, Yarralin, Bulla, Pigeon Hole and Lajamanu - some places I've never been to. And there were people who speak languages that I've never really heard before or much of which was new and exciting for a language nerd like me - Jaminjung and Ngarinyman I've heard a little bit, but I've heard lots more the past two days and there was a Bilinarra speaker, Gurindji and Warlpiri speakers and then when this mob speak their creole there's a lot of language mixed in and it's really different from the creole the mob from Ngukurr speak.

All very exciting for a language nerd like me.

Hooray for Timber Creek! Ngaliwurru country. (I think!)

natha lil article

2009-03-15T11:58:00.001+09:30

Here's another little article with a good friend and fellow blogger featured.

Good one Yujini!

Wurrpparn wurrpparn

2009-02-27T19:48:00.001+09:30

Here's the Rembarrnga version of Baa Baa Black Sheep that my students made this week in class:

Wurrpparn wurrpparn
Da-noettoe garlang-na?
Woh woh woh woh gurlppurr jerrh ga-jubul
Wangginy nyarran-nawoe-gan
Wangginy ngalan-nawoe-gan
Wangginy bori ganyangh-gan ga-nura Wugularr

hehe... neat!

The direct translation:

Emu, emu,
Do you have eggs?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, three dillybags full.
One for it's father
One for it's mother
One for it's little boy who lives at Beswick

go langguj gel!

2009-02-22T22:51:00.002+09:30

check this out

news from me!

2009-02-15T08:08:00.002+09:30

Well it's been a while since I posted about me and what's been going on. And as per usual, there's always a lot going on...

I had the best, most rejuvenating, coolest week at work last week. I was lecturing first-year linguistics students at Batchelor while in neighbouring classrooms the second and third years were also deeply involved in their linguistics studies. It is just so fantastic to be around a great group of people who are all determined and passionate about their language. And such a diverse bunch - from every part of Australia, young and old, experienced and new (in terms of doing language work), fluent speakers and those trying to get their language back. But the link between them all is the passion for their own language which is really inspiring considering considering how tough it can be for Indigenous languages in this country.

So now I'm back in Katherine and procrastinating. I'm supposed to be writing a funding submission and an article for a journal. The first one is for an exciting project but unfortunately writing funding submissions is always a chore. The second job (the article) is pretty cool - I'm writing about language revitalisation at Ngukurr. I've found it really quite challenging because I haven't done anything remotely like academic writing since University which is a long time ago now! It's such a slow process when you actually have to do some research and not just say what you think. Phew.

Speaking of language revitalisation at Ngukurr - my article is not going to be like the one being delivered at an international conference that doesn't have anything good to say about the language program me and the Ngukurr language workers ran at Ngukurr school for 3 years.... but that's another story and probably one i shouldn't air on here...

The wet season is in full swing in Katherine which means the heat is off and the rain is on and the weeds are growing and so is the mould in my house. Waaaah! I think I'll just employ a full-time gardener and cleaner so that I can procrastinate with less guilt.

But all in all, life's good, work's good and I have no complaints. I saw a movie called Young@Heart last night which was wonderful. Team that up with a movie called 'Happy-go-lucky' and I'll never complain again. Those movies are good medicine.

Newsflash! Marion Scrymgour removed as NT Education Minister

2009-02-04T11:41:00.003+09:30

I just heard that Marion Scrymgour, who's been causing me and others grief with bad education policies has been removed and replaced by Paul Henderson. (see here).

Hopefully this is good news for bilingual education, for Indigenous language education and for remote education in general. Marion was obviously concerned about these things, but never seemed to do her research (or just got bad advice) and her policies of late were misguided and ill-informed. Fingers crossed for positive change.

Now I just hope that others who are in a position of power in a certain local organisation are next in line to be removed. Their actions aren't doing anyone any good at all.

Quote from 1825

2009-02-03T13:36:00.000+09:30

Here's my favourite quote for today:

"Perhaps the Aborigines think that there is an innate deficiency in the bulk of white men's skulls which prevents their attainment of the native language."

- Lancelot Threlkeld, 1825, rebutting a French anthropologist who 'confirmed' the 'innate deficiency' of Aboriginal people based on head measurements. (Quoted in Harris, John (1990) One Blood - 200 years of Aboriginal encounter with Christianity: A story of hope).

permanent writer's block?

2009-01-18T20:14:00.002+09:30

well it's a new year. I'm feeling fresh. Life isn't bad at all, but for some reason I have total writer's block. I have plenty going through my little head and am still experiencing lots of things but my life and thoughts just refuse to be manifested in the written word.

I keep wracking my brain for blogposts. I have ideas but they never materialise into posts. I'm supposed to be writing an article for Batchelor Institute's neat little journal "Ngoonjook". I have plenty of ideas for that too, but so far I've got two half-page begininings of articles. wah!

On holidays, I discovered my Year 1,2 and 3 report cards. I was blown away by how little I've changed! My teacher repeatedly commented on how I was a good writer but that it was always hard getting me to write creatively. 25+ years later, and I'm still the same. (Did you know these days teachers aren't allowed to write negative comments on report cards? what the?)

So if anyone would like to give me a push like Mrs. Coombes used to do, please suggest a few topics for me - for blogposts and/or for a journal article (which doesn't need to be too scholarly, just interesting). Anyone? :-)

A few more links

2008-12-19T11:20:00.003+09:30

It's my last day at work before my Christmas break and I feel slack. If you want something to procrastinate, here are some things to look at (thanks to Claire for these links):

AIATSIS has launched 'AUSTLANG' - a comprehensive database with every Aboriginal and TSI Language. You can find out basic stuff like where each language is, how many speakers there are, how well it's been documented and by who etc. You can also update the info if you're a clever chicken with more info to add. Have a look at AUSTLANG.

Jangari is another clever chicken who has been involved in developing Aboriginal language applications for mobile phones. Having already starred on SBS news, he's now in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Good work.

Speaking of good work, the lobbying and awareness-raising about the effects of the awful four-hours-of-English-instruction-in-NT-schools policy is beginning to pay. The Education Minister has softened a little and is giving schools a year to 'transition' into the new policy. A good start, and good to feel like my efforts in lobbying and awareness-raising might have actually made a difference!

Bilingual Education debate hots up

2008-12-02T18:53:00.002+09:30

The NT Stateline program on ABC did a segment on the bilingual education debate that is just getting hotter and hotter. The transcript is good reading.

I'm pleased to say that me and others who are supporting and raising awareness about bilingual education are being heard and maybe even making minor progress. However the Education Minister Marion Scrymgour is still being stubborn and choosing to ignore national and international research that supports bilingual education programs and choosing to deny the rights of remote Indigenous people to determine or influence their own education delivery in their own communities. Shame on her.

She doesn't seem to like me and fellow bilingual education supporters one bit. She's gone on the record saying we are misrepresenting her and off the record she calls us the 'bilingual mafia'. I prefer the term 'people that actually know something about bilingual education (even education in general?)'.

Facebook support from around the world for Bilingual Education in the NT

2008-11-27T15:45:00.002+09:30

Last Tuesday, I heard that crack Helen Hughes talking rubbish on ABC radio about Indigenous Education. I got wild and channeled my energy by making a Facebook group called 'Supporters of Bilingual Education in the Northern Territory'.

9 days later, 1000 people have joined the group! I am quite amazed. Even better is that if you flick through the people that have joined the group, they are from all over the world - Scandinavia, South East Asia, America, Europe, South America, Middle East - I don't know how they came to join the group but I'm glad they have. It is very heartening to see the support, but at the same time disappointing that the NT Govt is out of step with so many others around the world that have no trouble accepting and using Bilingual Education as a good way to deliver education.

Words for 'language' in language - help needed!

2008-11-21T09:24:00.001+09:30

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is putting together a poster to promote the Batchelor of Arts in Language and Linguistics degree. For the poster, they would like to have as many words for ‘language’ in Australian languages as possible. If you’re feeling generous and can think of some off the top of your head, your help would be appreciated.

Here’s what I know off the top of my head…

yang (Rembarrnga)
matha (Yolngu matha)
gun-wok (Mayali/Kunwinjku)
jaru (Ngarinyman)
liiny (Jaminjung)
nanggaya (Alawa)
daway (Marra)

Any additions appreciated!

Some real media exposure in favour of Bilingual Education

2008-11-18T19:28:00.003+09:30

Last night Tom Calma gave a talk in Darwin. He clearly put his support behind communities who want bilingual education in their schools and raised questions about rights abuses if communities aren't allowed to continue bilingual education. Marion Scrymgour was there at the talk but is still standing by her awful new policy for 4-hours-of-English-instruction in all NT schools.

Today the story went to national media. Here's what The Age printed.

To any linguists reading this (and others), please do what you can to support the cause. Don't let bilingual education fall by the wayside and not say anything about it. Educate people that bilingual education is actually aimed at assisting English acquisition (among other things) and that remote Indigenous education is not just a case of more English=better outcomes. Write letters. Talk to your MPs. Especially federal. Comment on blogs and websites.

All help appreciated and needed! :-)

Crikey

2008-11-14T15:28:00.003+09:30

Crikey.com has picked up on the NT-Government-kills-off-bilingual-education issue. Check out the article by clicking here.

Note in the comments, the same old arguments keep resurfacing about 'they need English to be able to get on in the world'. From reading these comments and comments on other news forums, it seems that lots of people don't get the point of bilingual education. They seem to read 'bilingual' and think 'lack of English' or 'no English'. It is very frustrating that many people are simply overlooking the fact that 'bilingual' means two languages, and that one of the main goals of bilingual education is to improve English acquisition. Grrr... how frustrating... all you have to do is wikipedia 'bilingual education' and it's there plain as day what the point of it is and how good it can be.

workshopping

2008-11-12T13:02:00.002+09:30

When I'm not moaning about the latest government policy that will have yet another negative effect on remote Aboriginal Australia, I'm actually doing some work. This week I'm running a workshop for my Ngarinyman and Jaminjung students. These languages are endangered and spoken around the Timber Creek area. I've only got five students this week but they're all doing well and are keen. This week, I'm trying to make sure they know their alphabet well (as well as know what an alphabet is!). I'm making sure they can all read a decent amount of basic words. And I'm trying to make sure they know what nouns, verbs and affixes are. Some of the students have no trouble with this stuff but for some it's hard work. What's great is that they're all trying and they're all learning, slowly but surely.

And I'm enjoying learning a little bit more Jaminjung and Ngarinyman. Especially Jaminjung. I'd never really heard that language before this week. It's really different to any other language I've come across.

These are the nerdy things that linguists get off on - hearing new languages. woo!

Letter writing

2008-11-06T08:42:00.002+09:30

Well I finally sent off my letters to a bunch of politicians about this new English teaching policy that pretty much excludes Indigenous languages and bilingual education. It's the first time I've had a go at writing letters to pollies - don't know if it has any effect, but I'm glad I did. I also had a little letter-to-the-ed published in the Katherine Times yesterday which is good. Here are the letters I sent to the pollies - it's in English and Kriol (what better way to make a statement about Indigenous languages and bilingual education than to make your statement bilingual!).

Ps. If anyone has any tips on better ways to get such messages to pollies, pls let me know.

----------------------------------------------------

Dear so-n-so,

The Northern Territory Minister for Education and Training, Marion Scrymgour, recently issued a directive that the first four hours of education in all NT schools will be conducted in English in an attempt to improve English
literacy outcomes in remote schoools. (Media release issued 14/10/08, http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewRelease&id=4599&d=5.)

While I, like every other Territorian, wish to see dramatic improvements in English literacy levels in the bush, I am appalled by the method the Minister is employing to achieve this. It is misguided, ill-informed, rude and disrespectful. I want to highlight this issue with you in the hope that you can influence the Minister and the Northern Territory Government to reneg on this flawed decision.

Indigenous people, just like anyone, have the right to be educated in their own language if they desire. With the Minister's directive, she is taking away the basic right for Indigenous people across the Territory to speak, teach in, and learn in their own languages. Before lunch, that is. From the Yolngu to the Arrernte to the Tiwi to the Burarra to the Murrinh Patha to the Warlpiri to the Alyawarre and many more – I am deeply concerned for all Indigenous people who work in NT Schools and speak their own Indigenous language in NT Schools – those who use bilingual education to maintain their language and teach English, those who realise how fruitless it is to educate a 4-year old in a foreign language, the old men who go to school to teach their traditional dances and songs, the mums and grandparents who speak Language to their kids and grandkids in order to unravel the mysteries of Westerners and Western education, those who cry about the ongoing devastation of their language and culture and utilise their school to provide a balanced education to their own children via the myriad of Indigenous Language and Culture programs that exist in NT Schools.

I am a qualified linguist who lived in Ngukurr community for three years and have worked in language revitalisation in a number of other communities in the Katherine Region over the last six years and am a fluent speaker of an Indigenous language, Kriol, and partial speaker of a number of other Indigenous languages. I know first hand the benefit of delivering training and education in Aboriginal people's first language as I do it regularly and achieve results. Learning English and speaking an Indigenous language are not mutually exclusive. In fact, my personal experience tells me the opposite – I see how easy it is for Indigenous students to engage with education and training when I deliver it in their language, rather than a foreign language. It's a great way to teach and learn. Why is the NT Government denying Aboriginal people significant opportunities to learn and teach this way?

What does the Minister's directive mean for the Indigenous teachers working in remote schools? Will Indigenous teachers for forced to speak only English (until 12:30pm) to their own students who are their own kin in their own community school? Governments do not have the right to dictate to Indigenous people the language they must speak to their own people in their own school.

I am very concerned about the impact this policy will have for bilingual education in NT Schools. Since it's inception in the 1970s, bilingual education in NT Schools has brought an enormous amount of education, training, employment, resources, confidence and empowerment to Indigenous students and Indigenous teaching staff – is it now all over? What about the culture days run in numerous schools – Will the old men who go to schools to teach local songs and dances now have to teach in English or come back after lunch? This shows little respect. Do Aboriginal teaching assistants now have to just stand by in silence while they watch their kids struggle to understand their monolingual English-speaking teacher when some simple instructions in their own language will set off the lightbulbs required for kids to engage with their education? Will we now go back to the days when people are punished for speaking their language in schools? Will students who go on excursions to important cultural sites be forced to speak only English while on their own country (until 12:30pm)? The thought of these things happening in NT Schools makes me ashamed of the Territory and Federal Governments I voted for.

I urge you take action to redress this policy. It is morally reprehensible as it breaches the rights of minority groups to be educated in their own language and and is seriously misguided in terms of ESL education methodology. I would be happy to provide you with further information on these issues.

Ngulajuku (Warlpiri – that's all),
Bilinu, yakaŋunu dhärukmuru (Wägilak – that's all, no story now),
Bonj (Dalabon – that's all),
Jahbony (Ngalakgan – that's all),
Murru mandi (Alawa – finish now),
Guda mingi (Marra – finish now),
Jaldu na (Kriol – that's all now),
Marntaj (Gurindji – that's all),
Wiiya (Nunggubuyu – that's all),

Sincerely,

------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear so-n-so,

Marion Scrymgour, im det Minista bla Education en Treining la Northern Territory, bin jendim mesij weya im tok 'ola skul titja langa NT garra tok onli
from Ingglish raitap dinataim' blanga trai en album ola sjuden la bush
bla len Ingglish mo beda. (Yu gin luk det stori la intanet la: http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewRelease&id=4599&d=5.)

Wal mi, laik ebribodi iya la NT, wandim ola blekbala la bush komyunidi bla sabi Ingglish brabliwei bat mi brabli nogudbinji bla wijei det Minista regin im beswei bla alabat bla len Ingglish. Im rongwei en maiyul en nomo garrim eni rispek. Ai wandi dalim yu bla wanim im duwing dumaji maitbi yu gin duwum samting bal stabum det Minista from meigimbat rong.

Blekbala, seim laik munanga, garrim det 'right' blanga tjusim wijan langgus thei wandim bla alabat biginini education. Bat det mesij bla det Minista, im teikidawei det 'right' blanga blekbala ol oba dijan NT, bla tok, titj en len burrum alabat oun langgus. Bifo dina, ai min. Yolŋumob, Arrerntemob, Tiwimob, Burarramob, Murrinh-Pathamob, Alyawarremob – bigismob – ai fil sori bla ol detlot blekbala weya thei wek langa skul en sabi tok thei langgus. Detmob weya thei wek la 'bilingual' skul blanga meigim thei langgus strongwan en titjim det Ingglish gudwei. Detmob hu sabi im no yus titjing lilwanlilwan biginini burrum Ingglish wen im nomo sabi eni Ingglish. Detlot olmenolmen hu oldei gu la skul bla titjim bunggul. Detlot mami, gagu en abuji weya thei tok langgus langa bigininimob dumaji detlot biginini oldei bigis kwesjinmak la skul. Detlot pipul weya thei krai dumaji alabat langgus en kaltja guweiguwei en thei yusim alabat skul bla gibit alabat biginini tjens bla len tu wei garrim olkainaba langgus en kaltja lesin.

Mi linggwis en ai bin jidan la Ropa bla thri yiya en ai bin wek langa najalot komyunidi la Katherrain eriya bla langgus bla siks yiya en mi sabi tok Kriol en lilbit bla najalot blekbala langgus du. Ai sabi brabliwei det im gudwan wen yu titjim blekbala garrim alabat oun langgus dumaji ai oldei duwum lagijat na en im rait. Yu gin isi len Ingglish en tok langgus seimteim. Trubala, garrim main oun ai ai bin luk. Ai bin luk im isi bla blekbala bla len wen det titja im tok burrum alabat oun langgus en nomo det langgus burrum natha kantri. Im brabli gudwei bla titj en bla len. Wotfo det NT Gabmen kaan gibit blekbala tjens bla len lagijat?

Wanim det mesij from det Minista min blanga ola blekbala tijta langa bush skul? Maitbi im min blekbala tijtamob oni lau bla tok burrum Ingglish wen alabat tok la alabat oun femlimob la alabat oun skul. Gabmen mob nomo garrim eni 'right' bla dalim najamob blekbala wijan langgus thei lau bla tok la alabat oun pipul la alabat oun skul.

Mi brabli nogudbinji dumaji maitbi dijan garra binijimap ola bailingwul skul la NT o wanim? Ola treining, ejukeishin, bukmob, 'pride' en pawa diskain titjing bin gibit blekbala sjuden en titja. Im 'all for nothing' maitbi. Wanim bla ola kaltja dei yu faindim la lorra skul? Detlot olmen weya thei gu la skul bla bunggul – alabat garra tok burrum Ingglish o kambek aftanuntaim na maitbi. Nomo garrim eni rispek tharran jeya. Ola assistant titja mob – wanim alabat garra du na? Jidan kwait wen thei luk alabat biginini basbreins dumaji alabat titja tok oni from Ingglish. Alabat perensmob sabi if thei ekspleinimbat la biginini from langgus alabat garra sabi en len gudwei. Maitbi im garra bi seim laik oldeis wen munanga bin panishim blekbala ebritaim thei bin tok langgus la skul. Maitbi wen bigininimob gu la bush garrim skulmob bla luk kantri, alabat garra tok oni from Ingglish. Wen mi jinggibat im garra hepin lagijat, mi gulijap baku.

Ai askim yu bla duwum samting bla tjeinjim det Minista main. Im nogudbala ting en im teikidawei pawa from detlot pipul weya thei nomo garrim maj pawa bat thei wandim alabat langgus la alabat skul. Nathawei, im nogudwei bla titjim biginini Ingglish wen thei sabi tok oni alabat oun langgus. Bunju yu wandim, ai gin gibit yu lorra infameishin bla lenim yu bla diskain.

Ngulajuku (Warlpiri – jaldu na),
Bilinu, yakaŋunu dhärukmuru (Wägilak – Jaldu, no stori na),
Bonj (Dalabon – jaldu),
Jahbony (Ngalakgan – jaldu),
Murru mandi (Alawa – najing na),
Guda mingi (Marra – najing na),
Sincerely (Ingglish – jaldu na),
Marntaj (Gurindji – jaldu),
Wiiya (Nunggubuyu – jaldu),
Jaldu na,

Friends of Bilingual Learning

2008-11-04T16:21:00.003+09:30

Earlier this eyar, an informal network sprung up in the Top End called 'Friends of Bilingual Learning'. This was thanks people who work for the excellent ARDS (Aboriginal Resource Development Services). Also related is Tim Trudgen's blog, found here. I like that the 'Friends of Bilingual Learning' group is about bilingual learning, not just bilingual education. In all my years at Ngukurr, I used the local lingua franca, Kriol, as much as possible while delivering on-the-job training to the language mob there. What better way to describe what orthography or transcription means than to give a Kriol definition!

So with the NT Govt's recent implicit attack on Bilingual Education, budding networks like Friends of Bilingual Learning have become rather relevant and important. They've started a Google group which I encourage anyone in the NT (or elsewhere) who is an active supporter of Bilingual education to join. If you join the group, you'll find a bunch of informative documents and letters to Marion Scrymgour that have sprung up as a result of her recent bright idea of having only English as the medium of instruction for the first four hours every day in all NT School. Check out Friends of Bilingual Learning on Google groups here.

the only welshman in the village

2008-11-02T11:36:00.002+09:30

My friend Renae sent me this link. Classic!

Thanks Renae.

What is bilingual education?

2008-10-29T14:14:00.002+09:30

This thing that came from the Education Minister about having the first four hours of schooling delivered in English has got me really wound up. (Apologies to those who don't want to hear me go on about political stuff again, but I'm seriously on the bandwagon... I'll chill out one day). One thing that winds me up is that when most people hear the new policy they go 'oh great, of course that will improve English outcomes... why have we been stuffing around with Bilingual education'? Too many people I've spoken to over the past few days just haven't understood what the point of Bilingual education is. I've taken it for granted that people know what it is and what it's for. It's not about teaching Indigenous language at the expense of English.

A really nice summary of Bilingual Education is found on good old Wikipedia. If you or anyone you know doesn't quite know what Bilingual Education education is about, point them here. Just that simple explanation makes Marion Scrymgour's plan for improving litearcy outcomes look pedagogically flawed and misguided (not to mention just plain mean to those communities who have invested in their bilingual programs).

Bad and ridiculous news from the NT Minister for Education

2008-10-28T11:34:00.003+09:30

Anyone involved in NT Education or Aboriginal languages has probably heard this already, but a couple of weeks ago the NT Minister for Education released this, which says that the first four hours of education in all NT Schools will be conducted in English.

Obviously this is bad news for any communities who want to maintain or revitalise their own Indigenous language in their own school (before lunch, that is). It is particularly appalling for all those involved in bilingual education - programs that help students engage with their education, including English, by delivering it in their first language (while they are young and haven't learned much English yet). The bilingual programs actually produce better-than-average results in terms of English literacy, especially when they're done well. So does the Minister invest in them further? No. It looks she wants to scrap the whole thing. How ridiculous to think that non-English speakers will learn English purely by immersion. If that was true, anyone who watches Home and Away every day should be fluent English speakers, but it's just not that easy. It helps greatly if someone explains things to you in your own language - especially when you're still learning... especially when you're, like, five.

What a joke.

I'm especially appalled because I firmly believe (as does the United Nations) that Indigenous people, just like anyone, have the right to be educated in their own language, if they choose. How dare the Minister take away this basic right and dictate that only English be spoken for the first four hours of delivery in ALL NT schools.

So yes, I'm appalled and disgusted. I'm drafting a letter to the Minister as are many others. I'll post more about it soon.