LOTE+Education+in+Australia

=National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program - Overview=

The Australian Government has committed funding of $62.4 million over four years (2008–09 to 2011–12) for the National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP). The aim of the program is to increase opportunities for school students to become familiar with the languages and cultures of Australia’s key regional neighbours, namely China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea.

Asian languages and studies will equip the students of today with the skills to excel in the careers of tomorrow in our increasingly globalised economy. A greater cultural understanding and the ability to engage with our regional neighbours in their own language will help to build a more productive and competitive nation. This is beneficial for our economy, community and individuals, creating more jobs and higher wages and overall better opportunities for all Australians. The Australian Government has worked with key stakeholders, including state and territory government and non-government education authorities, embassies and the Asia Education Foundation, to develop the NALSSP and its implementation arrangements. NALSSP funding is targeted in four ways:


 * [|Funding] for state and territory government and non-government education authorities
 * The [|Strategic Collaboration and Partnership Fund] available to organisations, including universities, higher education providers, businesses and Asian communities
 * [|Becoming Asia Literate: Grants to schools] – A direct outreach program of grants to schools run by the Asia Education Foundation.
 * [|Australian Government National Projects]

On 4 May 2009, the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, announced the establishment of a [|NALSSP Reference Group] to provide strategic oversight of the NALSSP.

[|NALSSP Consultation]

Guidelines
NALSSP Guidelines (PDF 1.02MB) | (RTF 2.89MB)

Please note that the NALSSP Guidelines were updated in March 2010 (v.3) = = =Becoming Asia Literate: Grants to schools – A direct outreach program of grants to schools run by the Asia Education Foundation=

Funding of $6.24 million through three annual competitive funding rounds is provided for the **Becoming Asia Literate: Grants to Schools**. The grants will provide schools with funding to promote the teaching and learning of Asian languages and/or the embedding of studies of Asia in school curriculum and communities. The projects supported under the program will have the potential to create benefits that will extend beyond the boundaries of the funding recipient’s school. The range of project strategies could include several of the following The maximum grants available are
 * professional learning for teachers and school leaders in Asian languages and studies of Asia
 * development and use of online or virtual learning environments
 * community outreach/advocacy initiatives
 * curriculum mapping and writing
 * curriculum resource acquisition
 * electronic linking with schools in the Asian region
 * supporting a range of in-country study scholarships
 * supporting sister school relationships
 * supporting the transition of students from primary to secondary school (middle school initiatives)


 * Single school || $20,000 (GST exclusive) ||
 * Two schools || $25,000 (GST exclusive) ||
 * Three schools || $30,000 (GST exclusive) ||
 * Four or more schools || $40,000 (GST exclusive) ||

=LOTE Education in Australia=

Why study LOTE?
All of the major curriculum statements, policies and plans for at least the past two decades have noted reasons why LOTE should be an important and legitimate part of the learning experiences of Australian students. As an example, the Catholic Education Office of the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese LOTE Policy Guidelines (2002) provide the following as its rationale. Learning a Language other than English, it says (p.6): Whether the purported benefits of second language learning are as significant, either for individuals or for nations, as its supporters claim is a matter for research that is beyond the scope of this review. It is sufficient to note that it is difficult to demonstrate the economic value that has accrued from the Commonwealth’s investment in LOTE thus far. This is not to say that there have not been benefits for individuals from the study of LOTE as several submissions to the review attest. What is needed is more tangible demonstration of these benefits in a form that will convince students and the community of this validity.
 * enhances students’ skills in cross-cultural communication;
 * improves students’ knowledge about the country of origin and the target language including customs, history, geography, literature and the arts;
 * fosters students’ awareness, understanding and appreciation of other cultures as well as their own culture;
 * promotes a wider world-view by demonstrating the interrelatedness of languages and cultures, including how culture and languages are linked with and borrow from other cultures and languages;
 * builds students’ self-expression and sense of achievement by studying another language
 * contributes to students’ personal development by cultivating tolerance and respect for other cultures, and stimulating curiosity about the lives of people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Reference: [|Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations] Website

National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program
The Australian Government, through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), has committed funding of $62.4 million over 2008-09 to 2010-11 for the National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP) to increase opportunities for school students to become familiar with the languages and cultures of our Asian neighbours, namely China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea. This commitment recognises the importance of Asian languages and studies of Asia in ensuring young Australians are equipped with the skills to allow them to compete in the globalised economy of the future. The aspirational target for NALSSP is that, by 2020, at least 12 percent of students will exit Year 12 with a fluency in one of the target Asian languages sufficient for engaging in trade and commerce in Asia and/or university study.
 * Initiative Objectives:**
 * Significantly increase the number of Australian students becoming proficient at learning the language and understanding the cultures of the four NALSSP target languages
 * Increase number of qualified Asian language teachers
 * Program Key Result Areas:**
 * Flexible delivery and pathways
 * Increasing teacher supply and support
 * Stimulating student demand

Reference: [|The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development] Website