Comments on: Asia literacy: making a good policy better http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2008/08/27/asia-literacy-making-a-good-policy-better/ Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:12:37 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kerry Davies http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2008/08/27/asia-literacy-making-a-good-policy-better/comment-page-1/#comment-235 Kerry Davies Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55:45 +0000 http://eastasiaforum.wordpress.com/?p=983#comment-235 It is a relief to hear of Rudd's new Asia -centred policy. However, implementing a successful program in schools is another matter. The concerns expressed in the article above are very real. It appears that languages in schools draws from a static pool of "good" students. In many cases this is true. I have however, experienced this differently. As a former teacher of Indonesian, I found that students flocked to the classroom, given an excellent program, good management and a lure of the opportunity to travel to Indonesia as part of a school excursion. (pre Bali bombing) The "soft option" was not considered. They enjoyed the challenge of regular homework and high standards. Research needs to be done to find the common threads that joined successful programs, and then train teachers along those lines. Of course, those who train the teachers would have been successful teachers in those programs. Weight could also be given to students who undertake those studies at the HSC /Yr12 level. Extra points towards university study would be the carrot on the stick to continue studies further at university. But how does one tackle prejudice and language envy at a government level? Alexander Downer made a monumental insult to our Asian nations when he attended an Asian teacher's conference in the recent past, and arrogantly broadcast to the audience that he saw no need to study an Asian language. Indonesian teachers around Eastern Australia have long since disappeared after decades of trying to justify themselves, exhausted from anti -Islamic comments and having to face a Government warning against any visits to Indonesia. Within schools, they find themselves at the bottom of the ladder as the "lowest" language, a language of a third world country, as F teachers of any European language would haughtily comment.It seems all other teachers may be able to visit their country of choice to learn the language but Indonesian teachers are told that they may only go to Darwin tor Melbourne to study. And of course, no school excursions. Rudd's government has a lot of challenges ahead to get over these obstacles. May I A It is a relief to hear of Rudd’s new Asia -centred policy.

However, implementing a successful program in schools is another matter. The concerns expressed in the article above are very real. It appears that languages in schools draws from a static pool of “good” students. In many cases this is true.

I have however, experienced this differently. As a former teacher of Indonesian, I found that students flocked to the classroom, given an excellent program, good management and a lure of the opportunity to travel to Indonesia as part of a school excursion. (pre Bali bombing) The “soft option” was not considered. They enjoyed the challenge of regular homework and high standards.

Research needs to be done to find the common threads that joined successful programs, and then train teachers along those lines. Of course, those who train the teachers would have been successful teachers in those programs.

Weight could also be given to students who undertake those studies at the HSC /Yr12 level. Extra points towards university study would be the carrot on the stick to continue studies further at university.

But how does one tackle prejudice and language envy at a government level? Alexander Downer made a monumental insult to our Asian nations when he attended an Asian teacher’s conference in the recent past, and arrogantly broadcast to the audience that he saw no need to study an Asian language. Indonesian teachers around Eastern Australia have long since disappeared after decades of trying to justify themselves, exhausted from anti -Islamic comments and having to face a Government warning against any visits to Indonesia. Within schools, they find themselves at the bottom of the ladder as the “lowest” language, a language of a third world country, as F teachers of any European language would haughtily comment.It seems all other teachers may be able to visit their country of choice to learn the language but Indonesian teachers are told that they may only go to Darwin tor Melbourne to study.

And of course, no school excursions. Rudd’s government has a lot of challenges ahead to get over these obstacles.

May I

A

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