House of Representatives Committees

| House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs

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Inquiry into language learning in Indigenous communities

17 September 2012

View the report as a single document - (PDF 5525KB)

View the report as separate downloadable parts:


Preliminary Pages	(PDF 151KB)

Chapter 1 Introduction	(PDF 66KB)
Conduct of the inquiry Structure of the report

Chapter 2 The role of Indigenous languages	(PDF 300KB)
Language, culture and identity Benefits of giving attention to Indigenous languages Valuing Indigenous languages for all Australians Dual naming Contribution to Closing the Gap Education targets Health advantages Knowledge and employment Committee comment Overview on Indigenous languages Evolving languages Number of speakers At risk languages Current languages in use Committee comment

Chapter 3 Indigenous languages policy	(PDF 249KB)
Australian Indigenous language policies National Indigenous Languages Policy 2009 Discussion of policy State and Territory languages policies Committee comment Program funding and support Examples of Indigenous languages maintenance and revival activities Indigenous Languages Support Committee comment Support for Torres Strait Islander languages Committee comment Deductible Gift Recipient eligibility Committee comment Constitutional recognition of Indigenous languages Committee comment United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee comment

Chapter 4 Learning Indigenous languages and Standard Australian English - Early childhood language learning	(PDF 349KB)
Building partnerships between schools and Indigenous communities Engaging students in education School attendance Committee comment State/Territory curricula Queensland curriculum New South Wales curriculum and other language support Northern Territory curriculum Western Australia curriculum Australian Curriculum Committee comment Language Nests Committee comment Identifying first languages Committee comment English as an Additional Language (EAL/D) Committee comment Improving learning outcomes Learning in first language Committee comment Achieving English language competency NAPLAN Committee comment

Chapter 5 Teaching Indigenous languages	(PDF 203KB)
Career and accreditation pathways for Indigenous language teachers Limited authority to teach Committee comment Accessible teacher training School release for teacher training Coaching and mentoring Indigenous language teachers Committee comment Attracting and retaining Indigenous teachers Recognising the value of Indigenous teachers Committee comment Indigenous language teaching resources Committee comment EAL/D training Committee comment

Chapter 6 Interpreting and translating Indigenous languages	(PDF 260KB)
Current Indigenous interpreting and translating across Australia Commonwealth Government funding to Indigenous interpreting and translating National framework on Indigenous interpreting and translating Engaging Indigenous interpreting services Committee comment A national Indigenous interpreter service Challenges to establishing a national Indigenous interpreting service The role of language centres in interpreting services Accreditation and training Committee comment

Chapter 7 Preserving languages for future generations	(PDF 185KB)
Enhancing existing networks The Federation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages and Culture National Indigenous Languages Centre Committee comment Access to resources Preserving languages through technology and training Committee comment The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Committee comment Concluding comments

Appendix A – List of submissions	(PDF 47KB)

Appendix B – List of hearings and witnesses	(PDF 88KB)

Appendix C – List of exhibits	(PDF 35KB)