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Chinese Language Education in Australia: Challenges and Progress

Explore the landscape of Chinese language education in Australia, from program growth to key problems faced. Discover pathways for proficiency and the need for improved pedagogy. Stay updated with new initiatives and resources in the field.

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Chinese Language Education in Australia: Challenges and Progress

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  1. Mandarin Education in the ACT:Pathways to Proficiency10 August, 2013 Jane Orton, PhD Director Chinese Teacher Training Centre The University of Melbourne

  2. National Provision Update - Since 2008 • Chinese still smallest – max. 90,000 students • German next smallest at about 127,000 • Japanese the largest at about 330,000+. • More programs everywhere, especially in Primary and in the Catholic Sector • Replacing German, even Japanese > tensions • Programs same as ever > same old problems

  3. Key Problems • Administrators not knowledgeable about language learning, or special needs of Chinese • Primary = 30 mins a week = a waste of time • Too often just songs + noun clusters, e.g. animals • All levels pedagogy still very limited – a quick rush to drill in the characters • Almost all teaching is done in English > Kids don’t learn; get discouraged/bored > Give up as soon as they can = 95%

  4. Heritage Speakers/Year 12 • Heritage (home speaker) learners dominate the L2 scene at every level in most schools • Year 12 ratio of Heritage : Classroom Learner (genuine L2) in Victoria and NSW of about 8 : 1. > WA barring Heritage students at Yr 12 > anger > Vic – offering bonus for ‘bilingualism’ if take higher level + considering dividing by number of hours of formal study – under discussion now.

  5. Advances 1 – Programs • New style primary programs: in WA, Vic, NSW – VERY few but VERY exciting as being done well = + time +intensive/immersion/ bilingual programs (and still some old ones in Vic, NSW, SA and Qld); – gesture-based (AIM) using drama, stories – CLIL, with content in science, SOSE, ICT – Ready for National Curriculum of min. 350 hrs • New bilingual high school in Melbourne in 2014.

  6. Advances 2 – Resources • The Language Learning Space – rich supply of well arranged, linked and indexed work on all and everything Chinese • For teachers and for students • COOL material! [Otherwise, too many beginner resources = no Book 2; most pretty much same old same old in the way they treat language and content – low appeal and no intellectual development at all]

  7. Advances 3– Professional Learning • Noticeable increase in numbers at CTTC PDs • Noticeable interest from Ts in talking about teaching

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