Unlocking Australia's Language Potential. Profiles of 9 Key Languages in Australia
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 384 206 FL 022 494 AUTHOR Di Biase, Bruno; And Others TITLE Unlocking Australia's Language Potential. Profiles of 9 Key Languages in Australia. Volume 6: Italian. INSTITUTION Australian National Languages and Literacy Inst., Deakin. REPORT NO ISBN-1-875578-13-7 PUB DATE 94 NOTE 276p.; For related documents, see FL 022 493-497 and ED 365 111-114. AVAILABLE FROMNLLIA, 9th Level, 300 Flinders St., Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC12 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; Continuing Education; Cultural Awareness; Cultural Education; Educational History; *Educational Needs; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Government Role; Higher Education; International Trade; *Italian; *Language Maintenance; *Language Role; Language Usage; Regional Characteristics; Second Language Learning; *Second Languages; Teacher Education; Technological Advancement; Tourism IDENTIFIERS *Australia; *Italy ABSTRACT The status of the Italian language in Australia, particularly in the educational system at all levels, in Australian society in general, and in trade, technology, and tourism is discussed in this report. It begins with a description of the teaching of Italian in elementary, secondary, higher, adult/continuing, and teacher education. Trends are traced from the 1950s through the 1980s, looking at political and religious factors in its evolution, formation of national policy, curriculum and assessment approaches, professional issues in teacher education, and research on learning motivations and attitudes toward Italian. Development of public policies and initiatives is chronicled from the 1970s, with specific reports, events, and programs highlighted. Teaching oF Italian in various areas of Australia is also surveyed. A discussion of the role of Italian in Australian society looks at the impact of migration, language shift and maintenance, demographics of the Italian-speaking community, and cultural and language resources within that community. A final chapter gives an overview of Italian in the world context and discusses its importance to Australian trade and tourism. Recommendations for Italian language teaching are presented. Appended materials include lists of individuals and organizations; Italian courses in Australian universities; Italian in adult and continuing education courses; and a language attitude questionnaire. (Contains 428 references.) (MSE) a 0 fa_ 0.I AI& S S "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Bruno DI Blase Giovanni Andreoni U DEPARTMENT OP EDUCATION Olfce of Educahonal Rmetch and Immomureant Helen Andreoni EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER MAC) Bronwen Dyson 1\4:document hes berm '00mM/cod se mutvd from %hit person orordentzstoon onginhng it O Minor changes have boon made10 emprovo rPfOduCtiOn Quality Porntsofviewo 'Oprnronsstatedinthisdocu ment do not Womanly reommint°Moat 0E141 pocton or police ,51.1.16.r Unlocking Australia's LanguagePotential PROFILES OF 9 KEY LANGUAGES IN AUSTRALIA Volume 6: Italian THE NATIONAL Ala LANGUAGES 7S.r- I.ITEPACY 1Dfir INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA -1r Canberra National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication Data Unlocking Australia's Language Potential: Profile of 9 Key Languages in Australia: Volume 6 - Italian Bibliography. Includes index. ISBN 1 875578 07 2 (set) ISBN 1 875578 08 0 (v.1) ISBN 1 875578 09 9 (v.2) ISBN 1 875578 10 2 (v.3) ISBN 1 875578 11 0 (v.4) ISBN 1 875578 12 9 (v.5) ISBN 1 875578 13 7 (v.6) ISBN 1 875578 14 5 (v.7) ISBN 1 875578 15 3 (v.8) ISBN 1 875578 16 1 (v.9) 1. Language and languages - Study and teaching - Australia.2. Australia - Languages Study and teachingForeign speakers. I. National Languages and Literacy Institute of Australia.II. Australian Second Language Learning Program (13 Commonwealth of Australia and NLLIA ISBN 1 875578 13 7 This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the NLLIA and the Commonwealth. 418.007 The funding for this project was provided under the Australian Second Language Learning Pre gram of the National Policy ou Languages by ETD.. Additional funding was provided by the NLLIA. The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the mews of the Commonwealth and the NLLIA. National Languages and Literacy Institut?. of Australia Limited Level 2, 6 Campion St, Deakin ACT 26(X) Australia Tel: (06) 281 3366 Fax: (06) 281 3096 The National Languages and LiteracyInstitute of Australia Limited The National Languages and Literacy Institute of AustraliaLimited (NLLIAi was established in 1990 as the Key Centre for LanguageTeaching and Research to meet the goals and principles of the t987National Policy on Languages. Under the 1991 AustralianLanguage and Literacy Policy, the mandate of the NLLIA was modified to include aheightened focus on literacy. The NLLIA consists of The NLLIA Directorate The NLLIA- Victorian Office The NLLIA-Business Language Services The NLLIA-Child Literacy and ESL Research Network The NLLIA-Adult Literacy Research Network The NLLIA-Language and Society Centre The NLLIA-Language Acquisition Research Centre The NLLIA-Centre For Workplace Communication and Culture The NLLIA- Language and Technology Centre The NLLIA -Centre for Deafness and Communication Studies The NLLIA-Language Testing Centre The NLLIA-Language Testing and Curriculum Centre The NLLIA-Western Australia Office The NLLIA-South Australian Teaching and Curriculum Centre The NLLIA-Document Design and Research [inn The NLLIA - Centre for Research and Development on Interr ,ling. and Translating The NLLIA-Style Council The NLLIA offers national leadership and ;zuidance on languageeducation issues : providing, professional development activities for language lectur- ers. teacher trainers and teachers creating and operating a database and clearing house onlanguage education issues and regularly disseminating informationfrom these facilitating alai conducting research needed to improve practice in language education regularly assessing language education needs by providingadviso- ry and consult:111C\ sees ices to government, unions,business and the community on relevant language issues. NLLIA Directorate Level 2 6 Campion. St Deakin ACT 2600 Australia Tel: (06) 281 3366 Fax: (06) 281 3096 Email: [email protected] THE NATIONAL LANGUAGES & LITERACY INSTITUT* OF AUSTRALIA t) Italian Profile TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i i i STEERING COMMITTEE i v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY v RECOMMENDATIONS i x 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Italian in Australian Education 5 1.2 Italian in Australia 7 1.2.1 'Natural Demand' for Italian 10 1.3 Primary t,chools 11 1.3.1 Time Allocation, Continuity and Gender 13 1.3.2 Language Background of Learners 14 1.3.3 Community-based Initiatives in Italian Language Teaching 14 1.3.4 Insertion Classes 14 1.3.5 After-hours Italian Language Classes, and Language Maintenance 17 1.3.6 Italian in Darwin (D. Maddalozzo) 18 1.3.7 The Italian Government's Critical Support 19 1.3.8 Interpreting the Discrepancies 20 1.3.9 Unfunded Italian Language Classes 22 1.4 Secondary Schools 22 1.4.1 Correspondence, Distance Education and Saturday School of Languages 23 1.4.2 Progression and Persistence Within the Secondary Level 24 1.5 Universities 27 1.5.1 Position of Italian in the University Structure 28 1.6 TAFE, Non-award Courses and Other Adult Education 30 1.6.1 Technical and Further Education (TAFE) 30 1.6.2 Continuing Education 31 1.6.3 Non-award Courses 32 1.6.4 Other Post-School Italian Courses 33 1.7 Diplomatic and Military Language Training 34 2 TRENDS IN ITALIAN LANGUAGE EDUCATION 35 2.1 Historical Background 35 2.1.1 From the 1960s to the 1980s, or from Local to National 35 2.1.2 The Political Context of Multiculturalism 36 2.1.3 Cross-currents in Language Education 36 2.1.4 Historical Developments in Schools 37 2.1.5 Consolidation 39 2.2 The Catholic Schools and the Teaching of Italian 40 2.2.1 Italian and The Catholic Education System (M. T. Piccioli and G. Hull) 40 2.3 The 1980s 43 2.4 The Development of Insertion Classes: Issues and Concerns 46 2.4.1 Why Did Insertion Classes Grow? 47 2.4.2 Italian Government Role and Contribution 49 2.4.3 Concerns Among Community-based Committees 50 2.4.4 Antagonism Towards Insertion Classes 51 2.5 The Development of Italian in Australian Tertiary Institutions 53 2.5.1 Language Background and Tertiary Students of Italian 54 2.5.2 The Contribution of the Colleges of Advanced Education 55 2.6 Factors Contributing to the Growth of Italian Prior to the National Policy on Languages 56 21 Italian After the National Policy on Languages 57 Unlocking Australia's Language Potential 2.7.1 Towards the 1990s 58 2.7.2 Trends in Catholic Schools 60 2.7.3 Trends in Independent Schools 61 2.7.4 Decline in Year 12 62 2.7.5 Italian at Tertiary Level Since the National Policy on Languages 64 2.7.6 Is Italian Growing or Declining in Universities? 65 2.7.7 Perspectives and Problems in TAFE After the National Policy on Languages 67 2.8 Issues and Factors Contributing to Change 68 2.8.1 Languages: Multiculturalism Versus Trade A Spurious Choice 69 2.8.2 A Wider View of Economic Needs 70 2.8.3 Resources for Languages Other Than English (LOTE) 71 2.8.4 Ethnic Schools Policy Administrative Changes 72 3 CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT APPROACHES 73 3.1 Italian Programs in the Primary School 73 3.1.1 Objectives 73 3.1.2 Types of Programs 74 3.1.3 Second Language Programs 75 3.1.4 Language Maintenance Programs 75 3.1.5 Organisation of Primary Italian Programs 76 3.1.6 The Community Language (CL) Program in NSW: Views from the Classroom (R. Bottero) 78 3.1.7 The Italian CL Program at Kegworth Primary School 79 3.1.8 Western Australia: Italian Partial Immersion Program: An Alternative Approach in Second Language Teaching (A.