"Language skills vital in an Asia-led world"

"Language skills vital in an Asia-led world"

Ten reasons Australian students should be learning Asian Languages now.

10.  Australia's future economic prosperity depends on our ability to be part of Asia's economic growth.

9. Australian school students now perform at levels significantly lower than their Asian peers.

8. We are failing to provide students with knowledge and skills in Asian languages and studies necessary for their futures.

7.  Current Asian language education in Australia  is poor. Too few teachers, teaching inadequate programs to a small number of students.

6. By 2050 the broader Asian economy will the largest in the world.  The Australian economy in 2050 is predicted to be out of the top 20 economies.

5.  Parents should demand that schools teach increase Asian literacy and  language teaching.

4. Governments should be supporting schools that are currently or starting Asian language and culture programs .

3. Even if reforms were made now it will take between 10 and 15 years to train and employ teachers.

2. A plan needs to be put in place now with appropriate funding. This plan needs to improve the quantity and quality of Asian languages in Australian schools.

1.  If the Asian literacy, language and culture program is implemented properly the current weakness and deficit in our inability to engage with Asia, could become our advantage.


Ten things paraphrased from this source Language skills vital in an Asia-led world

MP Urges Schools To Teach Chinese

Meanwhile in New Zealand 

MP Urges Schools To Teach Chinese.

Quotes from the article.

"...schools need to "look to the future" and offer courses in Chinese as a way of boosting trade with China..."

"It is out of step that Nelson, with such a strong exporting and visitor industry, is not looking to the future and investing in Chinese language skills,"

"The economic benefit is that it [promotes] creativity and problem-solving. All those brain features are massively advantaged if you've learnt a second language."

"We have tried to promote the language and the culture through initiatives with the Confucius Society. The benefits and potential opportunities seem obvious, but parents and students seem reluctant to embrace the language."

"If we could encourage 20 students, even across a range of year levels, we would run the programme tomorrow."

Read more -->  MP Urges Schools To Teach Chinese

Australian education in the Asian century: adapting for the world to come

News article that looks at some of the current university research. Discussion of current partnership between Wales Department of Education and Communities (Western Sydney Region), the Ningbo Municipal Education Bureau (Ningbo, China).

"The forthcoming White Paper on Australia in the Asian century is expected to provide a national blueprint for Australia at a time of transformative economic growth and change in Asia"

"The education of international students from continental Asia is particularly important for Australian education in the Asian Century."

Australian education in the Asian century: adapting for the world to come

The Major Differences Between Education in U.S. and China

I found this an interesting infographic about the differences between American and Chinese Education.  Click for a detailed view.

Click for a detailed view

Created by: Online University Rankings

“Pleasure reading” key to second language learning | Scoop News

Some interesting research. I wonder how much of this research transfers to Chinese Mandarin or Japanese. It takes much longer for literacy to be gained for students with an English speaking background.

“Pleasure reading” key to second language learning | Scoop News

After reading this I am depressed

After reading this I am depressed --> Record low as students reject HSC languages . Nearly every story or article I read about language learning from an Australian newspaper, tells me that language learning is in decline. This is depressing news indeed for language teachers. The message is that language learning and teaching is not valued. At the same time I keep reading that places Africa, England and America are starting up and actively promoting Chinese language learning in schools. I find it disturbing that Australian schools are so slow to encourage  and promote learning Chinese in schools, colleges and universities. Below is a comment that I think typifies and sums up Australian attitudes to language learning


"Chinese is way too difficult for Australians, our lovable bogan population may breed well but their children struggle at school as it is."

Similar comments to be found in response to  Mandarin in, koala out in bid for Chinese dollar