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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-09 Daily Xml
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INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LANGUAGES

Ms CICCARELLO (Norwood) (14:56): My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Children's Services. What is the government doing to promote languages and cultural diversity in schools and preschools?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:56): I thank the member for Norwood for her question; I know that she has a particular interest in language studies and would be well aware that 2008 is the United Nations International Year of Languages. I am pleased to advise the house that this year 33 South Australian schools and preschools have been awarded multicultural education grants to promote languages and cultural diversities in our communities.

These schools have embraced the International Year of Languages, and a variety of events and activities have been planned this year to promote the benefits of language education and cultural diversity. Some of the schools involved in these activities are: Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten, The Pines School, Cadell Primary School, Morgan Preschool, Morgan Primary School, East Murray Area School, North Haven School and the Open Access College.

For example, children at Flagstaff Hill Kindergarten will focus on Aboriginal culture, and this year these children will learn the Kaurna language and customs through experiencing the taste of bush tucker and interacting with Aboriginal speakers of the Kaurna language. Students from The Pines School will focus on new arrivals, with activities planned to develop sensitive and positive relationships with newly arrived students from overseas and Australian-born students to break down the language and cultural barriers.

The Multicultural Education Committee, which I have to say is one of the great success stories of our state, has worked diligently across all the education sectors involving members of many communities, and I commend it. It has developed this year a full calendar of activities, including a renewed strategy to promote languages and cultural diversity. This program will be released in September of this year. The government is committed to supporting language programs and the development of cultural understanding in all schools and preschools in the years to come, and I commend members to be involved in local schools where these programs occur because I think many of their activities are quite inspirational.

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