Teachers will mind language

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA–The Territory Government is facing a revolt from remote teachers who vow to continue teaching in Aboriginal languages, despite an order to teach in English. Award-winning teacher Yalmay Yunupingu said yesterday she would refuse Departmental orders not to teach in her own language of Yolngu Matha. The Territory Government says from full story complete coverage

Department’s reports undermine Minister

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA–Two reports by the Northern Territory Education Department have directly undermined an attack on bilingual schools by Minister Marion Scrymgour, who claims they are poor at teaching English. full story  complete coverage

Bilingual Education Produces Better English: Leaked Report

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA–Two reports by the Northern Territory Education Department have directly undermined an attack on bilingual schools by Minister Marion Scrymgour, who claims they are poor at teaching English. full story  complete coverage

Race Discrimination Commissioner labels bilingual education ‘a success story’

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA–Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner says bilingual teaching is one of few success stories in the recent history of Northern Territory education. Tom Calma says the Northern Territory Government is ill-advised to implement restrictions on full story

TESOL association against scrapping bilingual education

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA–Further on the decision of the NT Government to require schools to teach the first four hours of each day in English.. a media release from Misty Adoniou, President of the Australian Council of TESOL Assocations (ACTA), the peak body for professional associations for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. full story

Northern territory kids get four hours a day in English

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA–In an effort to address failings in indigenous bilingual education, the Northern Territory Government will require the first four hours of every school day to be conducted in English. Announcing the decision yesterday, Territory Education Minister Marion Scrymgour said she supported indigenous language and culture, but her priority was to get full story