8. Summary of Recommendations

1. a new National Policy or Statement on Languages Education be developed through MCEETYA. The policy should address the purposes, nature, value and expected outcomes of languages learning. This policy or statement must be suitable for varying audiences, and be clear and explicit about the purposes, nature and value of learning languages.
    
2. the new National Policy should take account of contemporary and future efforts to reconceptualise curricula to reflect, among other things, realistic levels of language learning and adopt new forms of pedagogy including, most importantly, the effective use of information and communication technologies.
    
3. a comprehensive national promotion strategy be undertaken to highlight the positive values of languages learning. This communication strategy should, among other things, re-affirm languages as essential learnings to promote intercultural understandings, promote language learning as an educational endeavour, and address issues of student interest, engagement and continuing participation in the learning of languages throughout the compulsory years of schooling and beyond. Explicit recognition of the value of languages learning to literacy development should be incorporated into the policy. The communication strategy should identify champions for language learning who would promote the benefits of learning languages to the Australian community.
    
4. the MCEETYA Taskforce responsible for LOTE be given responsibility for the development of a national strategic action plan which:

• Establishes as targets that, by 2012:

• all students in primary and secondary years should participate in meaningful, effective and sustained programmes in one or more languages
• all students from Year 3 to Year 10 should display an appropriate level of communicative competence, linguistic awareness and intercultural understanding and skills related to a language 
• through a variety of incentives, an increasing number of students are encouraged to continue language study in Years 11 and 12. 

• establishes a level of resourcing from Commonwealth, State/Territory and local sources adequate to deliver the established targets.
   
• provides an effective approach to issues of teacher supply, including effective incentives to attract, train/retrain and retain appropriately qualified teachers with suitable language proficiency as either specialist or generalist teachers.
   
• identifies key responsibilities and consequent actions for school leaders to support the plan and its implementation.

5. in developing the Strategic Action Plan, the MCEETYA Taskforce establishes an Advisory Group with wide membership to advise on the plan.
    
6. the activities associated with the former NALSAS Strategy be subsumed into the wider LOTE action plan and National Policy Statement on LOTE.
    
7. an annual national data collection and reporting framework for LOTE, along the lines of that developed for NALSAS, be implemented as part of the accountability requirements for the programme
    
8. targeted programmes to provide teacher professional development be supported.

9. the overall quantum of LOTE Element funds for 2003- 04 be maintained at the same level as for 2002. When the national action plan for LOTE (at recommendation 4) is fully developed and costed, that funding in subsequent years be increased or decreased as appropriate.
    
10. the formula for allocation of funds to jurisdictions from 2004 be revised to include a base and per capita component.
     
11. separate funding for national strategic projects be established (5 per cent of total)
     
12. strengthened accountability for LOTE Element funds be instituted, including data on student participation in languages education

13. ethnic schools be formally recognised as providers of quality LOTE programmes in Australia
     
14. there be closer integration of ethnic school languages programmes with those of mainstream schools, as a complementary rather than alternate provider of LOTE instruction. This closer integration may include things such as shared student reporting, involvement in language cluster arrangements and so on.
     
15. resource materials and professional development programmes for languages funded by the Commonwealth be made accessible to ethnic schools.
     
16. a suitable amount (recommended $150 000) be allocated to AFESA over 3 years to build on to the consolidation of the establishment of the National Secretariat to deliver quality assurance and accreditation processes for ethnic schools nationally. The delivery process would be based on current State and Territory practices
     
17. AFESA be represented on relevant Commonwealth and State/Territory LOTE policy making bodies.
     
18. ethnic schools and AFESA be subject to the same accountability requirements as other jurisdictions.
     
19. national research be funded into ways in which the effectiveness of ethnic schools can be improved.
     
20. ways in which ethnic schools can access school premises on a reduced cost basis be explored in all jurisdictions.
     
21. schools and school networks include ethnic schools in wider planning for LOTE provision.

22. the new National Languages Policy Statement explicitly recognise a role and responsibility of the Commonwealth for the protection, maintenance and promotion of the Indigenous Languages of this
    country.
     
23. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language programmes are supported within all communities in Australia, to be accessed where the community so desires.
     
24. the new Policy Statement acknowledges the commitment by Governments to the longer term future of Indigenous languages. The policy needs to support comprehensive community consultation and involvement through all stages of language programme development.
     
25. a national seminar on Indigenous languages be convened as a first step in developing a coordinated strategic plan for the revival, maintenance and promotion of Indigenous languages. The seminar should draw together all of the stakeholders and funders of Indigenous languages from the Commonwealth and States/Territories, including FATSIL and ATSIC, to ensure that there is coordination of efforts and effective use of funds.
     
26. the strategic plan in recommendation 5 define appropriate accountability requirements for all recipients of Commonwealth funds for Indigenous languages. This should include a requirement for reporting on a range of performance indicators attached to the LOTE funds. These performance indicators are to be aimed at identifying specific targets to be achieved within negotiated timeframes for Aboriginal language programmes.
     
27. a national framework for the annual collection and reporting of data on Indigenous language programmes be developed.
     
28. the strategic plan for Indigenous languages includes steps to fast-track the training and development of Indigenous educators. For people with identified skills, a range of pathways needs to be identified to suit a variety of needs. These pathways may include courses with multiple entry and exit points through TAFE institutions and Universities.

29. the MCEETYA Taskforce responsible for LOTE be encouraged to consider the strengthening of linkages between languages and vocational education in its development of a national approach to languages education in schools.
     
30. partnerships between schools, the vocational education and training sectors and industry be strengthened through:

• identification of common goals for language learning;
   
• articulation of pathways for language learning in the VET sector;
   
• promotion of the benefits of LOTE learning for career development;
   
• bringing stakeholders together at State/Territory and national levels to consider the desirability of the goals, and what would need to happen for the goals to be achieved;
   
• ensuring the VET curriculum for LOTE is more closely aligned to industry needs; and
   
• ensuring that appropriate certification is developed.

31. business organisations such as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and industry associations be included in the planning of cross sectoral development (and funded if necessary), to ensure full business participation.
     
32. information on existing and potential linkages between languages and vocational education, be identified and disseminated, including the following:

• the benefits of making such links; and
   
• models and elements of successful programmes be made available to schools through a range of print and electronic media.

33. language study in the vocational education and training sectors be supported through the provision of a variety of incentives, including scholarships that link languages learning to vocational learning.
     
34. the new National Languages Policy Statement recognises the centrality of languages and cultures in higher education and in graduate outcomes and the nature of the learning which the study of languages contributes to graduates in all discipline areas.
     
35. opportunities for greater coordination among universities, and between universities, schools and other stakeholders be fostered through the national action plan for languages development process.
     
36. ways be explored in which structural impediments to language learning as part of teacher education within universities can be addressed.