LINGUIST List 5.12

Mon 03 Jan 1994

Qs: Comparative analysis of language teaching

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1. Paul Hellander, Language Project

 THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGES

RESEARCH PROJECT: "A comparative analysis of the teaching of languages at
the juncture point between secondary and tertiary education."

ASSISTANCE REQUIRED ...

I would like to enlist the help of possibly a few people throughout the net
in the above research project being conducted by the South Australian
Institute of Languages [SAIL]. What I am looking for are people who can
either supply actual documentation (syllabuses, policies, proposals etc), or
who can point me in the correct direction so that I can obtain same - via
conventional mail - for the purposes of the project. In order to reach as
wide a target audience as possible, this message will be distributed across
several lists and newsgroups. My apologies for any possible duplication in
your own mail traffic. If you think you can forward this message to any
source that may be useful for the purposes of the project, please pass it
on freely. All replies should be sent to me directly and personally.

 Paul Hellander - SOUTH AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGES
 PO Box 33, Rundle Mall, SA 5000, Australia
 Phone +618 293 4341 Fax +618 293 8977
 E-mail phellandarts.adelaide.edu.au or ...
 aq574.yfn.ysu.edu

AIMS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
====================================

The study will analyse language policies and language teaching in a number
of countries with populations that are, at least in part, multilingual and
which have developed language policies for general educational objectives
as well as specifically external (trade, tourism, diplomacy) or internal
(multilingual) purposes. Apart from its intrinsic education interest, such
a cross-cultural study will assist in South Australian educational planning
at a time when the position of languages in school programmes remains
uncertain and when preparations are being made for the projected revision
of the South Australian Certificates of Education (SACE). The focus of the
study will be on the crucial juncture point between secondary and tertiary
education, including the examination of such issues as whether languages
are compulsory at:

 1. the completion stage of secondary education;
 2. entrance to higher or technical education;
 3. as part of tertiary curriculum including professional faculties
 such as medicine, science and engineering.

The theoretical perspective adopted in this study will be that of
humanistic sociology, when applied to language education. For many cultures
language is assumed to play the role of a core value that also indentifies
group membership. In consequence, the learning of languages other than
one's own first language provides the bridge in cross-cultural
communication. The main aims of the study will be to identify ways in which
barriers between different language communities can be diminished through
languages education.

RESEARCH PLAN
=============

Language policies will be examined in the following countries:

 Greece *
 United Kingdom *
 Italy
 Spain
 Switzerland
 Poland
 Russia
 Lithuania
 Japan
 Philippines
 Laos
 Malaysia
 Hong Kong *

* of particular and immediate interest

IF you are in a position to provide the type of documentation referred to
above (syllabuses, policies, proposals etc), would you please contact me in
the first instance by e-mail, s-mail, fax or phone so that I can discuss
with you specific needs.

IF you think you can forward this message either electronically, or
indirectly to an appropriate source, I would also be very grateful.

IF you are aware of other groups or lists where this message may be
propagated, I would also appreciate hearing from you.

Many thanks for your patience (in reading this far!) and for your
anticipated assistance.

Paul Hellander - SAIL Researcher.