In this article, Anne-Marie Morgan, Deputy Head of School and a member of the English, Languages and Literacies Education team in the School of Education at the University of New England, and of the Languages, Literacies and Literature Research Network, presents highlights from the Summer AFMLTA National Languages Conference (20th, Melbourne,…

Drawing on data recorded in two city markets, this article analyzes the language practices of workers and customers as they go about their daily business, with a particular focus on the ways in which linguistic resources, everyday tasks, and social spaces are intertwined in producing metrolingua francas. The aim of the article is to come to a…

This article considers the current debate in Australia into the learning of literacy and foreign languages. It examines not only the literacy levels attained by Australian students in their national language (English) in comparison to these in other countries, as well as between Australian states, but also theories involved in school learning and…

Stresses the importance of maintaining multilingualism in the United States in the face of arguments by "English Only" advocates that the U.S. risks being torn apart by multilingualism. Historical evidence from the Soviet Union and from Australia is cited to support the viability of successful management of multilingualism. (Author/DJD)

The following similarities exist between the language situations of the United States and Australia: (1) both countries have developed and prospered through overseas immigration; (2) until recently, neither country has had a "de jure" official language, only a "de facto" one built around English; (3) in both countries…

Reviews European Community and Australian language policies. Considers cultural-economic interface in Australia with respect to current interest in teaching Asian languages for trade purposes. Discusses Australia's growing acceptance of languages other than English and its affect on Aboriginal people. Urges the better utilization of the country's…

Discusses the teaching of European languages and less commonly taught languages at all educational levels in Australia. Reference is made to multilingualism and language instruction in other countries. (AM)

Discusses language policy in the multilingual settings of Australia and the Philippines. Examines language policies, language curricula, government initiatives, language attitudes, and cultural maintenance in Australia. Studies language policies, national language development attempts, bilingual policies, viability of minority languages,…

The aims of this paper are to: (1) emphasize the need for language planning in efforts to solve the sociolinguistic problems of bidialectal and bilingual indegenous peoples in Australia, (2) demonstrate that these problems are not confined to Australia, and (3) show that methods of language planning and research in language attitudes developed in…

Explores the background of Australia's shift from its National Policy on Languages (NPL) to the Australian Language and Literacy Policy (ALLP). Findings are that the ALLP's virtual reality serves the ideologies of a power elite; and the NPL's understandings are necessary to avoid the consequences of alienation and racism. (50 references) (CK)

The present state of language programs in Australia, the lack of a coherent language policy, important considerations for developing a national language policy, and long-term outcomes of a language policy are considered. Australia needs to consider the role of languages in society and the society's need for language skills. Among the present…

This edited volume contains 15 chapters. Part one, "Language Teaching, Language Learning, and Literacy," has three chapters: "The Monolingual Teaching and Bilingual Learning of English" (Henry G. Widdowson); "Literacy: The Extension of Languages Through Other Means" (Ellen Bialystok); "Bilingual Processing…