Abstract
Currently, learners of Indonesian in Australian schools comprise the largest cohort of school learners of the language outside Indonesia itself. It is currently the third most studied foreign language in Australian schools. However, while this may appear a healthy state of affairs, the teaching and learning of Indonesian is experiencing a number of challenges that are threatening its place and future in the educational landscape. This paper analyses the current state of Indonesian in the schooling sector in Australia using statistical data and interviews conducted with key stakeholders as part of a larger report commissioned by the Australian Government. The paper also includes discussion of an extract of classroom interaction that highlights the issues and challenges in the teaching and learning of Indonesian in Australian schools.
The paper concludes by highlighting the ecological relationship between Indonesian and the broader social, cultural and political context in which it resides. It is a relationship of ambivalence and unease as Australia considers its identity and position in the Asia-Pacific region and its relationship to its nearest Asian neighbour.
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Kohler, M. (2014). The Teaching and Learning of Indonesian in Australia: Issues and Prospects. In: Murray, N., Scarino, A. (eds) Dynamic Ecologies. Multilingual Education, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7972-3_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7972-3_11
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