A state Liberal Government would review SACE to boost numbers of Year 12s studying languages
FORCING Year 12s to do an extra subject to gain uni entrance, and making the research project optional or strictly a Year 11 subject, will be the focus of a review of the SACE if the state Liberals win government.
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FORCING Year 12s to do an extra subject to gain university entrance, and making the Research Project optional or strictly a Year 11 subject, will be the focus of a major review of the SACE if the Liberal Party wins government.
The proposed overhaul of Year 12 is part of an Opposition policy aimed at encouraging more students to stick with a foreign language to the end of their schooling.
Education spokesman John Gardner said the proportion of students doing a language in Year 12 had more than halved under Labor, from 11.8 per cent when it took office in 2002 to 4.9 per cent last year. And many — two-thirds of those studying Chinese, for example — were doing languages from their own family backgrounds.
The policy blames the reduction of Year 12 subjects students do, other than the compulsory Research Project, from five to four. The Research Project was introduced in a major revamp of the SACE in 2011.
Fewer than half of public schools offer languages at SACE level, the policy states.
Mr Gardner said a Liberal government would commission a senior academic to review the SACE next year, with any changes likely to be implemented in 2020.
Despite a slight rise in language student numbers since 2014, Mr Gardner said the proportion studying a language was still “flatlining” in relation to growing numbers of students completing their SACE.
Under the Liberal policy, four more public schools would offer the International Baccalaureate diploma, which mandates a second language. Glenunga International High is the only public school that currently offers the diploma in Year 12.
Other measures include:
WORKING with the Open Access College, ethnic schools, and the School of Languages to expand options for SACE students;
FIVE grants up to $150,000 for primary schools to improve their languages offering;
EXPANDING the School of Languages’ holiday program for early primary students;
THIRTY annual scholarships worth $10,000 each for language teachers to improve their skills, including “immersion programs” overseas or in Aboriginal communities, plus $600,000 in extra professional development funding;
A REVIEW of the content of language teaching in education degrees, and of future workforce needs.
The Liberals would retain the Government’s Chinese and French bilingual school programs.
Modern Language Teachers’ Association of SA president Andrew Scrimgeour said schools were reducing numbers of language lessons in middle school timetables to make more time for science and maths subjects, so students did not feel confident about doing well in Year 11 and 12.