Improving Languages Education in South Australia – Advisory Paper

Dear Multicultural Education and Languages Committee

Introduction

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on “Improving Languages Education in South Australia.”

As the Director of the Bachelor of Languages and the Diploma in Languages (Yoneyama) and the Head of the Asian Studies Department (Zhang) at the University of Adelaide, we share the concerns raised in the report about the decline in language study among students in South Australia at all levels, but particularly at the university level.

As this decline reflects a broader national and international trend, we particularly welcome the holistic and comprehensive approach, along with the bold stance adopted in the draft report to “become a national leader in languages teaching and learning” (p. 18). The closure of language programs at universities in other states presents a business opportunity, and we strongly support this innovative and future-oriented strategy.

We have responded to the survey regarding five discussion points. In this submission, we reiterate the recommendations we made in response to the survey while providing additional information to emphasise some of them.

Discussion point 1: Reimagining Languages Education in South Australia (Agreed)
Survey response: We recommend framing language competence as the essential skill crucial for fostering independent critical thinking and engaging in the knowledge economy in the era of Generative AI.

Discussion point 2: Language teachers and educators (Agreed)
Survey response: We recommend that the Diploma in Languages be listed as a readily available ‘add-on’ award for all primary degrees at SATAC, establishing the Bachelor + Diploma in Languages as the standard for high school students when planning their university studies. We also recommend that every Teaching Degree include at least one language major, applicable to both primary and secondary education. Alternatively, it could be made compulsory for all Teaching Degrees to undertake a Diploma in Languages concurrently, thus creating more space in their study plan.

1) We agree with all the points raised in this discussion point, and particularly welcome and appreciate the statement below (p. 12). We strongly support the suggestion to incorporate the Diploma in Languages more systematically and strategically into degree and diploma pathways. This will be an effective way to enhance general awareness about the significance of language learning and facilitate the initiation or continuation of language studies as part of university education.

"Universities are experiencing a steady decline in language course enrolments, resulting in a reduced range of language offerings and a diminishing pool of graduates with specialist language skills. Reversing the decline in language course enrolments in universities requires targeted support: strengthening and incentivising language programs within higher education institutions is critical to maintaining student interest and rebuilding capacity. Embedding languages more systematically into degree and diploma pathways and supporting students to study a language alongside their primary discipline will broaden access and appeal." (p.12)

Currently, UoA offers Diploma in Languages in
• Chinese Studies
• French Studies
• German Studies
• Indonesian Studies
• Italian Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Modern Greek Studies
• Spanish Studies.

It should be noted that among the students enrolled in the Diploma of Languages at the University of Adelaide in 2025:

• The majority (56%) of students come from STEM fields, including Engineering, Science, and Computer Science.
• The disciplines with the highest student enrolments are Engineering (18%), Law (14%), and Science (10%).
• As many as 39% of students enrolled in the Diploma in Languages are also enrolled in AQF Level 8-10 programs: Honours, Masters, MPhil, and PhD. Additionally, 11% are pursuing an “Advanced Bachelor” degree. This means that 50% of students are positioned at the upper end of Bachelor degrees or AQF Levels 8-10.

These profiles of UoA’s Diploma in Languages students suggest that the Diploma in Languages serves as a pathway for the highest achievers among University of Adelaide students, who are likely to excel in fields such as Engineering, Law, and Science, as well as in teaching.

To maintain and enhance the competitiveness of the state’s university graduates who aspire to lead in global professional spheres, the importance of the Diploma in Languages should be more strongly emphasised and supported by the system.

We recommend that the Diploma in Languages be listed as a readily available ‘add-on’ award at SATAC, serving as an innovative measure to enhance language competence among the youth in the state. This will not require any changes to how the Diploma in Languages is offered at the University of Adelaide, as it can be attached to any degree or taken independently as a stand-alone award for those who already hold a Bachelor degree.

We strongly agree that “Reversing the decline in language course enrolments in universities requires targeted support” and recommend that strategic funding from the state government be allocated to bolster language teaching programs at universities, particularly to increase enrolment in language programs through the strategies suggested above (i.e. to establish Bachelor plus Diploma as a standard at the system level) and below (i.e. to make language study compulsory to all the teaching degree students).

2) We also welcome the statement in the report below (p.12).
"There is also merit in mandating language study within the Bachelor of Education (Primary years) curriculum, ensuring that future educators are equipped to support language learning from the earlier stages of schooling" (p.12)

Additionally, we recommend mandating language study within the Bachelor of Education program at both primary and secondary levels.

We recommend that all teaching degrees, not just primary ones, incorporate at least one language major, including Secondary and Master of Teaching. If it is difficult to find space within the degree to incorporate a language major, the Diploma in Languages would provide an ideal option, as it can be added to any teaching degree without taking up additional space. Whether and to what extent language study under the Diploma can be credited towards the primary degree will depend on each university. If approved, this could resolve the issue of limited space in teaching degrees in a highly flexible manner.

Discussion point 3: Aboriginal languages (Agreed)
Survey response: We recommend teaching Indigenous Studies (culture) alongside Aboriginal languages as a key reference point in sustainability education to promote a non-anthropocentric worldview, as outlined in UNESCO’s strategic paper, “Reimagining Our Futures Together” (2021).

Discussion point 4: Artificial Intelligence and language technologies (Neutral)
Survey response: Learning a language involves more than just translation and interpretation but it also involves understanding the cultures and nuances that AI translation cannot capture or provide in real-life situations. It fosters critical thinking by exploring various ways of knowing and being, enabling learners to relativise their own cultural, epistemological, and ontological assumptions. South Australia needs top-tier talent in international sectors, including politics, diplomacy, economics, culture, and education. AI alone cannot provide sufficient training for this objective. We recommend framing language competence as the essential skill crucial for fostering independent critical thinking and engaging in the knowledge economy in the era of Generative AI. (as stated above)

Discussion point 5: Structural improvements (Agreed)
Survey response: Scaling is a crucial factor in deciding to study a language in Years 11 and 12, as language learning demands higher levels of discipline and dedication. Moreover, the limited number of subjects available for SACE students pursuing their ATAR, combined with the competitive landscape for achieving a higher ATAR with less effort, must be considered, particularly for local students who feel disadvantaged when competing with high school peers from diverse ethnic backgrounds in language studies. We should encourage students to undertake LOTE languages by providing incentives. We recommend that all languages receive bonus points for ATAR, as was the case in the past when language enrolment was more robust.

Our recommendation about bonus points for ATAR is in response to the questions raised on pages 9-10 regarding School Education, more specifically:

d) Do students perceive scaling as a factor in choosing to study, a langue in Years 11 and 12?
e) What incentives for language learners work and what do not? (p.9)

In addition, we strongly support the suggestion of making language learning mandatory throughout schooling, as is usually the case in many high-performing education systems internationally. As it is pointed out under ‘Structural Improvement’, language learning will become “not just a separate discipline but a holistic and integrated way for children and young people to learn” (p.16)

However, if this policy is too difficult to introduce in the short term, our recommendation to make ‘Diploma in Languages’ an ‘add-on’ option with a primary degree at the tertiary level within the SATAC system, should serve as a practical first step for making language learning as part of standard and norm in tertiary education in South Australia.


We thank you again for the opportunity to comment on the draft report. It is an excellent report that gives us hope to change the course of language learning in the state. We hope to be able to work with MELC and other relevant sectors in the state to enhance and develop language education in South Australia for the future.

Yours sincerely,

Associate Professor Shoko Yoneyama, Program Director of Bachelor of Languages & Diploma in Languages, the University of Adelaide.

Dr Ning Zhang, Head of the Asian Studies Department, the University of Adelaide