Need for language centre, says report

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 21

Need for language centre, says report

PA Wellington Ne-x Zealand needs a national language . centre to supervise the teaching of English to immigrant workers, says a Council for Education Research report, “No mechanism exist.which is fully capable of undertaking language and language education plannine.” the report says. Ihe centre could collect data on language learning, advise Government agencies on educationpolicy and assist with in-ser-vice and pre-service teacher training. It could also serve as New Zealand’s link with international data banks, it says. The report was written by Dr Robert Kaplan, an American who has been associated with California Universitv’s English communication programme for foreign students for the last 20 years. He has also contributed to language teaching programmes in West German and South-East Asian industry. Dr Kaplan spent two months researching the 120-page report "The Language Need - of Migrant Workers.” He read previous literature on the subject, visited IS industrial sites, nine in Wellington, nine in Auckland, and handed out 455 multilingual questionnaires. The site visits included discussions with 45 company officers and 60 workers. About 60 per cent of the questionnaires given to immigrants were returned. They gave Dr Kaplan information on age, sex, schooling, ethnic identification and worker attitudes to English speakers and their language.

The attitude survey produced a “startlingly positive” reaction to tire English language, Dr Kaplan said. “More than 60 per cent of respondents saw the English language . as good, useful and valuable. “Attitudes to pakehas were basically positive — they were seen as good, valuable, clever, happy, kind, attractive, and not worthless, ugly, dumb, sickly, lazy, weak or unreliable. .Attitudes to the subjects’ own ethnic

groups were slightly more positive than to pakehas." Dr Kaplan suggested his survey he repeated on a larger scale with, a revised questionnaire to give mere reliable results.

The report concludes with 30 detailed recommendations. "While they are concerned with migrant people and language.. the problems of Macri people should not be overshadowed.” Dr Kaplan says. "Maori is. after all, the indigence., language of New Zealand. It must be maintained because if it disappears in New Zealand it disappears in the world.” Along with the advice for a national language centre. Dr Kaplan ~ says there is a need for longrange language planning so various issues will rot be viewed as separate, and competition for resources can be maintained.

New industrial language training schemes need "to

be set up with teachings directed at language used tn particular work places. Cu! t ural information should be included in such training. Dr Kaplan says. 'Whenever possible, workers should be given recognition of having partici■tated in such programmes, either through direct salary increases or through promotion.”

Management should bear ear: of the cost.-, of trainng. unions should be encouraged to take a more active role, and the Government could give support through tax incentives. he says.

Recruiting short-term contracted teachers from overseas would save money and training time. “It may also be desirable to send a few highlyqualified teachers for intensive training at United Kingdom universities in conjunction with the National Centre for Industrial Language Training."