The recent announcement by Prime Minister Gillard in the wake of the introduction of Japanese Language over 20 years ago, stated that other Asian Languages should be taught in our schools starting at a very young age, starting in the P12 years. The federal Education Minister Mr Peter Garrett MHR recently outlined the following languages: Chinese, Hindi. Indonesian.
The concern we should have is for the next generation of Australians to have competency in our own Mother tongue. The English language can wave the flag as the most expressive and comprehensive language with its words that have Greek, Latin, French, German and other roots. In fact, English is now the Lingua Franca of the Globe.
In recent years, a flawed approach has been used (neglecting syllabic learning of words) and has quite disastrously over-emphasised the other method: words-in -context, to the detriment of many students, most likely and to a large degree, male students. Also, two generations have missed out on studying Grammar. I was one of those.
It may be time for our Federal Education Minister and State Education Ministers to look at the reintroduction of Grammar so as Winston Churchill may have said: ‘Speak Inglish as it should be spoke’.
Warren James
