Advocacy for Languages
Why German - Advocacy for Languages

The AGTV supports the teaching and learning of all languages.
We advocate for the right of all students in Australian schools to learn languages in a well resourced program with a qualified teacher of languages.
We welcome the commitments shown by governments to the teaching, learning, reclamation and revitalisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and cultures.
Skills in languages will determine the life chances of students at home and abroad.
Intercultural Language Skills for Global Understanding
Scientist are learning about the brain and how we think differently in different languages.
Stanford University have collected new research data from the diverse language groups of China, Greece, Chile, Indonesia, Russia, and Aboriginal Australia and what they have learned is that people who speak different languages do indeed think differently and that even variations in grammar can profoundly affect how we see the world.
- Lera Boroditsky : How Language Shapes Thought (Vodcast on FORAtv)
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
In the ACC ‘Skills for a Nation: A Blueprint for Improving Education and Training 2007-2017’, it states that "to effectively participate in a globalised world there should be the compulsory learning of a foreign language from 7 years or earlier".
Languages in Victoria
Victoria is culturally and linguistically diverse. 23.8% of Victoria's population were born overseas. 43.69% have a parent who was born overseas. Victorians come from more than 200 countries, speak more than 230 languages and dialects.
Language Association Commitments
The AGTV endorses the statement about languages education as a founding member of the Network of Australian Teachers of German.
The Modern Language Teachers Association of Victoria (MLTAV) represents the interests of all single languages associations.
They provide a wide range of documents and references in support of learning languages.
- Advocacy - on the MLTAV website
Germany Promotes Intercultural Conversations World Wide
The Goethe-Institut is committed to furthering intercultural understanding between languages and cultures through German.
There is a world wide network with 149 institutes and 10 liaison offices in 92 countries reflect the global reach of German.
Websites are developed to promote intercultural dialogue.
- Multilingualism - Languages without Borders
- Russlan-Kultur-Deutschland - a specific example
Dedicated websites provide a platform for young people to connect through learning German.
- Latin-German-USA Community - Spanish-German-English
- Li-Lak deutsch-arabische Jugendwebseite - German-Arabic
- Deutsch-Chinesisch Kulturnetz - German-Chinese
- To4ka-Treff deutsch-russische Jugendwebseite - Russian-German
- Vabene?! Italien auf Deutsch - Italian-German
- Deutsch-Tschechishes Jugendportal - German-Czech
Austrian German around the World
Germans say Kartoffel and Austrians say Erdapfel. The Austrian government's BM:UKK Kultur und Sprache offer seminars for teachers promoting Austrian language and culture in Austria and around the globe. The AGTV is a recipient of an annual scholarship to Austria for a teacher, and welcomes a speaker to our Victorian State Conference.
Government Support of Languages and Cultures in Australia
Successive state and federal governments have made commitments to promoting and celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity in Australia.
- Harmony Day - celebrated annually on the 21st March across Australia , the same day as the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
- Cultural Diversity Week - in Victoria
- Video Testimonials - on FUSE, Victorian DET
Victorian Government Commitments
The Victorian government celebrates diversity and collates data about languages education and languages is a key learning area.
- Wannik: Learning Together - Journey to our Future - Victorian Education Strategy for Koori Students
- VELS: Aboriginal Languages, cultures and reclamation in Victorian Schools - Prep to 10 Curriculum
- VCAA: Aboriginal Languages and Cultures - Advice and links to resources
- Victorian Multicultural Commission - Fact sheets based on census information related to the cultural and linguistic diversity in our state
- Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) expects that schools provide a quality languges program from Prep to Year 10. The website has a section on Promotion and Advocacy.
- Literacy and Numeracy - Learning languages other than English supports the development of literacy and numeracy skills
Federal Government Commitments
Proficiency in more than one language has long been and will remain an important goal for all young Australians.
- Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) - released the federal and state agreement on the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. These is intended to promote world-class curriculum and assessment in schools. This includes the learning of languages.
- Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) - a federal authority responsible for developing the Australian Curriculum for Languages. Work has begun on this and updates are provided on the ACARA website.
Research Centres at Universities
- Language and Society Centre - Monash University, founded in 1989 by Michael Clyne
- Research Unit for Multilingualism & Cross-Cultural Communication - University of Melbourne, founded in 2001 by Michael Clyne
- Monash European and EU Centre - provides teaching, research and outreach on Europe and the EU
Advocacy by Universities
- Languages & Cultures Network for Australian Universities (LCNAU) – Founded in 2011, the LCNAU aims to raise the profile of language educators and public awareness of the cultural, strategic and economic importance of language education for Australia.
Community Commitments
There is ever-increasing interest in languages education in Australia.
- Overcoming the Hurdle of Monolingualism - Listen to Michael Clyne speak about languages education
- Australia's unrecognised resource boom - languages for Australia's future - Michael Clyne again
- Australian Council of State School Organisations - umbrella parent group with a digital newsletter about Languages Educations
- Lingo - website for the Languages Action Alliance
- Melbourne Language Picnic - celebrating Culturual Diversity Week
- Bilingual Families Perth - advice and links on raising children bilingually