Students participate in New Zealand Chinese Language Week activities in 2017.
Photo: RNZ Lynda Chanwai-Earle
As the country marks New Zealand Chinese Language Week, educators and language experts have renewed calls for second-language courses to become compulsory from intermediate school.
The recommendation was one of several proposals included in a report titled Language Learning for New Zealand’s Future that was published Monday.
The report collected findings from the recent Language Learning for New Zealand’s Future Forum that was held in Auckland, which brought together more than 100 educators, language experts, business leaders, government officials and rangatahi.
It called for second-language learning to become a compulsory part of the national curriculum for students in Years 7 to 10, with classes of three to four hours each week.
The report noted that language subjects were not currently mandated in the curriculum and did not count as literacy-endorsed university entrance credits.
It also emphasised a need to strengthen the teaching of all secondary languages, including Pacific languages.
Other proposals included creating multiple learning pathways, expanding the supply of teachers and embedding a comprehensive national languages policy, the report said.
Students learn Chinese at Auckland’s St Peter’s College.
Photo: Supplied
“Languages are only one of eight learning areas in the curriculum that are not a core requirement,” said Juliet Kennedy, president of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers. “This education policy gap is costing New Zealand academically, culturally and economically.
“Strong government leadership and commitment to language teaching in New Zealand is an essential basis for change. The current curriculum refresh presents an opportunity to address this gap.”
The release of the report comes amid government moves to mandate a new structured literacy curriculum nationwide.
Former National education spokesperson Nikki Kaye introduced a bill to make second-language learning compulsory in primary and intermediate schools in 2018.
The proposal required schools to teach one of 10 “priority” languages that had yet to be decided upon, although te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language were likely to have been included in the mix.
The bill had bipartisan support from Labour, ACT and the Greens even though National was in opposition following the 2017 election, passing its first reading.
However, Labour’s members on the education and workforce select committee recommended the bill not progress in 2021.
Auckland’s Papatoetoe North School offers two bilingual Hindi classes for Year 3 to Year 6 students.
Photo: Supplied
In the run-up to the 2023 election, National appeared to deprioritise the language bill it once championed.
A spokesperson for Education Minister Erica Stanford said at the time the proposal was not being considered.
The Ministry of Education later confirmed that no plans were in place to make second-language learning compulsory.
“There is no requirement for schools to offer a second language,” said Hayley Welch, acting general manager of Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education.
“But all schools with students in Year 7 to Year 10 should be working towards offering students opportunities for learning a second or subsequent language.
“The ministry remains committed to reflecting New Zealand’s diversity in education.
“We are interested in how the national curriculum might support broader language inclusion in the future, and we welcome ongoing engagement with communities on issues like this.”