Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
5.34 As noted earlier in the report there is a shortage of trained ATSI linguists in some locations and a heavy reliance on non-ATSI linguists. Dr Annette Schmidt states:
A serious problem encountered by many language maintenance projects is lack of skilled staff to develop, organise and run the program. In particular, there is a striking shortage of trained teacher-linguists (possessing both teaching and linguistic skills in Aboriginal languages). It must be stressed that many 'teacher-linguists' employed by State education departments do not have linguistic training or experience. The term is often a euphemism for teachers who work on Aboriginal language programs. 104
5.35 While there is a strong demand for linguistic training by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people there are only two tertiary linguistic training programs for ATSI people in Australia. These are Pundulmurra College at South Hedland in Western Australian and Batchelor College in the Northern Territory.
5.36 Pundulmurra College began the Certificate of Aboriginal Language Work in 1990 to train ATSI people in literacy, literature production and oral language teaching methods. Most of the courses are on-site, and are designed to train ATSI language speakers in the necessary skills and techniques to operate school and community language programs.
5.37 From its establishment in 1974 until becoming part of Batchelor College in 1989, the School of Australian Languages (SAL) 105 was the only institution in Australia providing linguistic training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers. This training enabled them to devise orthographies and write grammars of their own languages. Language speakers are trained in literacy work, transcription, linguistic analysis, translation and interpreting. Staffing and student numbers at SAL were reduced in the mid 1980s and on current growth rates CALL will not reach similar student numbers until 1993. CALL recognises the large demand for linguistic training and seeks to provide on-site training along similar lines to remote area teacher training programs, using tutors living in the community.
5.38 The committee strongly supports the on-site training of language teachers and linguists. It offers similar advantages to the on-site training of teachers in that students are already skilled in the community language. Units taught in the community such as recording, analysing and documenting of the language are community specific, overcoming the usual problem of transfer of general theory to particular community practice.
5.39 The capacity of Pundulmurra and CALL to meet the linguistic training needs of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is severely limited. Dr Schmidt observes:
There is a sad lack of accessible training courses for Aboriginal people in the fields of linguistic analysis, language teaching, media and interpreting skills, despite the fact that such training is essential for Aboriginal control and participation in language maintenance activities. 106
5.40 The only institutions providing ATSI interpreter training are CALL at Batchelor College and the Institute for Aboriginal Development (IAD) in Alice Springs. As discussed in Chapter 4 there is a dearth of interpreter services available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people especially when compared with those available for other languages. Interpreter training should also be provided by the same institutions offering other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language training.
5.41 While graduating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers are virtually all assured of employment, language workers and interpreters are far less certain of employment despite the urgent need for their services. Training in these areas must therefore be co-ordinated with prospective employers and, where appropriate, employer funding agencies.
5.42 The National Authority for the Accreditation of Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) has various levels of accreditation depending on training, language proficiency etc. As the most skilled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interpreters usually do not have degrees they are limited in the NAATI level they can be recognised at and consequently the level of remuneration they receive, for example when working in courts. The most experienced interpreters are at present limited to Level 2 despite frequently undertaking work of a higher level. The committee recognises the difficulties of examining people in ATSI languages where independent peer review is not available. However, the committee believes that until a wider review network can be established for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language workers, provision should be made by NAATI for a limited time to allow people with demonstrably strong experience to be accepted at the appropriate higher level.
5.43 The committee recommends that:
the Minister for Higher Education and Employment Services in co-operation with the relevant state and territory ministers and teacher training institutions ensure that:
· the availability of language teacher and linguistics training to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people be substantially increased (Recommendation 17)
· additional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander training bodies, particularly those with experience in providing remote area teacher training programs, be encouraged to offer on-site language teacher and linguistic training (Recommendation 18)
· Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language training institutions should also provide interpreter training (Recommendation 19)
· language teacher, linguistics and interpreter training should be undertaken in co-ordination with prospective employers to ensure graduates will be employed (Recommendation 20)
5.44 The committee further recommends that:
the Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs ensure that:
· NAATI accreditation procedures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language interpreters and translators are reviewed to better recognise demonstrated experience and not necessarily require tertiary qualifications as a pre-requisite. (Recommendation 21)
CHAPTER 6