Values and Asia Literacy – imperatives for the Australian Classroom

The moral imperative….

I am future’s child… I am future’s child. I am 16 years old. I will be alive and well in My children will see the 22nd century. Can you even imagine what the world will be like for them? Wherever I live and work I will certainly be mixing in a multi national, multi cultural and multi faith setting; white people may be the ethnic minority. Are you confident you can design a curriculum that will equip me to live in my world? I am sixteen years old and I am sitting in one of your classrooms today.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wants: “Australia to become the most Asia- literate country in the Western world.” Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said “It is impossible to conceive of a future Australian education system that does not take the study of Asia seriously.” Speech to Asia Society 11th Annual Dinner, 6 April 2008, New York The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Speech, AEF National Forum, Adelaide 19 May 2008

“India, China and other Asian nations are growing and their influence is increasing. Australians need to become ‘Asia literate’, engaging and building strong relationships with Asia.” Goal 2: All young Australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens “active and informed citizens…are able to relate and communicate across cultures, especially in relation to cultures and countries of the Asia- Pacific.”

‘Asia is now the region of the world whose current emergence is one of history’s greatest catalysts for worldwide change. Australians require new skills, knowledge and understanding related to the Asian region and Australia’s engagement with Asia in order to meet the challenges and opportunities of living and working in the 21st century’. National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools.

Global and regionally-engaged Asia-literate young Australians

What is an Asia-engaged student? Understand ‘Asia’ Explain ‘Asia’ – geography, history, culture, economy Understand diversity – environments, cultures, beliefs, societies Understand importance of economic, strategic, cultural links with world and Australia. literate

Understand ‘Asia’ Developed informed attitudes and values toward Asian people, events, lifestyles, ideas Of plurality, interdependence Critically analyse stereotyped views of Asia What is an Asia-engaged student? literate

Understand ‘Asia’ Developed informed attitudes and values Know about contemporary and traditional Asia Cultures, societies, beliefs Contributions of Asia to human endeavour Know about events and issues to explain the history and added to world development. What is an Asia-engaged student? literate

Understand ‘Asia’ Developed informed attitudes and values Know about contemporary and traditional Asia Connect Asia to Australia Current trends common to Australia, Asia, the world Increasing cultural diversity has added to Australian society and culture Historical and current Australia-Asia engagement, co-operation tensions and friendship What is an Asia-engaged student? literate

Understand ‘Asia’ Developed informed attitudes and values Know about contemporary and traditional Asia Connect Asia to Australia Communicate Develop intercultural skills and understandings to engage in diverse cultures at home and abroad Communicate in one or more Asian languages What is an Asia-engaged student? literate

Features of an Asia-engaged school 4 literate An Asia Literate school can be summarised as: - The school community acknowledges the place of the Studies of Asia and Australia (SOAA) in the school documents and has a policy of incorporating these studies across learning areas in accordance with the National Statement on Engaging Young Australians with the Studies of Asia in Australian schools. POLICY *Audit curriculum, resources and staff to identify baseline and identify areas for improvement. *School action plan being developed by an interested group of educators using the National Statement as a guide. *There is a school action plan to implement the SOAA as set out in the national statement and it is being implemented. CURRICULUM SOAA is delivered in small, occasional unrelated tasks. SOAA occur in some learning areas presented through various topics. SOAA are sequential and inter-related with multiple entry points for students. The curriculum has some Asian content or stand-alone Asian studies. SOAA is found in several learning areas and year levels. The curriculum reflects the integrated scope & sequence of SOAA across the learning areas and the year levels. IMPLEMENTATION Some teachers working in an isolated approach in some learning areas or across the curriculum. Some teachers working together in learning areas or year levels across the curriculum or year levels. There is a team commitment to a whole school, across the curriculum approach to the SOAA. STUDENT OUTCOMES Student learning is typically around food, flags, festivals and folktales of Asia. Student learning develops positive values, attitudes and skills enabling them to develop intercultural understandings of and about Asia. Student learning involves deep and rich learning tasks and intercultural understandings.

_html/scope_sequence.htm

Voices and Values What values – explicit or implicit – are being revealed? Pick a favourite from your category How would you use this with your students? Categories: Photos Charts/ Tables Did You know?

Voices and Values What value (only one) could you highlight using this article/ section? How would you use this with your students? Primary 8 – chart and 9 – Greening the Philippines 14 – Mutual co-operation; Pitching in, table, Learning Mutual Co- operation 21 – Join the club to end of page Secondary 5 and 13 – Asian Australian values 5 – table; 16-17; one of the national symbols 23 – table and 29 – Social Concerns

Resources Values search Select one of the resources and identify what values can be addressed by the use of this resource. Indicate what the value is, which part of the resource and what the activity might be. How you might use this in your current work with Values in your school/classes. Images of Asia - Beliefs Cross Currents In our own Backyard Global Perspectives

Contact: Lindy Stirling

press.edu.au