Indigenous Languages Education

Coursework

The Master of Indigenous Languages Education is a one-year full time degree open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers seeking to develop their skills in Indigenous language teaching.

This course equips educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively implement the NSW Aboriginal Languages Syllabus from Kindergarten to Year 10, and syllabi from other states and territories.

Graduates may fulfil a variety of roles in Indigenous languages education contexts and languages revitalisation generally.

Students can choose to complete the master, graduate diploma or graduate certificate.

Units are delivered in block mode in three separate intensive weeks in each semester.

Course Accreditation

The NSW Department of Education acknowledges the availability of the Master of Indigenous Languages Education and accepts this program as providing appropriate training for qualified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachersl teachers seeking additional approval to teach an Aboriginal language. The Master of Indigenous Languages Education does not substitute a standard teaching qualification, but does provide professional development to teachers in Indigenous Languages in Education, training for others to assist teachers or work in community education in Indigenous Australian languages.

Outcomes

At the conclusion of their studies, students should be able to:

• understand and apply recent disciplinary and practice developments relevant to their own language, Australian languages, revival languages, and languages education.
• demonstrate and apply knowledge of the research principles and methods applicable to Australian languages and languages education.
• critically reflect on theoretical knowledge in application to specific languages, complex problems, data sets, and languages education praxis.
• identify and explain the relevance of information about a given language derived from a range of primary and secondary sources.
• prepare learners’ guide content, curriculum and teaching materials appropriate to a range of learners.
• solve complex linguistic problems, analyse data sets, and develop creative, practical solutions to languages education problems.
• apply and evaluate complex theoretical and methodological ideas relevant to their own language, Australian languages, revival languages, and languages education.
• interpret scholarly linguistic analyses to develop learners’ guide content, curriculum and teaching materials appropriate to a range of learners and their peers.
• conduct and report orally and in writing on their own empirical research in languages education.
• design, evaluate, implement, analyse, and theorise about a significant scholarly research question that will contribute to the professional practice of Indigenous language teaching.
• plan and execute a research-based project based in their professional practice of language teaching.

Awards and requirements

Master of Indigenous Languages Education
To qualify for the award, candidates are required to complete a total of 8 units of study (48 credit points), including:

• 4 core units of study (24 credit points) in their first semester as shown in core unit table before proceeding to
• 3 compulsory Elective units of study (18 credit points) as shown in elective units table and
• 1 capstone unit (6 credit points) from capstone units of study table.

The capstone experience is completed in the last semester of the award course. It provides an opportunity to integrate ideas and understandings drawn from units of study taken in the course. The capstone experience is a compulsory requirement of the masters.

Candidates may elect to undertake a research project in Indigenous languages education on an approved topic relating to one of the many Indigenous languages worthy of further documentation, investigation and research. Candidates may also choose to learn an Indigenous language outside the masters program.

External studies must be equivalent to 36 hours of face-to-face teaching and candidates must satisfy the School of Education and Social Work's standards and thoroughness of the nominated language teaching.

Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Languages Education
To qualify for the award of Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Languages Education, candidates are required to complete a total of 6 units of study (36 credit points), including:

• 4 core units of study (24 credit points) in their first semester as shown in Core Unit Table before proceeding to
• 2 elective units of study from the Elective units table.

Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Languages Education
To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Languages Education, candidates are required to complete a total of 4 core units from the Core Units of Study Table.

Contact

Mr John Hobson
T 02 9351 6994
Room 711, Education Building A35
E