Australian policy activism in language and literacy

This book, which was the result of a 1999 forum designed to bring together people actively involved in language and literacy policy and its effects, focuses on language policy development and the dynamics of language and literacy policy activism. The various chapters present a comprehensive overview of policy generation, effects, issues surrounding language and literacy policies, and new theories, perspectives and possibilities. Chapters included in this publication are: From policy to anti-policy: how fear of language rights took policy-making out of community hands /Joseph Lo Bianco; Australia's language / Paul Brock; Politics, activism and processes of policy production: adult literacy in Australia / Rosie Wickert; Although it wasn't broken, it certainly was fixed: interventions in the Australian Adult Migrant English Program 1991-1996 / Helen Moore; Advocating the sustainability of linguistic diversity / Michael Singh; The cost of literacy for some / Anthea Taylor; (E)merging discourses at work: bringing together new and old ways to account for workplace literacy policy / Geraldine Castleton; The melody changes but the dance goes on - tracking adult literacy education in Western Australia from 'learning for life' to 'lifelong learning': Policy impacts on practice 1973-1999 / Margaret McHugh, Jennifer Nevard and Anthea Taylor; Sleight of hand: job myths, literacy and social capital / Ian Falk; National literacy benchmarks and the outstreaming of ESL learners / Penny McKay; Open for business: the market, the state and adult literacy in Australia up to and beyond 2000 / Peter Kell; Inventiveness and regression: interpreting/translating and the vicissitudes of Australian language policy / Uldis Ozolins / Deafness and sign language in government policy documents 1983-1990 / Des Power; Imprisoned by a landmark narrative? Student/teacher ratios and the making of policy / Merrilyn Childs; Ideologies, languages, policies: Australia's ambivalent relationship with learning to communicate in 'other' languages / Angela Scarino and Leo Papadametre; Reconciled to what? Reconciliation and the Northern Territory's Bilingual education program, 1973-1998 / Christine Nicholls; Sing out that song: the textual activities of social technologies in an Aboriginal community / Jack Frawley.