Indonesian has been the language taught at Turner School for over 20 years. The school looks for opportunities to link with Indonesia and for our students to develop understandings of one of neighbouring countries. Mainstream students from kindergarten to year 6 participate in a program promoting language acquisition and communication in Indonesian. A significant part of the Indonesian Language program at Turner School is to develop understandings of the culture and heritage of Indonesia and its people. This learning also allows students to learn about themselves as communicators and to explore new ways of thinking and viewing the world.
Indonesian language learning useful information for families
Indonesian is written using the Roman alphabet, and there is a clear correlation and a degree of consistency between its sound and its written form. This feature generally makes it easy for speakers of English as a first language to predict how to say, read or write Indonesian words. It has a number of sounds that require learning, such as the trilled r, the ch sound of the letter c, the combined vowel sounds ai and au, the distinction between ng and ngg, and the glottal stop k when it is a final syllable.
Language features are strongly embedded in the cultural worldview that underpins and shapes the language. For example, Indonesia is a unified nation within which there are multiple languages; cultural, religious and ethnic groups; and geographical and political regions. The sense of diversity is reflected in the national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).
English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D)
Students who speak English as an addition language or dialect (EAL/D) are valued in our school. Students are supported and encouraged to maintain their languages through the assistance of parents and the community, in class and in whole school events and activities. The acquisition of English is supported within class by specialist EAL/D teachers working alongside classroom teachers.
Language pathways in the Inner North Schools
