IA3020 - Language and Culture in Indigenous Australia

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School of Indigenous Australian Studies

Available to all undergraduate students

This subject provides a rudimentary knowledge of Australian languages and explains how these are inherently interrelated to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. It will look at Australian Indigenous languages since contact with the English language and the processes of colonisation; examine them in respect to their varying states of being, including in contemporary times and investigate the range of strategies being used to contribute to their maintenance and restoration. Students will closely examine (with permission) two Queensland languages: Gugu Badhun and Torres Strait Creole. Students will be introduced to ideas and issues through reading materials combined with interactive activities including online materials

Learning Outcomes

• identify how Indigenous languages are an important part of the cultural heritage of Australia and constitute a significant contribution to contemporary Australian mainstream culture;
• examine the complex nature of Indigenous languages by discerning the historical, social and societal issues related to using them including the development of pidgins and creoles;
• demonstrate a basic knowledge of Australian languages including the lexicon system and phonemic orthography of one sample Indigenous language;
• discuss the state of Indigenous languages in Australia today and the efforts being made to maintain or reclaim them; and infer what the future may hold for Australian languages;
• identify the difference between Australian English and the English based languages eg Kriol, Torres Strait Creole or Aboriginal English.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion.

Inadmissible Subject Combinations:

IA2020 IA3002

Availabilities
Townsville, Block, Study Period 3
Census Date 07-Feb-2013
Face to face teaching 04-Feb-2013 to 08-Feb-2013 (Block: 5 day week)
Coord/Lect:	Ms Lynette Ireland.
Contact hours:	40 hours workshops/Seminars - 8 hours per day X 5 days
Assessment:	other exams (50%); practical language activity (15%); critical analysis -psuedo debate which includes 'during block' (oral 15%) and 'post block' (written 20%) (35%).
Special Assessment Requirements:	Must have access to world wide web and LearnJCU

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.