Research On The Foreign Language Education Policy In Australia Since The Late 1980s

Language is a tool of thinking and also the main carrier of information and culture. It is the most important communication tool of human society. Mastering one or even more foreign language has been one of the main skills for existence and development in the 21^st century. Countries all over the world attach great importance to the foreign language education and put it in strategic position. In order to improve foreign language education so as to meet the 21^st century demand of foreign language talents, naturally foreign language education policy plays the leading role. Only the foreign language education policy established on the scientific basis, could it enable rational development of foreign language education. Australia is the first English country that makes and implements multi-lingual and plural culture in the world. The formulation and implementation of its language education policy have got high evaluation of linguists and politicians in the world. Studying such problems as development, influence factors, implementing strategies of Australian foreign language education policy, we can peer into the development orbits of the foreign language education policy in the developed countries and even the world. It has extremely important academic and practical meaning to the enrichment of foreign language education theory, the reform and further promotion of foreign language teaching.The thesis mainly adopts such research approaches as analytic approach of documents, description, factor analytic approach, comparative approach and case analytic approach to carry on the research of Australian foreign language education policy. The thesis firstly studies the assimilation, integration and plural development of Australian foreign language education policy from the angle of history. Then it explains the general current situation of Australian foreign language education policy after which it turns to case study. Through studying the background, formulation, content and implement ofNALSAS Strategy, we can see the development, formulation and implement of Australian foreign language education policy more clearly. After that, the thesis analyzes some factors of Australian foreign language education policy moving towards pluralism such as society, politics and economy; therefore there is an overall understanding of its development. On this basis, regarding value, utility, cost and benefit as the theoretical foundation, the thesis summarizes five major characteristics of Australian foreign language education policy from the visual angle of economics of language. They are: advocating plural foreign language education, paying attention to the key position of foreign language curriculum, emphasizing the economic value of language, strengthening the planning of foreign language education, increasing the investment of foreign language education. Finally, through studying the development of Australian foreign language education policy, the thesis draws several enlightenments and proposes some suggestions on the Chinese foreign language education.