Sustainable Language & Culture

Overview

This lesson explores the sustainability of languages and cultures in Australia and globally. Students will examine language preservation, Indigenous Australian languages, and cultural sustainability. They will critically analyse real-world language extinction cases and develop strategies to support language sustainability.

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Curriculum Links

Subject: Languages
Year Level: 11
Australian Curriculum Alignment:

• Intercultural Understanding: Examine how language and culture shape identity and worldviews.
• Language Variation and Change: Analyse the impact of globalisation, media, and technology on language sustainability.
• Sustainability Cross-curriculum Priority: Explore how languages contribute to cultural and environmental sustainability.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:
✅ Understand the concept of language sustainability and its relevance in Australia
✅ Analyse the factors contributing to language endangerment and survival
✅ Explore Indigenous Australian linguistic diversity and revitalisation efforts
✅ Propose strategies for language sustainability in the digital age

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Lesson Duration

Total time: 180 minutes
Class size: 18 students

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction: Understanding Language Sustainability (30 mins)

📌 Warm-up Discussion (10 mins)

• Think-Pair-Share: Ask students, “What languages do you speak, and how do they connect to your identity?”
• Discuss the role of language in shaping culture and identity.

📌 Concept Exploration (20 mins)

• Define language sustainability and its effects on cultural heritage.
• Case study: Present statistics on Indigenous Australian languages, highlighting endangered languages (e.g., Noongar, Yugambeh, Wiradjuri).
• Class discussion: What happens when a language disappears?

Key Questions:

1. What is lost when a language disappears?
2. Why are some languages more vulnerable than others?

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2. Indigenous Australian Languages & Preservation Efforts (50 mins)

📌 Guest Speaker or Video (15 mins)

• Show a short documentary or interview with an Indigenous Australian linguist or community leader on efforts to preserve Indigenous languages.
• Reflection: What challenges do these communities face?

📌 Group Task – The Language Map (35 mins)

• Students work in small groups, each assigned an Indigenous language (e.g., Yolŋu Matha, Palawa Kani, Kaurna).
• Using a linguistic map, they research:
  • The language’s origin and current speakers
  • Threats to its survival
  • Preservation efforts
• Groups present their findings in 2-minute summaries.

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3. Global Language Endangerment (40 mins)

📌 Interactive Activity: The Digital Language Divide (20 mins)

• Present case studies of endangered languages worldwide (e.g., Hawaiian, Cornish, Ainu).
• Discuss how social media and technology influence language sustainability.
• Debate: Does technology help or harm linguistic diversity?

📌 Mini-Project: “Revitalising a Language” (20 mins)

• Students design a real-world strategy to support a dying language, considering:
  • Digital tools (apps, social media, online courses)
  • Community involvement
  • Education policies
• They outline their strategy on a poster or digital infographic for a classroom gallery walk.

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4. Creative Task: Language and the Future (40 mins)

📌 Scenario Writing: The Year 2150 (30 mins)

• Prompt: Imagine a future where your chosen language is either extinct or thriving. Write a short story or dialogue depicting how this affects daily life.
• Encourage creative storytelling infused with cultural elements.

💬 Sharing & Feedback (10 mins)

• Students pair up to share stories and discuss the emotional/cultural implications of language loss.

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Conclusion & Reflection (20 mins)

📌 Exit Ticket: Personal Pledge
Each student writes a personal action plan:

• How can you contribute to language and cultural sustainability?
• What small steps can be taken in everyday life (e.g., learning a new phrase, engaging in cultural practices)?

📌 Whole Class Reflection Discussion

• How do languages shape identity and community?
• What can governments, schools, and individuals do to protect languages?

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Assessment & Feedback

✅ Informal Assessment: Teacher observations during discussions and activities.
✅ Formative Assessment: Group presentations on Indigenous languages.
✅ Summative Assessment: “Revitalising a Language” mini-project and scenario writing task.
✅ Self-Reflection: Exit ticket pledges.

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Extension Activities

• Language Advocacy Campaign: Design an awareness campaign (posters, videos, social media) promoting a language’s revitalisation.
• Virtual Exchange: Collaborate with Indigenous language speakers or cultural experts.
• Book Study: Analyse a novel or article about language and cultural loss (e.g., Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu).

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Resources & Materials

• Printed linguistic maps of Australia
• Access to laptops/tablets for research
• Posters and markers for visual brainstorming
• Video documentary on Indigenous languages

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Teacher Reflection & Adaptation

• Was the lesson engaging and interactive?
• Did students critically engage with language sustainability?
• Would future modifications improve student comprehension and connection?

This lesson aims to inspire students to become advocates for language and cultural sustainability, connecting local Indigenous efforts to global linguistic challenges.