Stuff – Simon Draper
“The Asia New Zealand Foundation knows from our work with schools that children who are bilingual find it easier to acquire further languages and become multilingual. We have visited schools in Gisborne and Taranaki with children who are already bilingual in te reo and English. Their teachers have been struck by how easily these students have picked up Mandarin. Multilingualism is normal in much of the world, and young people lap up the opportunity to learn new languages if they are in the right environment. But here in New Zealand, the reality is that students are often forced to choose between te reo and another language when they are given choices. If New Zealand wants to raise global citizens, then students need to know where they stand in the world, and knowing who they are as New Zealanders is a fundamental part of that.” (more)