The presentation surveys the ways that indigenous languages are presented in language education policies in the region and presents examples of different approaches in different countries. It shows that, although indigenous languages are represented in various ways in policy, their position is marginal in education in most countries.
Asia is a linguistically and culturally diverse region and language education policy in Asia has shown significant and rapid development since the middle of the twentieth century, when many countries in the region gained independence. This presentation will overview language education policies in in East, South East, South and Central Asia based on work on the recent Routledge International Handbook of Language Education Policy in Asia. The presentation will present a survey of the ways that indigenous languages are presented in language in education policies the region and present examples of their positioning by examining different approaches in different countries. In some countries of the region, indigenous languages are invisible in education policy documents and the emphasis is given to the development of the national language and to foreign language learning. In other countries, education in indigenous languages may be recognised may be recognised in policy texts, but the extent to which this recognition is put into practice may not match the policy rhetoric and where there is support different languages may be supported in different ways. This survey shows that, although indigenous languages are represented in various ways in policy documents, in reality their position is marginal in education in most countries. The space occupied by indigenous languages in education seems to be limited by the emphasis given to spreading the nations’ official languages and the expanding role of foreign language learning, especially of English.
