The document discusses multilingualism in Australia. It defines multilingualism and outlines cognitive benefits, such as higher cognitive abilities in multilingual individuals. Socially, multilingualism provides benefits like improved communication and cultural understanding. However, Australia has taken a step back from multilingualism, focusing more on assimilation than language diversity. While over 250 Indigenous languages existed at first contact, now only a small percentage survive. The document calls for solutions like immersion schools and better language education to embrace multilingualism in Australia.

1. Creating Multilingual Possibilities for Achievement in Australia Presentation EDU8719 Heidi Merriman EDU8719 Contemporary Issues Conference October, 2010 University of Southern Queensland Please click on sound icon for each slide to hear commentary.

2. What is Multilingualism? People who speak more than one language comfortably and appropriately to varying degrees of proficiency. “ Multilinguals have varying degrees of command of the repertoires” (Wardhaugh, 2002, p95) Do you consider yourself to be multilingual?

3. Cognitive Benefits of Multilingualism The two peaks represent the separate features and abilities of the two language. The subject has knowledge of grammar, vocabulary etc of two different languages. The common underlying proficiency indicates the cognitive abilities are higher and well developed in multilinguals. The Iceberg Analogy Iceberg model taken from Edwards, 2009 p 19.