Cocos Malay language since integration with Australia

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a remote Australian territory in the Indian Ocean and arehome to the Cocos Malay people, who have developed a distinct dialect. It waspredicted over 30 years ago that the Cocos Malay language faced extinction, perhapseven within the timeframe of one generation. Two possible threats to the Cocos Malaylanguage were identified. It was felt that English, as the language of power, may replacethe Cocos Malay language. The other possibility was language convergence, whereCocos Malay would be subsumed by another, larger Malay dialect. With these issues inmind, I explore developments in the Cocos Malay language since the Islands’ fullintegration with Australia in 1984. Drawing from extensive ethnographic work andlinguistic research into Cocos Malay I also refer to the work of other researchers toanalyse how the Cocos Malay language has developed over the past 30 years, in a timeof great social change. I argue that integration with Australia and attempts atassimilation have resulted in social dynamics where Cocos Malay language remains adefining marker of Cocos Malay identity positioning. In this social environment, CocosMalay therefore remains viable and, despite language change, does not face immediateextinction.

Promoting a respect for difference through language teaching

An emphasis on developing students’ moral and ethical characteris evident in the 2013 National Indonesian Curriculum. In this article, I lookat how respect for difference is reflected in the 2013 Indonesian NationalCurriculum, specifically referring to the second key competency area forsenior high school English language. I also draw reference from academicliterature that can be linked to this competency area of the English curriculum.Exploring theoretical links from the literature is useful to develop adeeper understanding of the importance of this key competency area. Discussionexplores the significance of respect for difference and the importantrole that English language teachers in Indonesia can play in promoting tolerance.By understanding how culture can be used as a divisive force, we canmore readily identify how teachers can develop a respect for difference intheir students to help overcome intolerant attitudes that can lead to discrimination.