THE RELATIONAL SCHOOL - FOSTERING PLURALISM AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ALANGUAGE POLICY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

The effective implementation of a 'language policy across the curricul um' (LPAC) demonstrates both the advantages and demands of school-base d curriculum development. The benefits of an LPAC can lead to a langua ge curriculum which empowers minority students. The demands of such a curriculum require schools to establish a democratic decision-making f ramework among staff and an established consultation process with the local community; to become a relational school. The reason that LPAC's have yet to take a significant hold in schools is due, it is argued, to the organisational and pedagogical demands that collaborative decis ion-making and the formalisation of community consultation entail. Sch ools also need to be supported in this by a national educational clima te which fosters the inclusive and representative concerns of an LPAC. These concerns include:the promotion of equity considerations concern ing the recognition and use of languages within the curriculum; the ne ed for schools to have sufficient autonomy to develop a curriculum tai lored to local language needs; and the need to foster interchange betw een schools and their local communities in the discussion and implemen tation of that curriculum at school level. Richmond Road School in Pon sonby, Auckland is described as an example of a school which has taken cognisance of the demands of school-based curriculum development to s uccessfully implement an LPAC which is inclusive and empowering of min ority children.