Editing New Zealand Sign Language (section)

==Official language status==
NZSL became the third [[Languages of New Zealand|official language of New Zealand]] on 11 April 2006, joining English and Māori. The parliamentary bill to approve this passed its [[Reading (legislature)|third reading]] on 6 April 2006.<ref name="TVNZ_696482">{{cite news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/696482 |title=Recognition for sign language |date=6 April 2006 |work=[[Television New Zealand]] |access-date=30 October 2011}}</ref> At the first reading in Parliament, on 22 June 2004, the bill was supported by all political parties. It was referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee, which reported back to the House on 18 July 2005. The second reading passed by 119 to 2 on 23 February 2006 with only the [[ACT New Zealand|ACT]] party opposing, because the government was not providing funding for NZSL.<ref>[http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/FINAL_2006_03_23.htm#_Toc131830390 Hansard 20060323] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007223547/http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/FINAL_2006_03_23.htm |date=2007-10-07 }}. Accessed 2007-05-27.</ref> It passed the third reading on 6 April 2006 by the same margin.<ref>[http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/FINAL_2006_04_06.htm#_Toc137032777 Hansard 20060406] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007223339/http://www.hansard.parliament.govt.nz/hansard/Final/FINAL_2006_04_06.htm |date=2007-10-07 }}. Accessed 2007-05-27.</ref> The bill received [[Royal assent]] on 10 April 2006<ref name="assent">[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00186.htm Governor-General gives assent to Sign Language Bill], Press Release: [[Governor-General|Governor General]], 10 April 2006. Retrieved 11 April 2006.</ref> and became law the following day.

The use of NZSL as a valid [[medium of instruction]] has not always been accepted by the government, the Association of Teachers of the Deaf, nor by many parents. However, in light of much research into its validity as a language and much advocacy by deaf adults, parents of deaf children (both hearing and deaf) and educationalists, NZSL has since become — in tandem with English — part of the bilingual/bicultural approach used in public schools (including [[Kelston Deaf Education Centre]] and [[Van Asch Deaf Education Centre]]) since 1994.  [[Victoria University of Wellington]] has courses in New Zealand Sign Language, although it has yet to develop a [[Academic major|major]] programme for it. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offers a 3-year Bachelor of Arts course with an NZSL-English Interpreting major.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.aut.ac.nz/courses/new-zealand-sign-language-english-interpreting-major-bachelor-of-arts | title=New Zealand Sign Language – Bachelor of Arts – AUT }}</ref>