Implications for NSW Languages Teachers

1. Kylie Farmer
president@afmlta.asn.au
Australian Federation of Modern Language
Teachers’ Associations
Australian Curriculum:
Impact & Relevance for
teachers of Languages in NSW

2. • To provide leadership, representation, advocacy and
support for quality teaching and learning of
languages.
This is achieved through implementation of our
strategic plan which identifies 4 key areas:
• Member Services
• Leadership, Representation & Advocacy
• Research & Professional Practice
• Governance & Operations
AFMLTA Vision

3. • Recognize and encourage
outstanding
contributions to the field
of language education
– Medal for Outstanding
Service to Language
Teaching
– Certificate of Merit
– Nomination forms
available now from
AFMLTA website
– Nominations due 1 May
Member Services

4. • Provide a digital space
as a repository for key
information
– afmlta.asn.au
Member Services

5. • Provide timely
information to
members on issues
– News In Brief newsletter
distributed to MLTAs
each term
– Teachers@afmlta.asn.au
email list
– Facebook
– Twitter @afmlta
Member Services

6. • Maintain a high profile
for the AFMLTA as the
peak Professional
Teaching Association
for languages
educators
• AFMLTA consults to
and engages with
national organisations
such as:
– AAAE
– ACARA
– AEF
– AITSL
– Australian Government
– ESA
– Federal Department of
Education & Training
Leadership, Representation & Advocacy

7. • Develop policy and
professional agendas
based on the needs of
the Languages
profession and be able
to respond to pressing
issues (state, national,
language- specific) for
the language
profession in a timely
fashion
– Recently AFMLTA
presented a submission to
the Teacher Education
Ministerial Advisory Group
(TEMAG)
– We were very pleased to
see one of the key
recommendations was that
all primary trained teachers
graduate with one
specialisation –
maths, science
or Languages
Leadership, Representation & Advocacy

8. • Support Languages as a
key learning area
identified in the
Melbourne Declaration
and the Australian
Curriculum
- AFMLTA is represented
on the ACARA Advisory
Group and National
Panel for Languages
and has actively
supported the
development of the
AC:L since the work
began in 2009
Leadership, Representation & Advocacy

9. • Promote the use of the
AFMLTA Professional
Standards for guiding
professional practice
for Languages teachers
- AFMLTA has recently
developed a document
which aligns the AITSL
and AFMLTA
standards.
- These are available
from the Standards
section on the AFMLTA
website afmlta.asn.au
Research and Professional Practice

10. • Facilitate a
biennial national
conference
Research and Professional Practice

11. • Publish Babel as the
academic journal of
Languages Educators in
Australia
Research and Professional Practice

12. • Support Languages
educators in working
within their local state
and national contexts
and in using the
relevant guiding
policies and documents
• Work with state MLTAs
to facilitate
professional learning
Research and Professional Practice

13. • 550+ teachers
registered nationally
• Teachers involved in a
national conversation
around AC:L to develop
an understanding of the
curriculum and inform
how teachers may
begin to plan for and
trial in languages
classrooms
March workshops
• 13th Darwin: 25
• 14th Adelaide: 92
• 14th Brisbane: 103
• 14th Canberra: 85
• 14th Melbourne: 30
• 14th Perth: 103
• 21st Sydney: 47
• 21st Townsville: 50
• 28th Hobart: 28

14. Australian Curriculum: Languages Update
Language Update
Chinese
French
Indonesian
Italian
Currently available on:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/languages/
preamble
Arabic
German
Hindi
Japanese
Modern Greek
Spanish
Vietnamese
Pdf versions currently available on:
http://acara.edu.au/curriculum/learning_areas/langu
ages.html
Expecting interactive versions to be available at end
of March on:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/languages/
preamble
Hindi
Turkish
Currently under development
To be published December 2015
Auslan
Classical
Languages
Currently under development
To be published December 2016
Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander
Languages is currently under development

15.  Relevant curriculum and school
authorities in each state and territory
make decisions about the
implementation of the Australian
Curriculum in their schools
Source:
http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/foundation_-_year_10.html
(Accessed 22 January 2015)
Australian Curriculum:Languages
Implementation

16. • 2016
– Queensland
– South Australia
• 2017
– Victoria
• 2018
– Western Australia
• Planning
implementation but
timing undecided
– Tasmania
– Australian Capital
Territory
– Northern Territory
• Undecided
– New South Wales
Implementation Planning

17. • Students of Languages will benefit from:
– access to the world-class curriculum developed by ACARA
through a more sophisticated approach to the learning of
Languages
– opportunities which will open up during national
collaboration
– access to a rich range of supporting resources for learning
– improved mobility opportunities for students and their
families when changing schools around Australia.
Relevance - students
Source:
http://mltav.asn.au/images/stories/MLTAV_Position_Paper_July_2014_Australian_Curriculumv2.pdf

18. • Teachers of Languages will also benefit through :
– opportunities for national collaboration
– working with a more sophisticated approach to the
teaching of Languages
– Increased availability of a rich range of resources
– Professional learning which will take on a new dimension,
as for the first time teachers of Languages will be able to
engage in conversations with their interstate counterparts
based on a common curriculum framework
Relevance - teachers
Source:
http://mltav.asn.au/images/stories/MLTAV_Position_Paper_July_2014_Australian_Curriculumv2.pdf

19. • The process of curriculum renewal involved in the
development of the AC:Languages has engaged
Languages professionals in rich conversations
concerning learning and teaching over several years,
conversations which are aimed at improving Languages
education in Australia.
• Through this process, there is already a strong sense of
ownership of the new curricula amongst Languages
teachers.
How are you engaging with the development of the AC:L?
Teacher Engagement
Source:
http://mltav.asn.au/images/stories/MLTAV_Position_Paper_July_2014_Australian_Curriculumv2.pdf

20. • The AC: Languages moves beyond ‘communicative’
methodology as the underpinning framework, in presenting a
more complex view of communication.
• This understanding of language interaction involves, for
example the moulding of identity through reciprocal, inter-
and intraculturally-complex and dynamic communication.
• The Sub-Strands of the AC:Languages exemplifies this
approach.
- Socialising, Informing, Creating, Translating, Reflecting
- Systems of Language, Language Variation & Change
Role of Language & Culture,
• How much of a shift in practice does this approach represent for
you personally?
Impact

21. • AC for Languages is delivering language-specific
curricula which is significant as it recognises that
Languages, whilst sharing common elements, are
very individual in nature.
• How do you anticipate this might impact on your
language teaching?
Impact

22. • Languages taught which won’t have a language-
specific curricula developed by ACARA
– Perhaps can be addressed through a framework based on
the Australian Curriculum: Languages for Roman and
Non-Roman languages similar to the way in which a
framework for Classical Languages is currently being
developed by ACARA.
Impact

23. • Engage with the ACARA materials to inform your
understanding of the curriculum
• Participate in the national conversation with
languages colleagues
• Advocate to authorities, through organisations such
as MLTANSW, to voice your position about the
implementation of Australian Curriculum:
Languages in NSW
How can you have an impact?

24. • Ensure you keep up to
date and connected by
being a member of
MLTANSW as this
provides you with a
voice and membership
benefits at the state
and national level.
• Thank you for the
opportunity to be part of
your conference and to
connect with you and
the great work being
done by MLTANSW for
language teachers in
New South Wales.
Membership Counts!