The Languages Advisory Network Group (LANG) was established in 2016, with the goal of supporting language teachers 7-12 in applying for leadership positions and/or higher levels of accreditation.

In 2017-2018, the LANG had 12 members – 2 within the Languages and Culture team, and 10 school-based personnel. School-based personnel were released on a needs basis to co-design and co-deliver our team’s registered professional learning. Two of the initial LANG members were already in head teacher positions. One of these colleagues is now a relieving deputy principal, and an additional 7 members have moved into leadership positions.

This is why the LANG is one of our favourite projects, because it supports leadership opportunities.
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In 2019, the LANG evolved into 3 school-based personnel, released 0.2FTE for the year, once again to co-design and co-deliver our team’s registered professional learning, as well as to develop support materials for our website. We would like to thank the LANG Professional Learning Leaders for 2019 for their incredible dedication, expertise and professionalism in designing a range of professional learning and support materials:
- Amanda Singh (The Ponds HS)
- Deb Moore (Armidale Secondary College)
- Katherine Brownlee (Gosford HS – LANG for Term 4)
- Anna Brain (Peak Hill CS – LANG for Terms 1-3).

In 2020, we are moving to a new model of support. We will continue to co-design and co-deliver our team’s registered professional learning with school-based personnel – this ensures our professional learning stays fresh and relevant. The key difference for 2020 is that we will bring school-based personnel in to work with our team on short-term, targeted professional learning projects. This will ensure we continue to provide leadership opportunities for language teachers 7-12, whilst allowing teachers across NSW to express interest in our projects and be selected based on their expertise within a set field of interest.

​Keep your eyes on the blog in 2020 for opportunities.

We are seeking 2 teachers to star in our literacy and numeracy videos, which will be published on our website in 2020.

If you have a great screen presence, and are currently teaching languages in a NSW public secondary school, please send us your audition file.

All you need to do is:

1. film yourself reading the following 2 paragraphs, looking into the camera:
Understanding the way languages work through learning another language is unique to our subject area, as we explicitly teach systems of language, including types of texts, grammar and vocabulary. The study of a language develops students’ understanding of how languages work as systems, enhancing literacy skills in the target language, as well as in a student’s first language.
 
In the language classroom, we discuss grammatical features, sentence construction and the appropriateness of language for differing contexts. We encourage students to use the strategy of drawing comparisons with or highlighting differences from English in order to clarify certain aspects of the target language. 

2. complete the attached EOI form (endorsed by your principal).

Filming will take place over one day in early Term 1, with relief provided (and travel/accommodation costs for non-metro teachers).

Please send your video and EOI form to maxine.acosta4@det.nsw.edu.au (with subject line Video audition) by Wednesday 18 December 2019. The successful applicants will be notified before the start of Term 1.

Millions of Australians speak hundreds of languages other than English, yet as a nation we have a frustratingly monolingual mindset that denies our multilingual reality. 

T​ongue tied and fluent is a 5-part podcast which explores multicultural Australia from a languages perspective. Part 3 focuses on the Australian education system, which both values and devalues languages other than English. So schools play a crucial role in contributing to a multilingual Australia — or do they?

Please go to the series website or the ABC Listen app to access all 5 episodes.

Expressions of interest are invited from teachers wishing to be considered for a casual or temporary position in Stages 5 and 6 Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish from 29 January 2020. These positions will be located at 35 West Street, Petersham.
 
We also have full-time permanent positions starting in 2020:

• - German
• - Spanish.

Applications close: 4:00pm, 27 November 2019 

For more information, contact Tomoko Takahata, Deputy Principal or call 93814805.

The Languages and Culture team has published new resources to support teachers of Stages 4 and 5 in implementing the new syllabuses.
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We have published the following resources:

• - sample assessment tasks which showcase how to assess a range of outcomes and macro skills through authentic tasks
• - information and resources to support intercultural understanding and communication
• - sample scope and sequences for Stage 4 Indonesian and Modern Greek.

Remember, all K-10 language syllabuses (2017 and later) are underpinned by the Languages K-10 Framework so it's worth looking at materials for all languages, not just the one/s you teach.

Our support continues and we will add more materials as they become available.

All our resources are housed on our website.

The Language Teacher Network – Sydney South West will hold its Term 4 meeting on Thursday 5 December. The meeting will take the form of a 2-hour teacher identified professional learning. The focus of this session will be to support teachers to cater for students with additional needs and or disabilities in the languages classroom. 

Date: Thursday 5 December 2019
Time: 1:30-3:30pm
Venue: Holroyd High School
Enrolment via MyPL: search for course code NR25534 and select session Term 4 Languages Network Meeting (Sydney South West)

All language teachers living or working in the area are welcome to attend.

For further information please contact Suzanne Safi or call 9631 9410.

Expressions of interest (EOIs) are invited from teachers wishing to be considered for offsite positions.

In 2020, NSW School of Languages will pilot employing experienced language teachers who will remain in their ‘home school’ to teach students using a range of web conferencing software, a learning management system and a range of online and collaboration tools. 

An expression of interest addressing the criteria, of no more than 2 pages in length should be submitted to Ms Tomoko Takahata, A/Deputy Principal by 5pm on Monday 25 November 2019 at Tomoko.Takahata@det.nsw.edu.au
 
Please see attached information and EOI.

NESA has published information on preparing Year 11 assessment programs for 2020. You can find advice on: 
- developing school-based assessment programs in Stage 6, including checklists for teachers
- formal assessment schedules
- adjustments for students with a disability. 

Check your syllabus "Assessment and Reporting" documents available on syllabus pages for course specific requirements.