The Languages and Culture team successfully established the Virtual Languages Mentoring Network (VLMN) in 2017 to support beginning and/or isolated languages teachers 7-12. A beginning teacher is one in their first 2 years of teaching in metro areas and up to 5 years in rural and remote.
 
Beginning and geographically-remote teachers of languages often work as the only language teacher in the school and have specific needs which cannot always be met at school level.
 
The VLMN includes a Language Officer, Evia Kyriacou, from the Languages and Culture team, 2 lead mentors, 2 beginning mentors and up to 15 school-based language teacher mentors (selected via expressions of interest) working to support the mentee teachers.
 
Expressions of interest are invited from early career/geographically remote teachers of languages 7-12 (mentees) who would like to join the second cohort of VLMN for 2019-2021.

The VLMN will:
- identify professional learning needs for mentees and mentors
- implement evidence-based mentoring practices to develop the capacity of mentees over an 18-month period
- support teachers of languages in working towards and maintaining accreditation at a range of career stages
- build the capacity of virtual and face-to-face language teacher networks.

​The VLMN will begin with a centrally-located 2.5 day conference for both mentors and mentees. The Languages and Culture team will provide release to participants to facilitate mentoring support and to attend targeted professional learning.
 
Please complete the Google survey https://forms.gle/mQpQMMwZKdvb17Z48 and download the attached EOI form and submit by 5pm on Friday 10 May 2019 to Evia Kyriacou.

NESA has released the exam timtable for the HSC oral examinations. The exam timetable period will run from 8 August to 14 September. ​

Visit the NESA website for full details.

Have you completed our eCourse yet?

The course is an absolute must for all language teachers 7-10.

You will have 8 weeks to learn at your own pace, completing 3.5 hours of NESA-accredited professional learning.

The course supports teachers in developing their understanding of the layout and key messages of the new syllabuses, and their implications for pedagogy, and includes:
- getting to know the syllabuses, including outcomes and content
- scope and sequence documents and learning goals
- assessing the new outcomes
- backwards mapping to plan a unit of work.

Enrol now for the Term 4 cohort via MyPL, course code RG04277.

(Please note the course is for teachers 7-10 in NSW public schools only.)

We have developed a series of infographics which summarise the key information in the new K-10 syllabuses. You can download and print for use in your staffroom, at network meetings or for your own reference.

• Infographics 1 and 2 – syllabus layout and content
• Infographics 3 and 4 – objectives
• Infographic 5 – Stage 4 outcomes
• Infographics 6 and 7 – macro skills and learning across the curriculum
• Infographics 8 and 9 – learner groups and target language use

The Hunter Head Teacher Professional Learning Network will host its Semester 1 meeting day on Wednesday 22 May 2019.

This network meeting is open to all substantive and relieving head teachers or language faculty coordinators in a school with a current subscription to the Hunter Head Teacher Professional Learning Network. In addition, one language teacher from each school may attend. 

Agenda:
1. Formative language assessments
2. Reporting matrices, marking criteria, assessment and activities to engage students in language learning and personal program development for new syllabus

• 3. Support in applying for NSW Premier Scholarships

• 4. Discussion of Semester 2 2019 Head Teacher Professional Learning Network Day ideas 

Please enrol via MyPL – search 'Kurri Head Teacher Network Meeting', click on your relevant KLA and at the bottom, click on 'sessions' and 'attend session'. Applications close on 11 April 2019.

Date: Wednesday 22 May 2019 (Term 2, Week 4)
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Venue: Kurri Kurri TAFE – Hunter Valley Hotel Academy, McLeod Road, Kurri Kurri

As part of the Language Teacher Network project, all language teachers are invited to attend the Project-based learning in languages workshop. The workshop will cover what project-based learning (PBL) is, how to design and implement PBL in classrooms and its assessment methodology. These questions will be explored through real examples of PBL experiences in the language classroom. 

Completion of the program will contribute to 1 hour of registered professional learning addressing standards 6.2.2 and 6.3.2.

Date: Thursday 21 March 2019
Time: 4:00-5:30pm
Place: NSW School of Languages, 35 West St Petersham 2049

Registration for the workshop is via MyPL (code: RG04457). If you would like more information please contact Christin Anggrahini at christin.anggrahini@det.nsw.edu.au or on 9381 4811.