The Languages and Culture team has published support for teachers 7-10 in implementing the new syllabuses:
- guidelines, which include information and advice on what you need to include in your program
- sample unit of work templates (we will include more samples soon)
- a backward mapping tool to plan your units of work
- information on embedding learning across the curriculum content.

All of the above can be accessed from the languages landing page for Stages 4 and 5 of the NSW Department of Education's website.

Also, we are gradually adding support to each of the language-specific pages, so please check back regularly to see what's new!

The Language Teacher Network – Sydney Greater West will hold its Term 2 meeting on Monday 17 June 2019. The meeting will be a registered professional learning on 'Shifting thinking – new K-10 language syllabuses'.
 
Date: Monday 17 June 2019
Time: 3:30-5:30pm
Venue: The Ponds High School
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Please enrol via MyPL course code RG04794 and choose the appropriate session. Teachers from all sectors are welcome to attend.
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For further information please contact Amanda Singh.

In 2017, the Languages and Culture team successfully established in the Virtual Language Mentoring Network (VLMN) to support beginning and/or isolated language teachers 7-12, especially those without the support of a head teacher with languages background. A beginning teacher is one in their first 2 years of teaching in metro areas and in their first 5 years in rural and remote areas.
 
These teachers often work as the only language teacher in the school and may have specific needs which cannot always be met at school level.
 
The 2019-2020 cohort of the VLMN includes a Language Officer, Evia Kyriacou, from the Languages and Culture team, 2 lead mentors, 1 beginning mentor and up to 10 school-based language teacher mentors (selected via expressions of interest) working to support the mentee teachers.
 
Expressions of interest are invited from experienced language teachers of:

• - Chinese (1 mentor required)
• - French (1 mentor required)
• - German (1 mentor required)
• - Italian (1 mentor required)
• - Japanese (5 mentors required)
• - Spanish (1 mentor required).

 
Mentors will be providing support from Term 3 2019 until the end of Term 4 2020 and relevant professional learning will be provided for all successful applicants.

The VLMN will:

• - identify professional learning needs for mentees and mentors
• - implement evidence-based mentoring practices to develop the capacity of mentees
• - 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 3-day conference for both mentors and mentees. The Languages and Culture team will provide release and related expenses to participants to facilitate mentoring support and to attend targeted professional learning.
 
Please complete the Google survey, and download and complete the attached EOI form and submit by 5pm on Friday 14 June 2019 to evia.kyriacou@det.nsw.edu.au

The Language Teacher Network – Central West will hold its Term 2 meeting on Tuesday 28 May 2019.

Date: Tuesday 28 May 2019
Time: 3:30-4:30pm
Venue: Dubbo School of Distance Education
Video conference: 600458718

Participants are welcome to come into the school, connect via video conference or Adobe Connect.
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Please enrol via MyPL course code NR18042 and choose the appropriate session. Teachers from all sectors are welcome to attend.
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For further information please contact Anna Brain. 

Thank you to all the language teachers who joined us for yesterday's Adobe Connect session. Below please find a link to the recording, if you were unable to join us live. 

The session includes information on the Languages and Culture team's eCourse, updates to our website and projects for 2019.

Adobe Connect recording: https://connect.schools.nsw.edu.au/prqsr6xnsw2i/
eCourse walk-through (5 mins): schoolsequella.det.nsw.edu.au/items/13001f92-f759-4e9e-a2d3-d7f5289fd2cd/1/eCourse%20overview.mp4?.vi=htmlFiveViewer (we were unable to play this during the Adobe Connect, so please take just 5 minutes to learn more about this professional learning opportunity)

Yammer is the department's social media platform – you can download the app to your phone or access it from the portal (under 'My applications').

From next week (Week 5), we will be available from 3:30-4pm every Monday and Thursday during term time to answer your questions, provide feedback or just have a chat about any concerns you may have about the new K-10 syllabuses. Join us in the Languages NSW (7-12) group.

You can join in live, or catch up on the action at a time which suits you.