The inaugural state-wide Languages Adobe Connect session was successfully facilitated last week with participants logging in from all across NSW. We even had one teacher join us from overseas! It was particularly valuable to be able interact with teachers from rural and remote secondary schools such as Broken Hill, Orange, Dubbo School of Distance Education, Armidale, Leeton as well as Coleambally Central School. The participants represented a range of languages and we look forward to continuing to provide professional learning for languages teachers in this sustainable forum.    
 
If you were not able to join in live, you can access a recording of the session via https://connect.schools.nsw.edu.au/p3rrfy3vdq0/
Although this is a different recording from our actual meeting, the content is the same. Due to the repeat recording, the list of participants is not visible but the chat pod shows the presence and contribution of participants. The chat pod provides a forum for participants to interact by asking questions and sharing expertise.  
 
The presentation can also be downloaded if you would like to visit the suggested links for further training and examples.

Languages Adobe Connect sessions will take place once per term, contributing 30 minute of teacher-identified professional learning addressing Standard 7.4.2 of the APST. Details will be advertised on Languages NSW www.languagesnsw.com and in SchoolBiz.
 
We look forward to meeting with you in the Secondary Languages Adobe Connect meeting room in Term 3.
 
Languages and Culture team 

The Languages and Culture team (Secondary Education) is seeking an experienced primary and/or secondary teacher of Chinese to take up the role of Confucius Institute Officer from 3 August-16 December 2016. 

The position involves supporting curriculum initiatives and programs to support the teaching of Chinese K-12.

Higher duties will apply for classroom teachers. Applicants must have DoE approval, be qualified in Chinese and currently be teaching within the K-12 range.

Applications close 5pm on Friday, 22 July 2016.

Please apply using the attached expression of interest form.
For further information, please contact Elisabeth Robertson on 9244 5385.

Please join the first state-wide Adobe Connect session for languages teachers taking place next Wednesday 22 June at 3.30-4.00pm. It will include an update from the Languages and Culture Team and some updates on collaborative tools to use in teaching and learning. We look forward to meeting virtually with many teachers in the Secondary Languages meeting room.  
 
Adobe Connect is very user-friendly. Simply, go to the Secondary Languages Adobe Connect Meeting Room, https://connect.schools.nsw.edu.au/secondarylanguages/ and log in using your DoE username followed by @detnsw and your normal password.
 
You do not need to register to join the session, just log in a few minutes before the meeting begins. The sessions will be recorded if you are not available at the meeting time.
 
If you’re new to using Adobe Connect, a detailed how-to-guide is available below. We recommend that you complete the connection tests prior to the event as it may take a few minutes depending on the computer you are using.

Expressions of interest are invited from teachers and Head Teachers of languages to join the Language Advisory Network Group (LANG). 
This advisory group will consist of up to ten secondary school-based language curriculum leaders and Language Officers from the Languages and Culture team (Secondary Education – Learning and Teaching Directorate).
The LANG will:

• - identify professional learning needs of languages teachers
• - collaborate and deliver relevant and registered professional learning modules through a range of delivery options
• - support teachers working towards and maintaining accreditation
• - build the capacity of virtual and face-to-face language teacher networks and leaders.    

 
The Expression of Interest form can be downloaded below. Completed applications are due by 17 June.
For further information, contact Janelle Byrne, Language Officer on 9266 8540 or janelle.byrne@det.nsw.edu.au  
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The AFMLTA has mapped the Professional Standards for Accomplished Teaching of Languages and Cultures to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, creating the Aligning Standards documents.
The links below may provide support for working with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in developing Professional Development Plans.
Teachers of languages may wish to use these documents to evaluate professional practice. 
The following links direct teachers to a PDF document of the language-specific standards which have been developed:
Aligning Standards CHINESE
Aligning Standards FRENCH
Aligning Standards GERMAN
Aligning Standards INDONESIAN
Aligning Standards ITALIAN
Aligning Standards JAPANESE
Aligning Standards SPANISH

To see the alignment and illustrations of practice, visit the Language Learning Space’s Professional Standards for Language Teachers:

• - Teachers of Chinese: http://www.lls.edu.au/teacherspace/professionallearning/250
• - Teachers of Japanese: http://www.lls.edu.au/teacherspace/professionallearning/2073
• - Teachers of Indonesian: http://www.lls.edu.au/teacherspace/professionallearning/1136

Explore the professional teaching standards through the lens of language teaching practice and look at some video examples of the standards at work in language classrooms. 

The Languages and Culture team (Secondary Education) has a short-time vacancy from 13 June to 1 July 2016 (the last three weeks of this term). The vacancy is for a Language Officer (SEO1) position.

Higher duties will apply for classroom teachers. Applicants must be qualified in languages and currently be teaching within the 7-12 range.

If you're interested in the position, please email elisabeth.robertson@det.nsw.edu.au by 5pm, Wednesday 8 June 2016 for full details and an EOI form.

Here are some useful online resources for the Olympics that Language teachers may find useful if preparing units of work themed around the upcoming games in Rio. 

AOC Australian Olympic Education – Resources that align with different learning areas, general capabilities and across different categories. Whilst not-Languages focused, these current AOC resources reflect the upcoming Rio games and can be adapted to suit the target language being taught.
http://education.olympics.com.au/resources
 
MLTAV & AOC Olympic Resources for Language Teachers – These resources were co-developed to look at aspects of the Olympics a few years back through the application of target language. They are cover themes of Olympic activities, symbols, countries, sports, training and schedules. Language teachers can integrate these into units of work they may be undertaking during the Olympics and flexibly deliver them based on their students’ language learning needs. These are available for Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.
http://mltav.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=176