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The NSW Department of Education is hosting a conference for modern languages teachers 7-12 from NSW public schools on 9 May at 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta. The theme is  Time to thrive: Empowering teachers and engaging students .   For regional teachers, the DoE will also run network events following the conference. These events aim to support teachers to design lesson content that is engaging and encourages success in language learning for all students.

The Languages and Culture team is running their Term 1 statewide staff meeting on Wednesday 26 February. Everyone is welcome! The meeting will focus on 10 engaging ways to use ICT in the languages classroom , including: the benefits of using ICT in the classroom stocking your ICT 'toolbox'. Please enrol via MyPL: Course code:  NR29242 Time:  4-5 pm

The department has published Stage 6 scope and sequences for French and Japanese Continuers courses . The link to the materials can be found on the Stage 6 section of their website, and then click on the French Continuers Stage 6 sample scope and sequence  and Japanese Continuers Stage 6 sample scope and sequence  links.

The department has recently published their Brain breaks in languages  guide. The guide provides sample language-based and non-language-based brain breaks, as well as some important considerations.  Brain breaks provide a low-stakes opportunity for students’ brains to rest and replenish focus ( Department of Education, 2023 ). Providing short breaks (approximately 5 minutes) in learning can help students to avoid feeling cognitively overloaded, enhancing their overall learning experience. Brain breaks can also liven up the ‘mood’ of a lesson, boost energy, increase engagement and are a proactive measure to assist with classroom management ( Lander et al, 2024 ).

To align with the changes to NESA's PD requirements for teachers  (from 16.08.24) and the removal of Accredited and Elective PD categories, the NSW Department of Education has updated their 2 eCourses and made them available to all sectors . Access the eCourses anytime, completing at your own pace. High potential and gifted students in languages 7-10  - 1 hour Student motivation and engagement in languages  - 45 mins

Next Tuesday, 10 December, the NSW Department of Education will be launching their support for the Classical Languages K-10 Syllabus, including support for Latin. At the launch meeting, they will discuss key features of the new syllabus, differences from the former language-specific syllabuses and the support available. This support includes:  a 3-year scope and sequence for Stages 4 and 5 12 sample activities with associated resources, one for each term of Stage 4 and 5 Programming guidelines for the Classical Languages K–10 Syllabus. Please enrol via MyPL. Course code: NR44209 Date:  Tuesday 10 December Time: 4:00-4:45 pm Venue:   Online meeting Please share the session information with your Latin teaching colleagues. For further information contact Kristen Faraday .

At the department's Term 4 statewide staff meeting on Strategies for HSC success –developing speaking, writing, listening and reading skills in Beginners and Continuers courses last week, the team explored: assessment requirements for Year 11 and 12 Beginners and Continuers courses strategies and tips to prepare students for HSC-style assessment tasks in all 4 macro skill areas features and examples of non-HSC style assessment tasks. Here is the recording of the meeting. Resources referred to in the meeting that you might like to check out are: Stage 6 section of the department’s website , where you will find the Continuers text type guides, Stage 6 guide to answering Continuers listening and reading questions, as well as other resources and advice for Stage 6 languages such as language-specific sample speaking questions, listening and reading activities based on syllabus topics and HSC advice for students MyPL course - HSC speaking tasks in Beginners and Continuers modern language courses Term 3 SWS meeting - Listening activities in Stages 4 and 5 Stage 6 Languages section of NESA’s website , where you will find Beginners and Continuers syllabuses and links to other useful resources such as past HSC Exam papers, standards materials, sample assessment schedules, sample formal assessment tasks and assessment and reporting documents for each course.

In response to teacher feedback, the Languages and Culture team is organising the first-ever statewide languages network day, to be held on Tuesday 3 December. Every language network across the state will hold a collaboration day, on the same day, under the theme 'Shaping 2025 together through connection and collaboration'. The goal is to support you by providing a day dedicated to language planning for 2025. The day will focus on: - collaboration with language teaching colleagues to share ideas, tasks and resources - time to plan for 2025 - AI prompting in languages to support planning and resource creation - editing support resources using Canva that are found on the languages website. Meetings will be held across NSW, with some networks joining forces to broaden opportunities to collaborate. The virtual network will also join forces with far reaching networks so that teachers unable to attend a meeting face to face can join in too. Network leaders will be in contact soon about where your network plans to meet. If you have any questions, please contact coreena.allen@det.nsw.edu.au . Teachers K-12 from all sectors welcome to attend (local events)!!

The Languages and Culture team at the NSW Department of Education has just published details of their Term 4 statewide staff meeting.  The topic is Strategies for HSC success  - developing speaking, writing, listening and reading skills in Beginners and Continuers courses . In the meeting the team will focus on: assessment requirements for Year 11 and 12 Beginners and Continuers courses strategies and tips to prepare students for HSC-style assessment tasks in all 4 macro skill areas features and examples of non-HSC style assessment tasks. Please enrol via MyPL: Course code:  NR29242 Date: Thursday 14 November Time:  4-5 pm The main session will be recorded for anyone who cannot make it.

The 2024 Beginning Teachers' Workshop  is for language teachers 7-12 in NSW public schools  in their first 5 years of teaching. The event will be held on Friday 1 November  at the NSW Department of Education offices at 105 Phillip Street Parramatta and the theme is Igniting the future - empowering beginning language teachers . Registrations close on Wednesday 23 October  or when places have been filled. Please complete the form  to register. At the workshop there will be a number of presentations including: Engagement strategies for the language classroom Advocacy strategies for language teachers A backward-mapping approach to programming Launch of the Beginning Teachers' Handbook. During the day there will also be games and lucky door prizes. There is no cost to attend . Morning tea and lunch will be provided.

Did you miss the recent statewide staff meeting on 'Explicit teaching in languages'? Don't panic - the Languages and Culture team have shared the recording  of the meeting. To make navigating the video easier, in the description you will find timing hyperlinked to each segment.  A PDF of the presentation is also attached to this post. The team explored the key elements of explicit teaching, and how they are evident in their support. The elements explored include: chunking and sequencing learning connecting learning sharing learning intentions sharing success criteria gradual release of responsibility using effective feedback checking for understanding using effective questioning. For further information on explicit teaching in languages, please visit the department's ‘Explicit teaching in languages' web page .

The Languages and Culture team at the NSW Department of Education is offering the 2024 Beginning Teachers' Workshop to language teachers 7-12 in NSW public schools in their first 5 years of teaching. The event will be held on Friday 1 November  at the NSW Department of Education offices at 105 Phillip Street Parramatta and registrations are now open! The theme is Igniting the future - empowering beginning language teachers . At the workshop there will be a number of presentations including: Engagement strategies for the language classroom Advocacy strategies for language teachers A backward-mapping approach to programming Launch of the Beginning Teachers' Handbook. During the day there will also be games and lucky door prizes. There is no cost to attend . Morning tea and lunch will be provided. Registrations will close on Wednesday 23 October or when places have been filled. Confirmation emails with information about transport options and what to bring on the day will be sent within 48 hours of registering. Please complete the form  to register. If you have any questions, please email shanelle.ingram@det.nsw.edu.au . See attached agenda for more information.