Professional learning for community languages teachers
Courses
The Community Languages Teaching – Foundation program is a 60-hour professional-learning program for teachers working in NSW Government-funded Community Languages Schools. Applications for the Semester One 2024 course (lessons commencing mid-February) close on Sunday, January 21.
The program will help you to:
- understand how children learn and develop languages and how to teach them
- engage and interest students in maintaining and extending their language and cultural abilities
- plan lessons and assess student learning
- develop resources and teaching activities that work with a range of students
All delivery modes of the Foundation Program include a visit to a mainstream school to observe teaching. This experience is interactive and practical, giving you confidence and new ideas in working with young children, teenagers and adults. A NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a mandatory requirement for this component of the program. Information about applying for WWCCs is available online at Service NSW. Applying for a WWCC can be completed online at the Office of the Children's Guardian at wwccheck.ocg.nsw.gov.au/Apply.
Students undertaking the Foundation Program are assessed on their practical skills, including developing resources, behaviour-management strategies and classroom activities.
The advanced program is a 60-hour program for community languages schools teachers in NSW and those who have completed the Community Languages Teaching Program – Foundation (see above) or equivalent.
The program will help you to:
- plan units of work
- develop advanced teaching skills
- use technology in the classroom
- mentor other teachers.
For the assessment, you will research a topic of interest such as developing a school program or designing materials and resources that you will then present to other teachers in the program.
The Community Languages School Leadership and Management Program is a 60 contact-hour program for school principals, leaders and management committees.
You will learn up-to-date ways to teach students and design school programs, as well as develop skills in leading and supporting teachers. There is a focus on learning how to manage schools, organise finances and meet government requirements.
For the assessment task, you will need to evaluate aspects of your school and develop a plan of action. To assist in this, experienced principals of community languages schools will mentor groups of participants.
