CoEIL.com

Have we made an impact? What have we achieved in 2005?
In 2001 the Victorian State Government commissioned an analysis into teaching of Languages in Victoria. The resulting report Languages for Victoria’s Future, highlighted a number of key findings and recommendations that would strengthen the importance of “Languages as an essential skill in the curriculum of all students”. The following is an excerpt from that report.

Findings
Schools need access to a greater range of models and structured advice in order to deliver appropriate language programs to various categories of students. Centres of Excellence in Languages could provide an innovative model of languages provision, using a range of approaches, including information and communication technologies(ICT), for those with a special interest in, and aptitude for, languages.

Recommendation 5
That the feasibility and cost of establishing at least three Centres of Excellence in Languages in schools or clusters of schools at secondary level, two in metropolitan Melbourne and one to two in country Victoria be investigated, and that they be indentified through expressions of interest that encourage schools/clusters to secure substantial support and partnerships and take a lead in the innovative use of ICT, online and multimedia materials and act as lighthouse schools that promote ICT for languages and skilled teachers in its use.

There will always be lots of exciting things happening in our LOTE classes including:

• Using interactive whiteboards,
• Trialling the use of digital footage in the classes (including digital portfolios)
• Integrating LOTE across different subject areas
• LOTE camp for VCE students towards the end of the academic year,
• And much more.

This year we have three major events occurring:

• A series of intergrated LOTE activities during education week including: performances, cooking, sport workshops, calligraphy and dance workshops.
• Host a two day conference for LOTE teachers in Warrnambool towards the end of August, and
• Start writting our book – on our findings from the Centre (VELS and LOTE and/ or LOTE and ICT).

In our orignal plans for the centre we listed the following goals:

• Development of guidelines for Centre operation with the Network.
• Develop and trial guidelines for a coordinated approach to supporting primary LOTE programs.
• Existing Secondary School Program documentation and development (Best Practise) Japanese, Indonesian and French Year 7 & 8.
• Development of Resource Base for Network Languages.
• Staff Professional Development.
• LOTE Network.

Based on this list the centre has achieved set goals. The centre staff are still working with LOTE teachers in the two secondary schools to complete the documentation for year 7 & 8. (*Note that all LOTE classes started 2006 with new year 7 textbooks – that were designed by our teachers). We are still working on the year 8 programs.

In 2005 the centre facilitated:

• The establishment of LOTE network meetings,
• Various PD activities that were held in Warrnambool,
• Visit from 8 LOTE teachers from the mallee region,
• VCE LOTE camp (for year 12 students in 2006).

The centre also purchased for interactive whiteboards one for each of the participating schools (which are now working very well at both schools).

Plans for 2006.
In 2005 the centre focused on the needs of the teachers and what additional support we could provide for staff. In 2006 i would like the centre to focus on the needs of students. By providing:

• Additional teaching support for team teaching with LOTE teachers,
• Running local LOTE speech competitions
• Implementing a LOTE and the community project with Flagstaff Hill.
• LOTE week of activities for staff and students in term 2.

For staff:

• Continue to facilitate LOTE network meetings.
• Run more advanced interactive whiteboard PD in term 2 (for both schools)
• Show case some possible LOTE software packages.
• Launch a centre webpage – that will allow staff to share ideas with others.
• Hold a Centre of Excellence – conference in term 3

Legacy Project
Writting and publishing LOTE books for educators. Some of the possible topics include:

• LOTE and VELS how to combine the two.
• ICT in the LOTE classroom.
• LOTE and the thinking curriculum tools.