Teaching and learning pronunciation in the FL/L2 class

• Dr Manuel Delicado Cantero, ANU
• 4.15–5.15pm, Wednesday 3 December 2014 (No RSVP necessary.)
•  Al Falasi Theatre, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies #127, ANU

After a period of neglect, the explicit –integrated– teaching of pronunciation is enjoying a revival. Initially championed by researchers in TESOL, the importance of this component (alongside core grammar, lexicon, pragmatics, reading, writing, social customs, etc.) is steadily finding its way back into the pedagogy of other languages, including Spanish.

This talk is an invitation to reflect upon the need for adequate teaching and learning of pronunciation at different levels (and thus with different goals) in order to improve our students’ competency in the goal language. It revolves around the nature of ‘pronunciation’, expected content, setting goals and models in the classroom. 

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update November 2014

Some information about language-related activities and issues that may be of interest

• ANU Language Teaching Forum, Wednesday 5 November 2014, 4.15–5.15pm
• Celebrate Canberra’s languages at Weston Park, Sunday 30 November 2014: 12 noon to 3pm. 
• Official launch of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Monday 24 November 2014: 1.15pm 
• The place of languages in the ACT Multicultural Framework 2014-2018
• What can the ACT learn from Victoria's new Love of Language website?
• Eleven languages curricula now available in the Australian Curriculum
• New China/Canberra scholarship will send students to Shenzhen
• 2014 ACT Japanese Speech Contest a Success
• Languages Australia: Bilingual Children & Bilingual Shop
• Tongues: an online multilingual magazine celebrating and publishing writing in all languages and about all cultures. 

To see more details click HERE

Indonesian Language Classes

Fun vocational language classes run by the Australia Indonesia Association (ACT) in a private address in O’Malley. All teachers are professional and native Indonesian speaking. There are six levels

• Advanced – Tuesdays 7-9pm
•  Intermediate – Thursdays  7-9pm
• Continuing Beginners - Mondays 7-9pm
• Beginners level 3 – Mondays 7-9pm
• Beginners level 2 –Tuesdays 7-9pm
• Beginners level 1 -  Wednesdays 7-9pm

The next term begins in the week beginning 13 October 2014 and each class runs for 8 weeks. Cost: non members $130, members $110 and membership $10 pa.

Prizes for beginner classes – levels 1-3: $100 dinner vouchers for outstanding student in each class. Donated by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.

For more information: Phone: Phil 62888 640, email: phil2dom@gmail.com, see www.aia-act.org.au

The Australia Indonesia Association is a not for profit organization. However, we do raise funds to support the Association’s charitable efforts in Indonesia. The Association would like to acknowledge the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in running this program.

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update October 2014

Some information about language-related activities and issues that may be of interest:

• Some short courses in various languages enrolling now for fourth term 2014
• Invitation to annual information exchange between schools, parent groups, teachers, and newly emerging communities in the ACT. Wed 12 November 2014 6.00pm – 8.30pm
• ACT community language schools day, Sat 25 October 2014, 2pm -6pm. Find out more about the 50 plus language schools and playgroups teaching over 40 languages each week in the ACT region.
• Family fun learning Mandarin, Tues, 21 October 2014, 3.20-4.50pm, 
• ACT Bilingual Education Alliance Languages Afternoon Tea,  Sun 26 October 2014 2pm- 4pm
• Working group established to prepare a two-year blueprint to enhance the learning of Mandarin and promote understanding of Chinese culture in ACT schools.
• ANU Teaching Forum: upcoming talk Wed 22 October 2014, 4.15 – 5.15pm, details of previous talks and how to join the mailing list.
• Other news from the ANU: Languages remain a priority, 2014 QS rankings, Translation Prize for ANU academic
• Languages in the News, from September Update of LCNAU, the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities
• New ‘Harmonie Children’s Choir’ being established

See more information click HERE 

Rethinking language, culture and learning in the language classroom

Professor Tony Liddicoat, University of South Australia

ANU Language Teaching Forum

Wednesday 17 September 2014, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
Al-Falasi Theatre, CAIS, Building 127, Ellery Crescent, ANU

This presentation will explore the nature of intercultural language teaching and learning as a way of understanding the practice of language education. It will examine some of the core assumptions that lie behind adopting an intercultural perspective in language teaching and learning and discuss how these influence the practice of language teaching. The presentation argues that intercultural language teaching and learning involves a rethinking of the nature of language, culture and learning as they apply in languages education.

The talk will be followed by drinks and dinner at a nearby restaurant. All welcome.

How to raise a bilingual child? Benefits and challenges

• Monday 15 September - 5.30pm to 7.30pm
• Telopea Park School, New South Wales Crescent, Barton ACT 2600

The Embassy of France and Telopea Park School/Lycée franco-australien de Canberra invite you to this information evening (with Q&A). Explore the myths and misconceptions, as well as the benefits and challenges, of raising a child in a bilingual environment. The evening will cover bilingualism as a general topic, not only restricted to French and English

Speakers:

• Dr Ruth Fielding, University of Canberra, Assistant Professor, Languages curriculum and TESOL
• Vishnu Kaleeckal Krishnankutty Nair, ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, PhD, research scholar
• Catherine Adam, Faculty of Humanities Université de Bretagne Occidentale, France, teacher trainer and author, PhD

A poster and abstracts of the talks can be downloaded HERE   

RSVP via bilingualchild.eventbrite.com.au or fb@lyceefrancoaustralien-efs.org    Live streaming will be available: contact fb@lyceefrancoaustralien-efs.org.

For more information about the event, contact Nicolas Gouletquer at the French embassy on (02) 6216 0135 

'Linguists in the education space' : ANU Language Teaching Forum September 2014

A presentation by Denise Angelo, Department of Education Queensland & Australian National University

• Al-Falasi Theatre, CAIS, Building 127, Ellery Crescent, ANU
• Wednesday 3 September 2014, 4.15 – 5.15 pm

ABSTRACT
At so many levels, schooling in Australia could benefit from linguistically informed advice, particularly where education is delivered in linguistically complex contexts. The question is whether linguists are prepared for the nature of the very particular “site” of schools which have their own culture, knowledge sets and practices. In this presentation, the school domain is viewed through the lens of the linguist to draw out the existing tensions. Specific reference is made to language in education policy, language ecologies and school data, and the role of language in teaching and assessment in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. The ramifications for linguists and for teachers/administrators are shown to be manifold, with deep and respectful engagement on the part of linguists being the recommended way forward.

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update August 2014

Some information about language-related activities and issues that may be of interest:

• ANU language teaching forum: Persian language online - obstacles and opportunities, Wednesday 6 August 2014, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
• Australian K-10 curriculum for Chinese, French, Indonesian and Italian now online 
• Two articles of interest: How we kill languages and fail our cleverest children, and The importance of literacy in the home language: the view from Australia 
• Indonesian language evening classes for adults 
• Join in Love2Read and the Reading Hour –Tuesday 19 August, 6pm – 7pm
• Read along with a book in Mandarin on 2XX (98.3FM), 6.30-7pm on Friday evenings.
• Skype promises to break the language barrier?
• ACT branch of the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) - NAATI Revalidation Issues and AGM, Saturday, 16 August 2014, 2pm – 4.30pm

For details of the above CLICK HERE

Skype translator opens up new possibilites

I would not like to rely on this technology alone, especially for important or critical messages, but it certainly opens up a lot of possibilities for learning and practising languages.

See demo at http://techday.com/the-channel/news/microsoft-breaks-language-barrier-with-skype-demo/188237/

Indonesian Language classes in Canberra

Weekly classes for adults 7pm to 9pm in a residence with classrooms in O’Malley at the following levels:

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Continuing Beginners
• Beginners from Novice to level 3.

Taught by trained teachers who are native speakers

For more information contact Phil Domaschenz at pdomasch@iinet.net.au (or Jenny at jenny_jakarta_indo_adventures@windowslive.com if before 4 August) or telephone 6288 8640

Four languages curricula made available in the Australian Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has today made available Australian Curriculum for four languages: Chinese, French, Indonesian and Italian for Foundation – Year 10 – see http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/languages/preamble. 

The curricula for the four languages are awaiting endorsement from the Education Council (formerly known as the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood), but as per a decision taken by the Council, the curricula are now available for states and territories to use in schools in their jurisdictions.

The remaining languages, including the Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages, Arabic, German, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese are currently under development. Funding for the additional languages – Turkish, Hindi, AUSLAN, and Classical Greek and Latin – has been provided by the Australian Government. 

How we kill languages and fail our cleverest children

An excellent article by Misty Adoniou, Senior Lecturer in Language, Literacy and TESL at University of Canberra

Languages education in Australia has mostly focused on the later years of schooling. A more promising way to develop languages education is to nurture the language skills of bilingual children. Approximately one third of school students speak a language other than English in the home, and enter kindergarten with sound early knowledge of their mother tongue, and with the cognitive stimulation that derives from knowledge of a second language. However, this potential rarely realised; their knowledge of their home language is usually neglected, and becomes stunted over time. Instead, it should be cultivated, as part of these students' academic learning. Ideally this would involve bilingual education programs, but when there are many language groups in the classroom such programs are logistically difficult. Other steps are more manageable. One is to employ a specialist language teacher in each primary school, to advise classroom teachers, and help them draw upon the English as an Additional Language or Dialect Teacher resources made available by ACARA. Another step would be to employ teaching assistants who speak students’ home languages, to talk to these students during the school day. Specialist teachers, assistants and mainstream teachers can all work with parents to support home language learning, and link families to community language schools. At the same time, teacher educators should be building home language awareness into courses, across all subject areas. Taken together, these measures are likely to encourage bilingual students to pursue formal languages studies in later years, to build students’ self-esteem, to sustain children's bonds with their parents, and to develop a valuable economic resource.

For copy of full article CLICK HERE

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update July 2014

Some information about language-related activities and issues that may be of interest:

• Federal government’s agenda for languages education
• Community interpreter training info sessions, Thursday 31 July or Saturday 2 August
• Language courses in the ACT enrolling now
• Talks to parent groups about languages
• Bilingualism workshop Macquarie university 8 August
• Closure of mylanguage website (mylanguage.gov.au)

For more details CLICK HERE 

Bilingualism workshop Macquarie University

Friday, 8th August 2014

Level 1 Lecture Theatre, Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University

This workshop, co-sponsored by the Centre for Language Sciences (CLaS) and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders (CCD), will be a forum to learn about and discuss research relating to bi- and multilingualism. It will feature presentations from invited speakers Professor Theo Marinis (University of Reading) and Professor Jason Rothman (University of Reading), as well as Macquarie students and postdoctoral fellows. Topics will cover all areas of bi-/multilingualism, including language development, language processing, and linguistic outcomes of bilingualism. This is a free public workshop with several talks in the morning and afternoon sessions, together with ample time set aside for discussions among the participants.

For further information, including links to the program, invited speaker biographies and registration form, see: http://www.ccd.edu.au/events/conferences/2014/bilingualism/index.html

Workshop Convenors

Distinguished Professor Stephen Crain, Professor Katherine Demuth, Dr Michael Iverson

Closure of MyLanguage Website (mylanguage.gov.au)

MyLanguage, a partnership project between state and territory libraries, went live as a multilingual portal in 2005. The main aim was to provide electronic resources in languages other than English to complement other library services to culturally and linguistically diverse communities. 

Now there are a wide range of online resources easily available in many community languages and the general community has become increasingly digitally literate, fewer people have been using MyLanguage. Many former users have found other alternatives. This has led to ongoing strain upon the libraries supporting MyLanguage to continue its funding and resourcing. 

After a review of the MyLanguage website and program, including an extensive survey of stakeholders and users, National and State Libraries Australasia has taken the decision to close the MyLanguage website and program. The impact of this is likely to be minimal as the information and resources are available elsewhere.

The MyLanguage Committee has commenced archival processes on the MyLanguage website, including harvesting a copy of the website for the Pandora web archive (www.pandora.nla.gov.au). The archived website is available now. The live website has been updated with information about the closure, and will be removed from public access on Friday, 8 August 2014.

Information and resources previously found on the MyLanguage website wil now need to be accessed through other online services. Please visit the help page at http://www.mylanguage.gov.au/faq.html  for some resources and suggestions to assist.

If your organisation has any links to the MyLanguage website on your website this is the appropriate time for you to remove it plus and any shortcuts from your public access or staff PCs.

A national language studies portal for Australian universities

Funding has been awarded by the Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) for a new and significant national project to four leading scholars in partnership with the Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities (LCNAU).

A national Languages Portal will be created as the key outcome of this project. This will improve access to languages at tertiary level for all students around the country. The Languages Portal will make visible in a single online location all languages taught at all Australian universities, ranging from Indigenous Australian languages to global languages, from semester-long courses to full degree programs, and via a number of delivery methods.

In addition to improving access to information for students, the Languages Portal project will create greater co-operation across universities. A trial consortium will also be established to negotiate and facilitate the process of cross-institutional enrolment, as well as to share advanced language studies courses and courses in lesser-taught languages — through joint on-campus and online teaching.

The project is being undertaken by four scholars and LCNAU members across three universities — Professor Jane Simpson and Professor Catherine Travis (Australian National University), Professor Martina Möllering (Macquarie University) and Professor John Hajek (The University of Melbourne - and President, LCNAU). It will be carried out in partnership with LCNAU in order to develop, maintain and disseminate the Languages Portal.

ANU Language Teaching Forum

Wednesday 21 May 2014, 4.15 – 5.15 pm

Portuguese Online – a complex enterprise between Indiana and ANU
Dr Vânia Castro, Indiana University, USA and Dr. Carlos Pio, SLLL, ANU

ANU’s recent decision to start offering Portuguese as an elective course in collaboration with Indiana University (USA) proved very successful, but quite challenging. Delivered online and in real time by a course convener (Dr. Castro) based in the US mid-west to students in Australia, the course planning and delivery required profound coordination of a significant time difference between Bloomington and Canberra, the choice of a software fully compatible with both universities’ IT systems and logistics, in-class monitoring and tutoring as well as adjustments in calendars and marking frameworks between ANU and IU. It has also required a great deal of flexibility and agile improvising to handle last minute IT instability or failures.


Wednesday 4 June 2014, 4.15 – 5.15 pm
The Off-line Revolution?! – Using ePubs for content delivery
Dr McComas Taylor, College of Asia & the Pacific, ANU

Teaching on-line has certainly revolutionised content delivery, opening up many wonderful possibilities. It enables course conveners to be more flexible, expand their student bases, increase enrolments and bring delight to Deans and Directors. Online is definitely the flavour of the month and many parts of the university are under pressure to expand their programs in this direction. But how far can we push it? After five years of intensive online development, I hit five seemingly insurmountable barriers. As a result, with the collaboration of Grazia Scotellaro, I have now moved all my content off-line into an electronic publication entitled, ‘The Joy of Sanskrit’, freely available through ANU ePress,thereby solving my five big problems. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with you

Both the above talks will be held in Room W3.03, Level 3, Baldessin Precinct Building #110, ANU

The ANU Language Teaching Forum is forum is jointly coordinated by the College of Arts & Social Sciences (the School of Literature, Languages & Linguistics and the Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies) and the College of Asia & the Pacific (the School of Culture, History & Language). To join emailing list, contact  Duck.Lee@anu.edu.au

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update May 2014

The May Update includes the following items:

• Call for support for community radio, which is in danger of losing  federal funding in the upcoming budget
• Plans for a training course for community interpreters
• Languages Potluck, Sunday 18 May, 11am – 1pm
• Talks to parent groups to help promote language learning and to support home languages
• Applications now open for Participation (Multicultural) Grants Program
• Other items from the May ACT Bilingual Education Alliance Update
  • Vacancies in after-school Mandarin class in Belconnen 
    
  • Filipino Language School Fun Day (Sunday 18 May, 2 - 4pm)
  • Using community radio to support and encourage bilingualism in the ACT region
  • Friday night 2XX Mandarin language program, children’s stories and songs and a chance for kids to hear themselves singing or speaking Mandarin on air
  • News from bilingual programs in the ACT: Mawson Primary School (Mandarin), Yarralumla Primary School (Italian),  St Nicholas Greek-Australia preschool and childcare centre (Greek)

For full details CLICK here 

Help protect community broadcasting

One of proposals of the Prime Minister's National Commission of Audit will reduce funding for Community radio, which in the ACT includes 2XX, CMS, Artsound and 1RPH.

As pointed out in the May Update of the ACT Bilingual Education Alliance (see previous post), broadcasts in other languages on community radio can help promote language maintenance and language learning in Australia. Ethnic and multicultural broadcasters also play a major role in Australia by linking new migrants and established communities with each other, their cultures, and the nation, as well as providing information about government services and events.

Community broadcasting acts as a ‘third sector’ media and is extremely cost effective. The small financial support from the federal government helps sustain the sector; reducing this support would have disastrous effects.

To show your support for community radio, you can

• sign the petition on the website of Gai Brodmann MP, member for Canberra, at http://www.gaibrodtmann.com.au/protect_community_broadcasting 
• visit the  community broadcasting's hub for the campaign on this issue at http://committocommunityradio.org.au and send an email to Mr Hockey via the link provided.
•  pass on this message to your colleagues and networks

ACT Bilingual Education Alliance (ACTBEA) Update May 2014

CLICK HERE for more information about the following items:

• Languages potluck in Canberra, Sunday 18 May, 11am-1pm
• Talks to parent groups about the benefits of bilingualism and language learning
• Vacancies in Tuesday after-school Mandarin class with the Mandarin for Fun group
• Filipino Language School Fun Day (Sunday 18 May, 2 - 4pm)
• A chance to contribute to the future of the annual multicultural festival (6-8:30pm Monday 5th May 2014)
• Why not use community radio to support and encourage bilingualism in the ACT region?
• News from bilingual programs in the ACT: Mawson Primary School (Mandarin), Yarralumla Primary School (Italian), St Nicholas Greek-Australia preschool and childcare centre (Greek)
• Applications now open for 2014-15 participation (multicultural) grants.

Mini-conference on interpreting and translating

Saturday 29 March 2014, 9am-4pm, CIT Bruce

An AUSIT organised workshop designed to assist translating and Interpreting professionals and students. It will also be of interest to others involved in, or thinking of getting involved in, I&T. Presentations include:

• Linguistic and extralinguistic factors driving variation, insights from pluricentric Spanish.
• Putting interpreters and translators on their feet - building on ethical and theoretical foundations.
• An interactive professional development event for interpreters and translators.
• Expectations of Ethics and Skills in the improved NAATI certification system now being developed for approval by NAATI’s owners mid this year
• CIT Solutions

For more information contact mecia.freire@bigpond.com, the Professional Development Coordinator of the AUSIT ACT Committee or see the event invitation HERE 

News from the tertiary sector

Thsi information comes via LCNAU – the Languages and Cultures Network for  Australian UniversitiesNews from around the tertiary languages sector

1. EVENTS 

Launch: Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages, 

Australian National University, 6 March 2014
Funded by the Australian Research Council, the Archive contains thousands of books in Australian Aboriginal languages produced in the Northern Territory during the era of bilingual education and now digitised with permission for public access. The Archive will be introduced with a talk entitled Aboriginal languages, literatures and technologies in the Northern Territory since the 1970s by Prof Michael Christie (Charles Darwin University). Register online.

Workshop: Engaging and enhancing the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages
Australian National University, 7 March 2014
To coincide with the 13th annual Australian Languages Workshop at ANU Kioloa, the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages project team is inviting interested linguists and language workers to a workshop to explore various possibilities for engagement with the resources in the archive and its ongoing development.Register online

2. LANGUAGES IN THE NEWS

Please note that the opinions expressed in the articles below do not necessarily represent the views of LCNAU as an organisation.

ANU's bilingual MOOC a hit in India
Australian Financial Review, 3 March 2014
ANANT Agarwal, president of US massive open online course provider edX, is a native Hindi speaker. He was born and grew up in India until he left for the United States to study for a masters and PhD at Stanford University.

Are musicians better language learners?
The Guardian, 27 February 2014
Children who learn music from a young age find it easier to learn languages even in adulthood, research has found.

How students are learning Gaeilge with rugbaí beo agus YouTube
Irish Independent, 26 February 2014
IT is all about taking the Irish language out of the classroom on to the dancefloor, and possibly putting the results up on YouTube.

Uni of Sydney fast tracks languages diploma
The Australian, 10 Feb 2014
INTENSIVE classes during holiday breaks will allow students to gain a Sydney University language diploma more quickly.

In simple everyday foreign languages, unis get it
Sydney Morning Herald, 10 Feb 2014
TWO universities are putting rivalry aside to save foreign language programs.

Ban on closure of strategic language courses not airtight
The Australian, 7 Feb 2014
UNIVERSITIES are unlikely to be denied permission to abandon a strategic language if a neighbouring institution is willing to pick up their students.

Funding tied to four new languages
The Australian, 5 Feb 2014
CHINESE, Japanese, Hindi and Korean have been quietly added to the list of strategic languages that universities are not supposed to abandon without government permission.

Islamic studies on the rise
Sydney Morning Herald, 5 Feb 2014
VOCATIONAL value and fascinating material attract students of all backgrounds.

CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY Friday 21 February 2014

The International Mother Language Movement invites you to help celebrate International Mother Language Day on Friday 21 February. Come and show your interest  and support for heritage languages and the many languages being spoken and learned in Australia by joining a Language Walk on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. Meet organisers at 5.30pm under the flags behind Questacon and walk 1.5km across Kings Avenue Bridge.

• Free cultural performances, music and entertainment at the end of the walk 
• Enjoy a sausage sizzle or bring your own picnic 

For map and more details CLICK HERE, contact imlm.21Feb@gmail.com or visit http://www.imlm21.org.au/

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update February 2014

CLICK HERE for more details about:

• Languages at the Multicultural Festival in Canberra, Friday 7 to Sunday 9 February
• Activities especially for kids at the Kids’ Fringe, Saturday 8 February, 10am-4pm
• Languages Information Stall Sunday 10 February, 11am to 4.30pm: a chance to meet others interested in promoting languages, find out about local initiatives and publicise any language programs and activities you are involved in
• Language Walk to celebrate International Mother Language Day, Friday 21 February 2014, from 5.30pm
• Language programs beginning in February, short courses and conversion groups for adults, programs for children in German and over 30 other languages 
• One day workshop re interpreting and translating, Saturday 29 March.
• Blog for those interested in Endangered Language and Cultures
• Millions awarded for research on languages through Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language