The presentation at the April meeting of the ANU Language Teaching Forum is
The Canberra Academy of Languages: addressing the need for a central delivery option for senior secondary languages to supplement school-based languages education
Presenter: Frank Keighley
- Monday 4 April 4.15pm-5pm
- Online via Zoom
- Free and all welcome
Abstract
The Canberra Academy of Languages (CAL) was established in 2016 to expand opportunities for language learning in the Canberra region. Our vision is that students for whom it is a priority to consolidate and improve their proficiency in a language other than English can do so by the time they complete secondary schooling. Provision of a language learning pathway in senior secondary education is notoriously difficult in Australia, not just in the ACT, particularly as a result of the attrition that occurs through the high school years from Year 7 to Year 10, which results in limited viable options for schools to form viable classes for continuing students in Years 11-12. In most jurisdictions, but not in the ACT, there are alternative provisions that complement day-school language education programs, such as the schools of languages in NSW, Victoria and SA, the language centres in NT (Darwin and Alice Springs), and the distance education centres in Qld (such as those in Rockhampton and Cairns). CAL is an attempt to address the lack of an equivalent in the ACT, with the intention that the territory’s government will eventually take on responsibility for running this.
The Canberra Academy of Languages (CAL) was established in 2016 to expand opportunities for language learning in the Canberra region. Our vision is that students for whom it is a priority to consolidate and improve their proficiency in a language other than English can do so by the time they complete secondary schooling. Provision of a language learning pathway in senior secondary education is notoriously difficult in Australia, not just in the ACT, particularly as a result of the attrition that occurs through the high school years from Year 7 to Year 10, which results in limited viable options for schools to form viable classes for continuing students in Years 11-12. In most jurisdictions, but not in the ACT, there are alternative provisions that complement day-school language education programs, such as the schools of languages in NSW, Victoria and SA, the language centres in NT (Darwin and Alice Springs), and the distance education centres in Qld (such as those in Rockhampton and Cairns). CAL is an attempt to address the lack of an equivalent in the ACT, with the intention that the territory’s government will eventually take on responsibility for running this.
For some years, CAL has been advocating this with ACT Government. In successive submissions, from our experience in delivering CAL’s programs, we have elaborated the delivery model and the transition plan, so that there is now a substantial picture available in terms of the proposed practical implementation of the CAL model as a government-run centre for senior secondary languages education, meeting the diverse range of needs among ACT students and families, and complementing (not replacing) the provision languages programs in Canberra’s senior secondary day schools. This implementation plan, and discussion arising, will be the focus of the seminar.
Zoom link: (https://anu.zoom.us/j/3114904953?pwd=bzE1NXdQVGJvVElnSUl5Z3B1RFNvdz09 Passcode 296860
The ANU Language Teaching Forum provides a platform for language teachers and researchers at the ANU as well as teachers from schools and community schools in Canberra and Canberra region to share their language teaching experiences and reflections, research studies, and pedagogical practices.
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