INTENSIVE THAI LANGUAGE COURSE  

Sunday 28 October 2012, 10am – 4pm

An introductory course for ACT Teachers and others with an interest in Thai studies. Areas to be covered include language, culture, customs, religion and basic Thai cooking. 

If you have an interest in Thailand or have students that are Thai, this short course will give you a better understanding of this unique country and its inhabitants.

Venue Room E4.44, 4th floor, Baldessin Precinct Building, ANU  

Free, but limit of 20 people.  Lunch and snacks will be provided. 

Please email expressions of interest to Chintana Sandilands at chintana.sandilands@anu.edu.au by 25 October 2012.

ACT LANGUAGE POLICY 2012-2016, MANY VOICES 

This long awaited policy appeared without much fanfare on the website of the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs just before the ACT government went into caretaker mode in the lead up to the upcoming ACT election.

The policy makes a number of commitments to promote, enhance and safeguard the language skills in the ACT community. These include to:

• work with the ACT languages sector to promote the benefits of languages education and influence positive attitudes towards languages education in our community
• encourage schools to be aware of and value language learning outside the school – in the home, the community and in after-hours programs
• encourage all Canberrans to learn languages in addition to English
• make every effort to retain, preserve and use Australian languages in the ACT region
• provide interpreting and translation services and use plain English to ensure access and equity to programs and services provided directly by the government or through NGOs
• make English language programs readily available to Canberrans who need to improve their English proficiency (oral and/or literate)

A copy of the policy can be found at www.dhcs.act.gov.au/multicultural/publications

While quite brief and short on detail about funding or how implementation can be measured, the policy is nevertheless a clear statement of the ACT government’s commitment to develop the language skills of all Canberrans and to acknowledge and value the vital role of languages in personal, family, community and economic life.

It is therefore to be hoped that whatever government comes to power after 20 October accepts the main thrust of the policy and acts upon it.

Meanwhile, why not become involved in monitoring the implementation of the policy and adding to its effectiveness? Policies cannot bring about change on the ground without organisational and community input and support.

If the actions of the ACT government and its agencies do not measure up to policy rhetoric, consider making your views known to the agencies concerned and to the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs (email: nic.manikis @act.gov.au).  Individuals, groups and organisations might also consider using the policy as a basis for applying for governments funding and support!

NATIONAL YEAR OF READING - Reading Hour Saturday 25 August  2012

For all you keen readers out there! 

Think about celebrating the reading hour from 6pm- 7pm on 25 August. Check out the Libraries ACT facebook page or hop onto Twitter to see what others are reading, and share your plans for Saturday 25 August.  

The National Library of Australia is hosting a special event with authors Libby Gleeson and Jack Heath. Come along to listen to stories, browse the bookshop – where you can buy titles by Libby and Jack at 20% discount – or head to the cafe to read a book of your own. When? Saturday 25 August at 3.30 pm in the NLA Foyer and it’s free. You can book by calling 02 6262 1271 or book online.

The ACT Writers Centre are holding a pre Reading Hour event for readers and writers on Tuesday 21 August at Dickson Library from 6 – 8 pm. This is a great event particularly for children and young adults to get into. Find out more at www.actwriters.org.au.

As part of another National Year of Reading program, ACT Libraries are looking for a writer to undertake an $8,000 (excluding GST) paid residency in an ACT workplace. Applications by interested writers are due by Friday 24 August. Click here for more details

Tickets are now on sale for the Canberra Readers’ Festival – visit the website for more information and to book for what will be a fantastic event.

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update

The June Update covers:   

1.  A reprieve for the Japanese Program at the University of Canberra
2. A missed literacy opportunity for Migrant & Refugee Students (EALD Review)
3. Canberra events on Sunday 17 June: Languages Potluck Lunch (11am-2pm) and Traditional German Lantern Walk (5-6.30pm)
4. Farewell and Thanks to Trish Wilks, Director of Learning and Teaching, ACT Education and Training Directorate (ETD)
5. Reclaiming indigenous languages lecture
6. Bilingual Conference: Thursday 14 June 2012, 8.30am-4pm, University of Sydney
7. A chance to promote languages through the National Year of Reading (NYR)
8. Language Programs for adults in the Canberra Region: Spanish, Mandarin, Italian
9. Progress on the multilingual interactive artwork for Civic Square.

 To see details CLICK HERE

LANGUAGES POTLUCK LUNCH 

Sunday 17 June, 11am to 2pm. 

Learners of other languages of all ages and people interested in promoting bilingualism are invited to come and meet families raising young children in more than one language and seniors from a range of language and cultural backgrounds.

Bring along your favourite foods and share your cooking skills and recipes.  There will also be children's games from around the world and free fun activities for children.

The event is being held in the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre in Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra City (near Civic Library and the Canberra Theatre).

 

For more details see http://actbilingual.weebly.com or contact canberrabilingual@gmail.com (email) or phone Mandy on 6125 9673 (messages) or 0408 089 235.

This is the second ‘Meet a Language Grand’ event for 2012 organised by the ACT Bilingual Education Alliance, a local non-profit community group and supported by the ACT Government Multicultural Grants Program 2011-12

For more details see http://actbilingual.weebly.com/, email canberrabilingual@gmail.com or phone Mandy on 6125 9673 (messages) or 0408 089 235

Traditional German Lantern Walk in Canberra

Sunday 17 June, 2012  5pm to 6:30pm Glebe Park in Civic

Sausages, Saint Martin's Brötchen, traditional Gluehwein, Kindergluehwein, will be available for a gold coin donation each.  (BYO mug.)

Song sheets provided.  Desserts and treats available after the walk.  Dress warmly!  Prams, friends, grandparents, all welcome! 

More info, email: spielwelt@homemail.com.au or ring Lisa 6251 7743

There is more information here about the event, the history of the lantern walk, song sheets, how Spielwelt members can get their lanterns, the lantern sticks and batteries and so on. 

Call for Expressions of Interest: Interactive artwork to celebrate languages in the Canberra region

Canberra Multicultural Community Forum (CMCF), in partnership with the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs, is calling for expressions of interest from artists to design an artwork for Civic Square which will celebrate the many languages spoken in the ACT area.

The artwork should be visually appealing, interactive, and incorporate sound, for example the voices of Canberrans speaking various languages. There may also be an associated web presence. 

The aim is to celebrate languages spoken in the Canberra area in the past and the vibrant multicultural present, and the importance of languages and communication for the future of Canberra as an international city and national capital. The artwork should also symbolise the important role of multilingualism in a city that interacts with the world through its residents as well as international visitors, delegations and diplomatic missions.  

Closing Date for Expressions of Interest:  30 March 2012

For more information  contact Mandy Scott or phone (02) 6125 9673 or 0408 089 235 (m)