Celebrate International Mother Language Day

• 10.30am-1.30pm Sunday 21 February
• Near the International Flags Display (behind Questacon car park) on Lake Burley Griffin 

Join the community Language Walk at 11am across the bridge and around the lake to Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park (near Regatta Point).

With a warm up band performing from 11am, the main Cultural Performance Program will formally commence on Stage 88 from 11.50am and conclude around 1.30pm.

Come and enjoy:

• a fun day celebrating Australia’s diversity of languages and cultures!
• a packed program with a bunch of Australia’s finest singers, rappers, traditional dances, African drummers, poets and more from across all walks of our community.
• Sausage sizzle, jumping castle, face and henna painting and a free T’shirts for early comers!

Come along in your community’s national costume or come as you are.

Proudly brought to you by: International Mother Language Movement (IMLM) and Supported by: ACT Government (Office of Multicultural Affairs), Bangladesh Australia Association (BAAC), The ACT Bilingual Education Alliance (ACTBEA), National Capital Authority.

See program and map here.  For more details email IMLM.21feb@gmail.com or follow IMLD Canberra on facebook.

For more information on International Mother Language Day see http://imlm21.org.au/?page_id=1109

Indonesian Language Classes

Discount for payments before 1 February

• Fun vocational classes
• Teachers are professional and native Indonesian speaking

Five levels

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

Details

• Commence week beginning 1 February 2016 (4 terms a year starting the same week school commences)
• Each term runs for 8 weeks 
• Classes held at a private address in O’Malley

Cost

• non members $140* (reduce this by $10 for payment before 1 February)
• members $120* (reduce this by $10 for payment before 1 February) and membership $10pa

For Fast enrolment: make electronic payment to account BSB 032-729 Account No: 13-0447 Account Name: Australian Indonesia Association.  Please provide your surname with the payment and email pdomasch@iinet.net.au to confirm payment and class level

For more information:

• Phone: Phil 0406930835
• Email: pdomasch@iinet.net.au
• webpage – 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.

Why learning a new language should be your New Year's resolution

Dr Ruth Arber and Dr Michiko Weinmann of Deakin University's Centre for Teaching and Learning Languages argue that learning a new language should be top of your list. 

Here are their top five reasons why learning a new language should be on your to-do list in 2016.

1. For each new language you learn, you'll stave off dementia for about five years
2. You'll recover from a stroke much more quickly
3. You'll become a better multi-tasker and boost your memory and attention span
4. You'll become more employable
5. You'll become a better traveller

To read more CLICK HERE

For ideas about where you can add to your language repertoire in the Canberra Region for adults CLICK HERE and for children HERE

Help Save S4C - the ONLY Welsh language TV channel in existence

This may be of interest for anyone with a connection to, or interest in Wales and the Welsh language, or involved in promoting or maintaining minority languages.

Funding for S4C, the ONLY Welsh language TV channel in existence is under threat. S4C not only produces top quality TV programs but many are available internationally and are a great resource for learning and maintaining Welsh language skills (see http://www.s4c.cymru/clic/e_category.shtml?id=99). However, overseas viewers are apparently not counted when the viewing figures for S4C are tallied up.

Henddraig has created an online petition for S4C viewers across the world to express their support for the channel and asking that current funding levels be maintained. You can Sign the Petition by clicking on that link.

Canberra Region Languages Forum Update December 2015

An update about language-related activities and issues. Please feel free to pass on to colleagues and friends who may be interested.  

• University Languages Portal Australia: which languages are available at which Australian universities, why learn languages, which unis give a language bonus and more.
• Canberra languages teacher wins national award
• Upcoming events at the ANU at the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language
• News of cuts in staff and language courses at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
• Australian curriculum languages: curricula for Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese now endorsed and available
• Google+ Community OzLangED : a new resource site for language teachers
• Publicise languages at the multicultural festival in February 2016
• Calling rappers and slam poets in various languages
• ACT Mandarin Blueprint to enhance the learning of Mandarin and promote understanding of Chinese culture in ACT schools officially released.
• New Japanese book club for kids
• Alliance Française Canberra: French courses for all ages, cultural and events program, library and other services.
• Learn Mandarin over summer in Tasmania
• Articles that may be of Interest:

• Myth: young people have abandoned language learning: Fact: applications to language degrees have plummeted – but students are finding novel ways to learn
• Speaking two languages can double hopes of stroke recovery
• Indonesian language study headed for extinction at Australian Universities
• Aboriginal languages will become a new HSC subject from 2016

For more details see http://actbilingual.weebly.com/uploads/4/4/9/1/4491774/languages_forum_update_december_2015.pdf

Open Day of new Chinese Culture Centre

A collaboration between Canberra Grammar School and the Australian School of Contemporary Chinese (ASCC).

• 10:00 am - 12:30 pm, 7 November 2015. Snow Centre, 
• Canberra Grammar School, 40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill. ACT 2603

Free Chinese classes, painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, book fair and public seminar by Dr Xiaomei Ma, the Director of the HSK Test Centre in Canberra.

For more information CLICK HERE of contact Fuxin.Li@trilong.com.au or 0419 541 336

ACT Community Language Schools Day 2015

Community language schools and playgroups from across Canberra gather to celebrate and share their learning through displays and performances.  

• Saturday, 7 November 2015, 2pm-6pm
• University of Canberra Refectory
• Free admission and all welcome 

All are invited to this day of celebration organised by the ACT Community Language Schools Association with the support of the ACT Government through the Community Language Schools Program.  

Some schools will be cooking some of their traditional foods for you to purchase.

For more information: phone 6230 5191 of email admin@actclsa.org.au

Find out more about this great community resource!