Languages Forum Update February 2022

First Update of 2022 with some language-related news and local activities

OVERVIEW OF UPDATE

Upcoming Activities

• International Mother Language Day – Walk and celebration Sunday 20 February 
• Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Night Monday 21 February 2022 7pm – 8.30pm 
• Call to action following government response to independent review of Investment in ACT Community Language Schools 

Language program news 

• Spanish Australian Preschool in Redhill 
• Canberra Academy of Languages (CAL) senior secondary programs in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Tamil
• Languages at ANU
• Tok Pisin Language and culture  
• Immersive short Micro-credential 4 – 8 April 2022 (online)  
• Semester-long courses (online) 
• Introduction to Gamilaraay  
• New online course in Classical Chinese 
• Portuguese now offered online via Zoom, contact the convenor: Fabricio.Tocco@anu.edu.au.
• Diploma of Languages, Convener contact: Ashok.Collins@anu.edu.au
• More about ANU language programs
• French with the Alliance Française
• Fun vocational Indonesian classes 
• Mandarin Community Tutoring Project 
• More language learning opportunities in the ACT for adults and children  

Other news

• Research study on the vitality of Spanish in Australia seeking Spanish-speaking parents  
• National languages contest for secondary school students 
• UK research showing the benefits of valuing multilingualism in schools
• Students who self identify as multilinguals perform better in exams
• Cultivating multilingual identities could reverse national crisis in language learning 

For full copy of Update CLICK HERE

If you have feedback, contributions for future updates, or would like to join the mailing list for these occasional updates, please email languagesact@gmail.com

Review of Investment in ACT Community Language Schools

The ACT government publicly tabled the review in the Assembly on Thursday 2 December 2021 and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Tara Cheyne, announced the government response to the recommendations. Minister Cheyne reported that there was significant alignment between the review recommendations and actions already progressing to promote and support the learning of community languages in the ACT. Of the 6 recommendations directed to the ACT government, four are agreed to and two are agreed in principal. 

The full report can be downloaded HERE, the government response HERE and the extract from Hansard HERE   

Language diversity and participation across generations and contexts

Generation Literacies international research network hosts a free 2-day research symposium devoted to language diversity and participation across generations and contexts.

• December 10 and 11, 2021
• Online (register your attendance here)
• For researchers in education and language in social life

Language diversity is a feature of all contemporary differentiated societies around the globe. Due to migration, globalization and new communication technologies, individuals need to cope with and be able to use multiple languages in order to actively participate in the society. This symposium contextualizes the potential of multiliteracy throughout an individuals’ lifespan in multiple contexts (academia, education, home and workplace). For one, the symposium looks at the development and support of multiliteracy in the family, through the educational path, until integration in the work place. More specifically, the talks give insight into how families use digital media and how professionals in school deal and foster multiliteracy. Subsequently, as individuals get older, multilateral skills become an asset for professional success, also in academic settings.

Languages Forum Update November 2021

 A update with some language-related news and local activities 

OVERVIEW OF UPDATE

Local news and activities

• ANU Language Teaching Forum, Mon 8 November 4.15-5.00pm. Contact yanyin.zhang@anu.edu.au or see Update for zoom link
• Canberra Academy of Languages (CAL)
• Enrolling now for Year 11 and 12 programs commencing in 2022 
• Japanese Summer School, January 2022
• Spanish Australian Preschool now accepting enrolments for January 2022.
• ACT Bilingual Education Alliance (ACTBEA)
• Follow up to October 'Celebration of Languages' and Video recordings of sessions 
• Sharing Languages and Cultures competition watch this space for results 
• Review of Investment in ACT Community Language Schools now to be released in December
• Locally organised Conferences and Symposium (online)
• New Approaches to Chinese Language Education during and Post COVID 19, Sun 7 November 9.30am-5.30pm  free registration for ACT teachers. 
• Multilingualism, culture-language maintenance and education in Asia and the Pacific. Thurs 18, Fri 19, and Thurs 25 November 

Other news and activities

• PEaCH, free resources supporting parents and educators of bilingual children
• For parents: How to raise a bilingual child and
• For educators: How to support multilingual children 
• Language friendly school initiative - Promoting language-friendly learning environments where all children feel accepted and valued for who they are. 
• Upcoming conferences and symposia related to languages education (all online) 
• Growing TESOL in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander context, Mon 8 November 4.30-6pm
• International Conference on Community/Heritage Language Education, Thurs 11 to Sat 13 Nov.  For full program
• Digital tools for formative assessment practices in EFL tertiary contexts: Bridging the distance between structured and autonomous learning, Fri 12 November 1-3pm.
• Decentring and Diversifying Languages and Cultures, LCNAU Colloquium, Wed 24 - Fri 26 November 
• The Value of Languages in a Multicultural World, Mon 13 - Wed 15 December 2021. 

For full copy of Update, click HERE

If you have feedback, contributions for future updates, or would like to join the mailing list for these occasional updates, please email languagesact@gmail.com

Languages Forum Update September 2021

Some online activities and discussions that may be of interest. 

OVERVIEW

Canberra connections 

• Last days to enter the Sharing Languages and Cultures video competition – for kids in the ACT region from preschool to Year 12. 
• Celebration of Languages: attend one session or make a day of it to find out more about our multilingual city. Sat 16 October 10.30am-3.30pm.  
• Roundtable discussion: Advocating Language: Global Citizenship & Multilingual Skills Wed 29 September 5– 6.30 pm 
• Talk: Hangeul and K-Pop: between ideograms and idols, Thurs 7 October 6:30pm 
• Poetry on the Move Festival 2021 Pivots, Mon 11 October - Sunday 31 October 

Other talks and events 

• The importance of learning Asian languages, recorded panel discussion and Q&A from 23 September 
• Webinar: Indigenous Languages in Ecuador and New Zealand, Wednesday 29 September 8am

For more details, click HERE.

If you have feedback, contributions for future updates, or would like to join the mailing list for these occasional updates, please email languagesact@gmail.com

ANU Language Teaching Forum

'Chinese Cultural Salon’ in the low proficiency modern Chinese language courses at ANU

• 4.15-5pm Monday 6 September, 2021
• Online via Zoom (email yanyin.zhang@anu.edu.au for the link)
• Presenters: Yanyan Wang, Shuyu Zhang and Huan Wu

Abstract
Teaching languages online is a challenge. The challenge is especially acute when teaching lower proficiency level students during Covid when remote delivery or dual delivery modes are adopted. It has resulted in a decrease in student numbers in the entry level courses of modern Chinese. In order to promote modern Chinese language courses, especially to enhance students’ learning experience, we have set up a ‘Chinese cultural salon’ in which we introduce China, Chinese specific topics and Chinese language learning tools. In this talk, we will introduce the salon and demonstrate how it works through two topics presented in the Salon: Chinese internet buzzwords and the top ten Chinese social media.
----------------------------------------

About the ANU Language Teaching Forum (LTF)
The LTF provides a platform for language teachers and researchers in CHL, SLLL and CAIS at the ANU as well as school and community school teachers in the Canberra region to share language teaching experiences and reflections, research studies, and pedagogical practices.

• If you are not on the LTF mailing list but would like to join, please email Yanyin Zhang yanyin.zhang@anu.edu.au

Languages Forum Update August 2021

 A update with some language-related news and local activities 

OVERVIEW OF UPDATE

• Community languages in the spotlight in the ACT Legislative Assembly  
• Motion put by Greens spokesperson for Multicultural Affairs
• Video of subsequent debate (start at 4.04pm Wednesday 4 August).
• At the Australian National University (ANU)
• Information booths about studies in languages and linguistics at ANU Open Day - Saturday 14 August from 9am to 4pm
• To apply for the Diploma of Languages Semester 1, 2022 
• Organised by the ACT Bilingual Education Alliance (ACTBEA)
• Free Seminar Raising children in more than one language Saturday 14 August 
• Sharing Languages and Cultures, free video competition for students from preschool to Year 12. Closing date 6 September 
• Celebration of languages, Saturday 16 October, mark the date, details to follow
• Workshop organised by ATESOL ACT: Functional Grammar - Making language come alive for English language learners Sat 28 August
• ACT Community Language Schools Association
• Annual dinner Saturday 11 September
• Regular monthly or bi-monthly news updates
• Focus groups August and September to discuss National Languages Plan and Strategy for Languages Education in Australia. 
• More info about the project and who can get involved 
• Let’s imagine 2030. Life is changing, so are libraries. 
• Survey for Canberrans who speak another language at home or have parents born outside Australia:
• Call for volunteer tutors of English to help AMEP students
• The value of languages in a multicultural world - online international conference 13- 15 December 2021.  Call for abstracts deadline 27 August 

For full copy of Update, click HERE 

If you have feedback, contributions for future updates, or would like to join the mailing list for these occasional updates, please email languagesact@gmail.com