National Languages Seminar 2007

The 2007 National Seminar on Languages Education held in Melbourne was attended by 146 delegates from across Australia representing state and territory education jurisdictions, schools, parent bodies, professional associations and universities.

View day 1 and 2 of the seminar program and click on links for videos and summaries.

Seminar program

Day 1

Session 1: Overview and opening

Seminar leader, Tony Mackay, opened proceedings by acknowledging that the 2007 Seminar was occurring at a crucial stage, with the implementation of the National Statement and Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools (2005–8) moving into its final phase.

On behalf of Greg Petherick, Chair of MCEETYA Languages Education Working Party, Tony put the following challenges to Seminar delegates:

• How well are we progressing the National Statement and Plan for Languages Education?
• How can current approaches to national curriculum collaboration best support Languages?
• How successfully are we working locally with parents, non-languages teachers, principals, students and the broader community to ‘raise demand’ for Languages?
• What kind of curriculum is needed for Australian students in the 21st Century and where do Languages sit in this context?

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Session 2: My own engagement with languages

At the prompting of the Seminar leader, the delegates chatted informally for approximately five minutes on their own experiences with learning and using Languages other than English.

Session 3: Keynote presentation: 'Languages Open The Door To A Bigger World'

The keynote presentation was delivered by Professor Joseph Camilleri, Professor and Director, Centre for Dialogue, School of Social Sciences, Latrobe University on the theme of ‘Languages Open the Door to a Bigger World’

Session 4: How have Languages Opened The Door To A Bigger World for me

This session gave seminar delegates the opportunity to interact with professionals from a range of (mostly non-education) sectors who use languages in their daily work. The professionals represented a wide range of industries and languages:

• Adam Broinowski, Performing Artist and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne/Victorian College of the Arts (Japanese)
• Alison Coe, Engineers Australia (Japanese, French, Spanish)
• Tom Parker, Red Tape Consulting (Chinese)
• Catherine Pierce, Madgwicks Lawyers, Lawyer (Chinese, French)
• Joel Backwell, Freehills, Lawyer (Indonesian)
• Julie Halifax, Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (Arabic)
• Justin Woods, Department of Defence (Arabic)
• Matthew Absalom, University of Melbourne, Associate lecturer (Italian)
• Tanya Jakimow, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne (Hindi)
• Andrew Fleming, Coldstream Winery, Vigneron (French)
• Rebecca Nelson, Lawyer, Blake, Dawson, Waldron (Chinese, German)
• Brynna Rafferty-Brown, Researcher (Indonesian)
• Stephen Collins, Consultant (Vietnamese)
• Louise Dunn, University of Melbourne (Chinese, Thai)

Each invited professional shared their own story of engagement with languages and described how ‘Languages have opened the door to a bigger world’ for them.

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Session 5: 'What's happening around Australia': Strategies for change in languages education

The aim of this session was to present delegates with a snapshot of key issues impacting on, and initiatives being implemented to support, languages education in 3 states, as well as nationally. Following the Seminar leader’s introduction, the key speakers were:

• Angela Scarino, Director, Research Centre for Languages and Cultures Education, School of International Studies, University of South Australia, ‘What’s happening around Australia? Strategies for change in languages education: a ‘national’ perspective’
• Robert Randall, Director, Curriculum K–12, Department of Education and Training, NSW
  NSW Strategies for Change in Languages Education
• Lois Joll, Director, Senior Schooling Academic Standards and Support, Department of Education and Training, WA
  WA Strategies for Change in Languages Education
• Dr Irene Gray, Manager, Curriculum (State-wide Programs), Department of Education, TAS, ‘What’s Happening around Australia: Tasmania’

In addition to the key speakers, the following delegates also gave brief presentations outlining their organisation’s view on the key issues and initiatives in language education:

• Michael Kindler, Australian Capital Territory
• Cath Green, Northern Territory
• Enzo Sirno, Community Languages Australia
• Meredith Beck, Independent Schools Council of Australia
• Ludgero Rego, National Catholic Education Commission

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Session 6: Profiling progress against the Six Strands of the National Statement and Plan

After an introduction from the Seminar leader, state, territory and national groups met to report on progress since the 2006 National Seminar on Languages.

Session 7: Languages Education for 21^st Century Curriculum: Stakeholder perspectives

The aim of this session was for representatives from key education stakeholder groups to provide perspectives on the place of languages education in a 21^st century curriculum. The seminar leader introduced the session and was followed by six speakers:

• Andrew Blair, President, Australian Secondary Principals Associations
  ‘ASPA Perspective on Languages Education’
• Leonie Trimper, President, Australian Primary Principals Association
  ‘In the Balance: The Future of Australia’s Primary Schools’
• Prof. Anne Pauwels, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Western Australia; Chair of the Group of 8 Deans of Arts
  ‘Moving beyond crisis: Strengthening languages education through collaboration and innovation’
• Anne Fisher  Australasian Curriculum Assessment Certification Authorities
  ‘Collaborative Curriculum and Assessment Framework for Languages’
• Lia Tedesco, President, Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations
  ‘AFMLTA Perspective on Languages Education’
• Ian Dalton, Australian Parents Council
  ‘Psst, do you want to buy a fridge?’

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At the completion of the session, the Seminar leader summarised the main issues raised by the stakeholder representatives.

Session 8: Innovation for change 'What's happening in the field'

The aim of this session was to showcase innovative programs being implemented to support languages in states and territories. The seminar leader outlined the session’s theme before introducing the following presenters:

• Lindsay Wasson, Regional Director Western Sydney, Department of Education and Training, NSW
  ‘Innovations for change: Chinese volunteer program’
• Carol Kelly  Assistant General Manager, Targeted Programs Branch, Student Learning Programs Division, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, VIC
• Dr Thelma Perso, Executive Director, Curriculum Branch, Department of Education and the Arts, QLD
  ‘Innovation in LOTE provision’
• Dr Ngarpadla Alitya Rigney, Public Service Medal

Session 9: Seminar dinner speakers

The seminar dinner on Thursday November 29 featured 2 guest speakers.

• Ahmed Fahour, Chief Executive Officer, National Australia Bank
• Olivia Stratton, Television Presenter
   

Day 2

Session 10: Reflections on day 1

The Seminar leader summarised the key ideas from day one. A number of delegates also added their reflections on the day’s proceedings.

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Session 11: Keynote presentation: 'The Future of Schooling in Australia', Federalist paper 2: Considerations for Languages Education

The keynote presentation for day two was delivered by Professor Peter Dawkins, Chair of Review Steering Committee for ‘Federalist Paper 2, The Future of Schooling in Australia’ and Secretary, Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
‘Federalist Paper 2, The Future of Schooling in Australia’

Session 12: Why Languages? Perspectives from the non-education community

The aim of this session was to present delegates with perspectives from the non-education sector on the value of language skills. The Seminar leader introduced the session and was followed by five guest speakers.

• Sin May Leong, Human Resources Manager Development, Jetstar Airways Pty Limited
  ‘Critical Languages Skills for Business Growth’
• James Wise, First Assistant Secretary, Corporate Management Division, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  ‘Why language skills are important to DEFAT’
• Peter Britton, Senior Manager, International Services, Australian Volunteers International
  ‘Language training and use in AVI’
• Dr Jane Orton, Co-ordinator of Modern Languages Education, The University of Melbourne
  ‘The Professional/Business Area Knowledge of Australians Working in China’
• John Waser, Head of National Athlete and Coach Education Centre, Australian Institute of Sport
  ‘Why sport needs languages skills’

Session 13: What is to be learnt from the United Kingdom's approach to languages education?

In a pre-recorded interview, Professor Michael Worton, Vice-BioProvost Academic and International, University College London, reflected on the UK’s recent experience of implementing Languages education reform. Professor Anne Pauwels introduced the interview and then played excerpts. 

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Session 14: Nationally coordinated languages promotional materials

Kurt Mullane, Project Director, Languages Promotion Project, presented an overview of the nationally developed languages promotion materials.

A key aspect of the languages promotion strategy is the use of ‘language champions’ to provide a public face on the usefulness of languages education. At the conclusion of Kurt’s presentation, two language champions, Sophie Palavestra and Michael Maniska, gave brief talks on how languages had enriched their lives.

Sessions 15 to 18: Strategies for action on languages education

In these final sessions, delegates were asked to discuss and document strategies for advancing languages education. The discussions and reports were divided into two sections.

In the first section, inter-jurisdictional groups were asked to propose strategies to advance languages education to the ‘next stage’. Their proposals were compiled into a report 'Future Priorities'.

Following this, Greg Petherick, Chair of MCEETYA’s Languages Education Working Party, addressed delegates.

Greg’s speech preceded the final round of table discussions in which State and Territory groups were asked to identify:

• priorities for local action;
• a key message for action by the MCEETYA Languages Working Group.

A written summary of their proposals is provided here (Word, 44 kb).

Resources

Further information is available on the Languages Education Working Party page of the MCEETYA website.

Participant list

This National Languages seminar was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations as part of the School Languages Programme and managed by the Asia Education Foundation.