Willetton SHS – A NALSSP good story from WA

Nathan HarveyHead of Languages

July 2013

The National Statement and Plan for Languages Education in Australian Schools 2005-2012“All languages are equally valid and Learners gain

similar social, cognitive, linguistic and cultural benefits regardless of the language studied”.

The Department is committed to supporting all key languages in Western Australian Public Schools

These are: Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and Aboriginal Languages

NALSSP Goal

By 2020 at least 12% of students will graduate from Year 12 with fluency in one of the designated Asian languages, Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian and Japanese

The Asian Language Hubs Strategy - the Department’s key strategy to meet the objectives of the NALSSP.

Languages Education in Australian Schools 2010

Steady decline in senior secondary numbers

National direction to increase access to Asian Languages and Studies of Asia programs

Need to provide pathways to cater for the diversity of language learner backgrounds

Languages Education 2010 cont Lack of quality language teachers

A need to articulate standards of achievement

A need to be realistic about the level that can be achieved considering time spent on languages

A need to provide engaging programs

A need to provide maintenance and revival

Western Australian context 2009: 47% of Year 9 students studied a

language

2009: 2% of Year 12 students studied a language◦ 39 students studied Chinese◦ 102 students studied French◦ 28 students studied German◦ 58 students studied Italian ◦ 22 students studied Indonesian◦ 97 students studied Japanese

Western Australian Public School Students Participating in Language Studies 2009(a)

       Cultural                

Total Student

sStuden

t %

Year Level AIL

Auslan*

Chinese

Studies French

German

Indonesian Italian

Japanese

Spanish

Vietnames

e Total PublicDoing Lang

3 789 64 390 143 1979 359 4684 5698 4140 153 30 18446 20148 92

4 761 60 382 179 2081 359 4843 5757 4146 164 37 18785 20257 93

5 851 77 419 202 2159 415 4955 5906 4153 183 42 19382 20776 93

6 788 85 521 180 2134 502 4654 5689 3938 125 40 18681 19849 94

7 408 36 245 125 1146 250 2650 2825 2200 119 19 10029 10787 93

8 349 22 463 247 2560 419 2029 2928 3087 0 0 12114 16626 73

9 185 19 314 0 1892 340 1210 1778 2279 18 0 8047 17164 47

10 80 17 219 0 635 163 355 863 678 0 0 3018 17485 17

11 52 8 74 0 143 42 31 80 143 0 0 573 17558 3

12 16 10 50 0 110 24 22 46 102 0 0 380 11850 3

TOTAL 4279 398307

7107

6 14839 2873 25433 31570 24866 762 168 109455 172500

Focus question

How do we engage these students to graduate from Year 12 with a degree of fluency in a second language?

Key strategies for DoE Resources and responsibilities for language

learning provided to schools

Implementation of Language Hubs to develop sustainable pathways and programs

Support provided for the teaching and learning of languages (TDSs)

Language Hubs: Intended outcomes Increase demand for a language program

beyond Year 9

Provide continuous quality language pathways from partner primary schools through to Year 12

Provide a differentiated curriculum to ensure students are engaged in a challenging, quality language program

Intended outcomes (cont’d) Promote languages across the school

community to increase student knowledge and understanding of language communities

Establish leadership opportunities for language teachers

Provide professional learning support for teachers associated with the hubs

Differentiated curriculum and pathwaysLanguage Hubs to provide:

• Challenging and innovative curriculum K-12

• Continuous language learning pathways primary through to Year 12 (and links with pre primary and VET)

• Flexible timetabling and use of native speakers

• Access to Online learning and teaching resources

Key Result Areas

1. Flexible delivery and pathways: to ensure that innovative and creative approaches to the teaching and learning of languages are promoted

2. Increased teacher supply and support: to ensure that there is an increased and maintained supply of quality language teachers

3. Stimulating student demand: to ensure that students are aware of the benefits of studying languages and are engaged in quality programs

Reporting Procedures for 2010: Planning for sustainability1. Asian Language Hubs:

Strategic PlanOperational PlanHub report end of November 2010

2. European Language HubsMid Year Review July 2010Strategic PlanHub report November 2020

An approach for continuous improvementAccountability focus (describe and act)

◦ Strategies used by the hubs ◦ Gathering evidence

Planning for Sustainability (reflect)◦ Reflection on the data◦ Has the plan/action been successful◦ Any shocks/ surprises◦ Where to next?

Continuous Improvement (plan)◦ Document what is happening on the journey to learn

from the process ◦ Plan for improvement

Lead secondary school- Willetton SHS

Partner Primary Schools – Burrendah, Rostrata, Willetton Primary Schools

Addition of Riverton Primary School

Context

Increased levels of achievement in Languages

Increased numbers of students studying Japanese to Year 12 (+French +Italian)

Overarching Goals

Here is what the national research and standards tells us…. Quality Languages programs:

• are actively valued in their schools• have appropriate timetabling • are adequately staffed by qualified, permanent teachers• are allocated dedicated space • have adequate budgets and resources• have appropriate class sizes and groupings• focus on progression in language learning…

…supporting the development of long term programs

AFMLTA Professional Standards The Program standards are designed to

assist us to understand our own professional context and needs for- performance evaluation our own professional

capabilities

- program development: recognising and articulating needs for effective language teaching both in our own practice and in your school context

- advocacy: a statement of values that can be used to achieve program success

PSs Year 1/3/5-7 compulsory Italian or German Competitive Selection Japanese program Yr 6 and 7 Student self selection at the end of Year 7 for

secondary Compulsory and continuous Year 8 and 9 Full year elective in Year 10 Year 11, Year 12 (university entrance level)

Program Structure

Competitive Entry Year 6 and 7 Academic Extension Program in Japanese

Curriculum Differentiation & Extension, Acceleration Program

Links with Murdoch University School of Education

Targeted PL program for teachers (especially in text and task design and GATE)

Celebrate and reward hard work and success

Main Strategies

Extension of Native Speaker Program into Years 8 & 9

Invest further in sister school relationships

Enhanced links with UWA, HPGCC, Dante Alighieri Society & Alliance Francais

Trial Cross Curricular program with Science

Other Strategies

Development of Interns Program in collaboration with Kagoshima Immaculate Heart College

Staff development (teachers and assistants)– all staff to be on board and given curriculum leadership responsibilities

Partnership with University of Tasmania to developing online FLOTE materials

Other Strategies

Understanding by Design “Backward Design” focus:

◦ Clarify results and evidence of them before designing lessons – standards, resources, support

Teaching for understanding is the goal of teaching and compatible with a standards focus

UbD is a way of thinking more carefully about design, not a program

Understanding By Design Thinking like an assessor, not only an activity

designer, is key to effective design.

Overcoming the “twin sins” of “aimless activity” and “superficial coverage”.

The work is only “coverage” or “nice activity” unless focused on questions and big ideas, related to the Standards.

3 Stages of Backward Design1. Identify desired results based on

achievement standards

2. Determine acceptable evidence

3. Plan learning experiences & instruction.

Nominated by SCSA as highest performing schools for Year 12 WACE Stage 3 Japanese

1st and 3rd Place winner: WA Japanese Language Speech Contest (senior division)

1st place winner for National Japanese Speech contest

24 Certificates of High Distinction and 24 Certificates of Distinction for outstanding student achievement in the Australian Council for Educational Research Language Certificate Competition (French, Japanese, Italian)

1 Highly Commended Entry in the Teacher’s of French Association Competition

Silver and Bronze medal winners for WAATI Italian Examinations

2 Certificates of High Distinction and 2 of Distinction (Year 11); and 5 Certificates of Distinction (Year 10) in the Dante Alighieri Italian Examinations

A Year 12 student won a two month scholarship to Japan through the Southern Cross Cultural Exchange program

2 Year 10 students won a six months study exchange program to Japan scholarship

1 year 11 student won a 3 week scholarship to La Reunion Island for French

1 year 11 student ranked 7th in WA out of over 1000 students for her outstanding achievement in the Alliance Francaise Exams for French

1 Certificate of High Distinction and 3 Distinction (Year 11) and 8 Certificates of Distinction (Year 10) in the Alliance Francaise Exams

2012 Achievements

Keep the impetus going and maintain momentum for exemplary curriculum development by working in teams

Exploration of whole school options for studies of Asia- Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities

Continued targeted PL for teachers

Seriously explore links with other languages hubs

2013 and beyond…

Further formalise links with MUSE and UWA

Sharing of FTE across schools

Formalise plans for sustainability

Further staff training in data analysis for curriculum planning

2013 and beyond…

Questions?

Comments?

Feedback?

Suggestions?

Further references

Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay. Understanding by Design. New York: Prentice Hall. 2000.

McKenzie, Jamie. Learning to Question, to Wonder, to Learn. New York: Linworth Publishing.2004.