December 2022

From the President

As we approach the holiday season AFMLTA extends thanks to all member associations for their tireless work throughout the year offering professional learning for teachers, providing opportunities for students to showcase their language skills, and recognising teachers’ and learners’ achievements with awards. It has been especially pleasing to see the collaborative spirit that has developed as associations have welcomed members from other states and territories to participate in events.

AFMLTA has been privileged to be invited to attend and present at successful conferences organised by state and territory associations in 2022, and to represent our members at affiliate events both nationally and internationally. We warmly congratulate MLTAV who recently celebrated their 75th anniversary!

We look forward to welcoming many of you to our 24th AFMLTA International Languages Conference to be held in Perth on 7-9 July 2023. Registrations are now open! Come along and be stimulated by inspiring invited speakers and session presenters and socialise with your language teaching colleagues. All information about the conference is posted as it becomes available on the Conference page on our website. A call for papers will open in late January. We welcome for consideration proposals for presentations on topics relevant to teachers of languages at all levels, so please consider how you may be able to contribute at this event.

Register now!

24th AFMLTA International Languages Conference 2023

Date: 7-9 July 2023

Venue: Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA

Registrations: Open now! Follow the link below

Call for papers: Opens late January 2023

Program: Draft program available now

Partnerships: Visit our conference website for information

Why Language Learning Matters: Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE) Infographic

We are pleased to announce that a Why Language Learning Matters infographic has been produced which links the benefits of knowledge of additional language/s and the development of skills in literacy and numeracy. The infographic, which is available on the AFMLTA website, demonstrates how students with a language background other than English (LBOTE) outperform their peers in all measures and across all levels on NAPLAN tests. We hope you will find this infographic useful as you continue to advocate for the entitlement of all learners to enjoy the many benefits of learning an additional language.

Representation

AFMLTA's recent representation at member events allowed the Executive to draw together some consistent themes from speakers and delegates about Languages education in Australian schools and tertiary institutions. This will inform our advocacy efforts as we move into a new year. There is a need to continue to advocate for reimagining a future for languages education in Australia:

• AFMLTA’s material on Towards a National Languages Plan and Strategy offered insight into the context of languages learning in Australia and a vision of what it could be. 
• The material that draws from the NAPLAN data and is presented on the AFMLTA website as Why Learning Languages Matter was of great interest. 

For the AFMLTA, it was heartening to hear the affirmation from educators who support the outcomes of the AFMLTA work, saying that the research undertaken for the Australian Government is illuminating. Teachers welcomed the vision of a national languages plan.  

AFMLTA's Babel journal

We invite submissions to our signature journal Babel., the AFMLTA’s professionally refereed journal. Each volume includes three issues. Featuring general and research articles, reviews, and reports about the teaching and learning of languages, and language policy at primary, secondary, and tertiary level, Babel is the only scholarly journal for languages education in Australia. Babel is provided to the members of all Modern Language Teachers Associations across Australia.

For article requirements, information about subscriptions and advertising, follow the link below for more information.

Professional learning

FIPLV World Congress of Modern Languages

Date: 6-9 July 2024.

Location: Auckland, New Zealand (organised in collaboration with the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers [NZALT[)

Further information to follow on the FIPLV website