Professional learning

A range of professional learning opportunities is available to community languages schools.

Community Languages Schools Program conferences

Three professional learning conferences are held each year for community language school teachers and leaders. Conference details and registration information are emailed to community language schools and shared on the Program’s Facebook page.

Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE)

The Sydeny Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE) provides professional learning for community languages teachers and school leaders in partnership with the NSW Department of Education.

NSW Community Languages Teaching Programs

The Foundation program (60 hours) helps teachers to:

• understand how children learn languages
• engage students
• plan lessons
• assess learning
• develop teaching resources

The Advanced program (60 hours) is for teachers who have completed the Foundation program. The program helps teachers to:

• plan units of work
• extend their teaching strategies
• use technology
• mentor other teachers

The Community Languages School Governance and Management program (24 hours) supports school leaders to:

• lead and manage community language schools
• plan and implement policies
• manage staff
• understand legal and financial responsibilities

Explore the professional learning opportunities available through the Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE).

Education Officers

Education Officers employed by the 3 funded peak community languages associations provide free support to community languages schools. They can assist with teaching programs, resources, professional learning, school operations and grant requirements.

Education Officers also offer workshops on topics such as classroom management, lesson planning, assessment and reporting, teaching mixed ages and abilities, literacy development, and using technology in language teaching.

Contact your Program Education Officer for further information.

Teaching resources and networks

Community language school teachers can use these websites to find teaching and curriculum resources and stay informed about professional learning, events and news.

Open Language Portal offers free language specific and general resources shared for language teaching.

Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre provides resources and borrowing information for community language school teachers.

Languages NSW shares information about professional learning, resources and events for language teachers.

Language networks provides information about networks where language teachers can share ideas and teaching strategies.

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) provides language syllabuses and supporting curriculum materials.