MLTA WORKSHOP – 16 MARCH 2016
Story - Chris Bowen visit.
Saw him on ILTA facebook. Told Principal. Asked if we could invite him. Wrote a letter skiting about our program. He accepted.
We spoke about the achievements in our program. Demonstrated a Skype session.
Media turned up. On local news that night, ABC news website and Australian Embassy in Jakarta’s facebook page.
That’s Good Promotion
Show video.
Intro
Run 4 Membantu today
Teacher in Indonesia this week who is not a language teacher organising school to school links
5 non-language staff travelling to Indonesia in Term 3
Non-language staff learning Indonesian every week from an Indonesian tutor the school is paying for.
We have a WHOLE SCHOOL FOCUS. We have an Indonesia Program in which all the school is involved.
How did this happen???? I had to think about it. Not planned. Looking retrospectively.
Simplified down to 4 factors resting on a fundamental principle.
Each school context is unique and ideas must be approached, considered and implemented in relation to the specific context of your school.
We will be breaking into groups to discuss these 4 points.Outline 4 points.
RELATIONSHIPS-THE CORE FOUNDATION
Story -Firstly. Soccer training story. Want to play the game.
Language-what is the fundamental purpose? Communicating, relationships. How much of this is happening? Or is language just an academic study. If there was a soccer team that only ever trained but never played a game, how many people would be interested?
My Ideas
Examples in my school, giving access to native speakers, encourage relationship building.
Student Country visits both ways.
Teacher country visits both ways.
Corresponding-letters, emails, Skype, Facebook
Sydney ExcursionAll these will be expanded on in 4 points.
Group Chat-Relationships (3 mins)
How can you refocus your language program to make relationships its core foundation?
1-IN-SCHOOL PROMOTION
Story-Itu Yang BuatKauCantik
Play part of clip and part of CD signing
My Ideas
Get your language out of the classroom.
Special events to promote your language
Eg, Indo Week
Word of the Week
Independence Day celebrations
Mufti in traditional clothes (buy them)
Performances at assemblies and other gatherings where parents are present.Eg songs, dance, drama
Visiting performers to conduct workshops - such as Alfira and Shadow Puppet. (Cultural Infusion)
Regular articles in school newsletter
Language competitions-hand out prizes at assemblies, not in class.
Story of mother whose son became a sailor rather than a pastor.
Promotional posters around school.Benefits of languages, students or self in the country, beautiful scenery, employment opportunities. Not just in classroom, all around the school. Change them regularly or they become unnoticed.
HSC results posters.
Significant news items in media.
Music videos, recorded skits. (include other students and staff)
Group Chat-In-School Promotion
How can I promote my language outside of the classroom?
2-WHOLE SCHOOL FOCUS
Story-Principal mildly interested. Sister school relationship established. He had to be involved. Formal photos. Hung up on wall in school front office. Head of church gave him a tie pin. He wears it everyday and he tells me to tell him.
Leadership support is number one priority. How to get them on board?
Sister School. Make them feel involved, important, special.
Connect them with partners in a formal and relational capacity. My principal didn’t know what to do culturally so took my advice. You have to shout them a meal at a nice restaurant. You have to give them gifts.
All these acts consolidating the relationship. Principal now connected. Encourage him to maintain the relationship with regular visits to Indonesia-once every 2 years.
Teach him basic phrases to use with counterparts.
Become a facilitator of relationship building.
Staff?? Teacher exchange, Aust to Indonesia. Explain.
Teacher Exchange Indo to Aust-staff are host families.
Teachers in video clips.Terlambat
Offer after school language classes to other staff.
Integrate Indonesian into other KLAs. Full units of part units of work focusing on Indonesia.Geography, Food Tech, Business Studies, Music.
LEADERSHIP, STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS, COMMUNITY
Run 4 Membantu happening today. Children’s Homes.Someone else’s idea and work. Why did they think of it.Because the whole school was moving in that direction. Seemed natural.
Service Trip-open to all students. Not just language students. I’m not even going on it or organising it. I am doing the Year 9 language trip.
GREATEST EVIDENCE-student exchange
Staff are so committed they fund the Student exchange and host the children. Last year staff put in $15,000 of their own money to make the student exchange happen. This year, a staff member’s sister is sponsoring a child to come out.
Principal donates all uniforms. Over $1500 last year.
Now have parents asking if they can sponsor children to come out for next year’s exchange.
Featured in local paper. Whole school and whole community focus.
Everything goes in the newsletter without fail.
Group Chat-Whole School Focus
What can I do to create a greater whole-school focus on my language?
3-LINK WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS
Story – Student Exchange-Year 8 students made friends. If we do Indo in Year 9, can we go over and see them?
My Ideas
Get a good Sister School
Maintain regular contact with staff. If not sister school, some other community or native speakers.
Visit their school. Facilitate their visits to your school.
Give gifts.
Become facebook friends. Keep in touch. Share experiences.
Allow students regular contact through correspondence and skype. Allow opportunities to build friendships.
Build meaningful relationships with partners. How? Share meals with them. Invite them to your homes. Introduce them to your family. Meet their family.
Story-Adi. Hosted for 4 days. Family owes me an eternal debt.
Enthusiasm for language learning is enhanced through relationships where the motivation to learn the language is authentic and real. It has a purpose, to connect, to communicate with a friend.
How are we maintaining contact with native speakers?
- Teacher exchange from Indo to Aust for one term every year
- Teacher exchange from Aust to Indo
- 2 Student trips each year. One service trip (2 weeks) and one language trip (10 days).
- Skype program for elective students
- Excursion to Sydney for Year 11-12 students. Meet with Indonesian church.
- Student exchange from Indonesia to Australia
- New Initiative-Bali Buddies. K-6 planning to expand K-12.
Group Chat-Link with Native Speakers
Question 3
How can I connect my students with native speakers?
4-CONTINUITY K-12
Story-Deputy Principal worried students would become bored with Indonesian. Started suggesting we reduce mandatory Indonesian. So I came up with a new idea. Bali Buddies. Language combined with authentic communication. Allow for continuity without waning interest, without students getting sick or bored of it.
My Ideas
May not apply to all schools. Ideal is K-12.
Maths K-12. English K-12.
Languages are not coordinated.
I suggest regional coordination between Primary feeder schools and high schools.
Our context-Indonesian is fun and relational from K-7.
Year 8 mandatory course. Still relational but more course focused. Want to maintain adequate interest to get good elective numbers in Years 9-10.
Years 9-12. Must be academic but maintain and develop relationships from developed from Primary School. Also establish new relationships.
Bali Buddies-not enough students.Double stream and single stream. So we acquired another sister school so everyone can have a buddy.
Sourcing teachers can be difficult. Use existing staff.
Easier if there is one language. Dedicate staff, time and resources to developing that.
K-8-build relationships.
9-11-opportunity to travel to Indonesia and meet their friends.
Student exchange-students from Years 7-12 come for 3 weeks-get to meet their buddies.
There is a purpose for continuity. Maintaining and building relationships/friendships.
Group Chat-Continuity K-12
How can I promote language continuity within my school?