Networks of Expertise funding
 

This funding is enabling NZALT to support all learning languages teachers, including te reo Māori, Pasifika and NZSL. This support provides a newsletter every term and support for teachers to attend PLD and inquiry clusters. 

To date, we have awarded Exploring Effective practice awards to seventeen teachers. Teachers are able to apply for these awards again next year.  They provide secondary teachers and primary teachers with $1,000 to explore effective teaching practice, for example, by visiting other schools with successful language learning programmes.  Further information about the criteria for applications is on the  Exploring Effective Practice Awards Application form. The deadline for term 1 applications will be advertised in our first newsletter of 2019.

 

Inquiry Clusters
 

The NZALT Inquiry Clusters have run in Christchurch, South Canterbury, Nelson and the Hutt Valley this year.  We have had new teachers joining these clusters in term 3 so that they can start preparing their inquiries for 2019. If you wish to attend the final cluster meetings, please email  coordinator@nzalt.org.nz.

Teachers have the opportunity to work with other language teachers around their specific inquiry.  Funding is available for travel and relief costs where necessary.  The dates for the next cluster meetings are as follows:
- Christchurch: 15.30, Wed 21 Nov, St Andrew’s College
- Nelson: Tues 27 Nov, UC Education Plus office, Collingwood Street, Nelson
- South Canterbury: 14.30, Wed 28 Nov, Opihi College
The Inquiry Clusters will continue to operate in 2019. If you are interested in joining one of these clusters or would like a new cluster to be set up in your area, please contact Jeni Lemberg.

External Achievement Standard Workshops

NZALT will be providing a final online Zoom workshop this term around preparing for the external assessments in the Learning Languages area, both the listening and reading external assessments, as well as the scholarship examination. 
Annabelle Sinclair, President of NZALT and HOD Languages at Wellington Girls’ College, will present the workshop.  

The online Zoom workshop will be held after school on Wednesday 5 December. If you have already registered, you will be contacted, if you wish to still register for this online workshop please sign up HERE.

The workshops are being funded through the MOE Networks of Expertise contract, and so there is no charge for attending them.


 2019 Membership Subscriptions
 

The Executive would like to introduce a single membership fee for 2019, and do away with the current system that is complex, unwieldy, and means that large schools are effectively subsidised by smaller schools and individuals. We discussed this at the AGM in Auckland in July and the idea received unanimous support. We initially suggested setting the fee at $40 per annum, but a number of members suggested we raise this to $50, and after reviewing the figures, we have decided that $50 (GST inclusive) is more appropriate. Membership would would continue to be free for tertiary students and first-year teachers.

NOTICE of Special General Meeting

The following regional officers were appointed or re-appointed at the July NZALT Executive meeting: Florent Pieri (Auckland); Annabel Rowlands (Waikato); Annabelle Sinclair (Victoria); Anne Robertson (Canterbury/Nelson); and Christine Williams (Otago).  Susan Johnson will be the local contact for Canterbury teachers and she and Anne Robertson will liaise to ensure that all language teachers are kept informed of regional and national events.

Contact Details

NZALT has just learned that we have been successful in our application for further funding in 2019 - 2020. The details are still being finalized at this stage, but we would love to hear from you about how NZALT can support your practice as a language teacher in the classroom.

One of the initiatives which NZALT was able to fund this year was supporting regional teachers to organise their own Best Practice workshop.

The success of this is indicated in the following comment from the teacher who organised the day:
"We had our Best Practice workshop for the Hawkes Bay teachers last week with 13 attendees, which is the largest meeting of language teachers we’ve had in the area in the last 4 years.  It was a fabulous day... there were so many questions from teachers and a really energetic vibe all through the day.  There was a good mix of information-giving, group discussion, shared consensus about the profile of an excellence student and clarification around both curriculum and assessment issues.  People new to the region formed moderation partnerships and several stayed behind afterwards to take the opportunity to moderate together.  So all in all it was a very fruitful day. 
 

1.  Applicants for a Further Study Award must have been members of NZALT for at least 3 years at the date of application. Life members are not eligible for an award.

2.  Application for an award must be made via the Application Form.

3.  Applications for an award must state:

• Name and school

• Length of membership of NZALT

• Current position and designation

• Description of course of study

• Reason for applying for funds

• Amount requested

• Proposed ways of sharing benefits to colleagues and students.

4.  Members receiving an award must supply NZALT Executive with a written report suitable for publishing in the NZALT newsletter Polyglot. This report should be received within three months of receiving notification of receiving the Further Study Award, or within two months of the conclusion of study.

5.  Applicants are required to disclose any other sources of funding for which they have applied or intend to apply.

6.  The award may be granted for language teaching-related study within or beyond New Zealand.

7.  Applications for the award in relation to the NZALT Conference will not be considered.

8.  The amount of funds allocated will be decided by the Executive and depend on:

• the amount of funds available

• the number of applications received

• the nature of the study sought.

9.  Disbursement of the award will be made in two parts. One half will be paid immediately, and the balance on receipt of a suitable report.