More than 90 per cent of independent schools in Victoria offer a Language Other Than English (LOTE) component in their curriculum.

Languages taught include: Indigenous languages, Arabic, Auslan, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish and Turkish.

The Australian Government’s Language Programme helps schools and school communities to improve the learning outcomes of students who are learning languages other than English.

Funding is allocated for:

• teacher development
• teacher and student resources
• employment of language assistants
• specific projects.

 The following grants are offered:

Building Capacity Grant - this grant enables schools to target funding towards specific areas of their LOTE programme. It may be used in the areas of teacher professional learning, staffing, resources upgrades and specific learning programmes. The Building Capacity Grant is a base grant and is paid directly to schools.

Sector Project - schools are invited to lodge an expression of interest in the 2008 two year action research project Engaging Boys in Language Learning. The project will be guided by a specialist consultant who will work with schools individually and as a part of a cluster. Application forms will be available on the AISV web site in January 2008.

Specialist Consultancy Programme – enables a specialist LOTE in-residence consultant to work with schools for up to four days to assist LOTE teachers to improve and further develop their programmes. Application forms are available on the Targeted Programmes Languages web page in November of each year.

Country Schools LOTE Programme – to fund specialist LOTE consultants to hold two-day meetings with teachers in country schools to help them develop LOTE programmes. This grant is restricted to small country schools with one LOTE teacher. Application forms are available on the Targeted Programmes Languages web page in November of each year.

Professional Development Programme – to fund teachers to:

• undertake intensive language study in-country
• undertake training or retraining courses
• undertake post-graduate study for languages
• attend national or international conferences.

Application forms are available on the Targeted Programmes Languages web page.

Resource Development Grants – to develop school resources for LOTE. Application forms are available from Sharyne Rankine, Education Consultant – LOTE, on 9825 7247.

The LOTE Newsletter

The LOTE Newsletter contains:

• Language specific news
• Upcoming Professional Learning activities
• Links to websites
• Cultural activities Important dates

AISV LOTE Seminar Calendar

The AISV LOTE Seminar Calendar 2008 is available for download below and has been produced exclusively for Member Schools, giving detailed descriptions of the comprehensive professional learning opportunities available for teachers of languages. It includes:

• details of each session
• a presenter's profile and target audience
• an easy to read calendar that provides an overview of seminars on a monthly basis.

Downloads

• AISV LOTE Seminar Calendar 2008
• LOTE Targeted Programme Guidelines 2008
• LOTE Professional Learning Opportunities 2008 Calendar

French LOTE Resources

• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Introduction (813KB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 1 Histoire de Bateaux (3 MB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 2 La Petite Poule Noire (1 MB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 3 Le lion et les souris (3MB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 4 Le Vilain Petit Canard (2MB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 5 La belle au bois dormant (3MB)
• Tell me a Story: Using Stories in the French Primary Classroom - Chapter 6 Leo et les loups (1 MB)

Chinese LOTE Resources

• I Understand! VCE Listening Exercises: Student Book - Topics One and Two (2 MB)
• I Understand! VCE Listening Exercises: Student Book - Topics Three and Four (1 MB)
• I Understand! VCE Listening Exercises: Teacher Book - Introduction and Topic One (3 MB)
• I Understand! VCE Listening Exercises: Teacher Book - Topics Two and Three (2 MB)
• I Understand! VCE Listening Exercises: Teacher Book - Topic Four and Exercise Answers (3 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Introduction and Chapter One (2 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Chapter Two (2 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Chapter Three (2 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Chapters Four and Five (2 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Chapters Six and Seven (3 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Chapters Eight, Nine, Ten and Eleven (2 MB)
• Detailed Study materials for Senior Secondary Language Learners of Chinese - Six Practice Outcomes (2 MB)
• I can Read and Translate: VCE Skills Training for Chinese Second Language Learners - Student's Book (1 MB)
• I can Read and Translate: VCE Skills Training for Chinese Second Language Learners - Teacher's Book (1 MB)

Greek LOTE Resources

• Εμπρoς: A Greek Course for Lower Primary Students - Introduction (1 MB)
• Εμπρoς: A Greek Course for Lower Primary Students - The Greek Alphabet (2 MB)
• Εμπρoς: A Greek Course for Lower Primary Students - Topics One to Five (2 MB)
• Εμπρoς: A Greek Course for Lower Primary Students - Topics Six to Eleven (3 MB)