April 2013
Orientation Booklet Foreign Language Assistants International Languages Exchanges and Pathways
Table of Contents I.
WELCOME
HAERE MAI II.
THE LEARNING AND TEACHING OF LANGUAGES IN NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
1 2 3
TRENDS, DEVELOPMENTS AND KEY DOCUMENTS THE NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION SYSTEM THE GENERIC LANGUAGES CURRICULUM LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES SUPPORT FOR FRENCH LANGUAGE TEACHING SUPPORT FOR GERMAN LANGUAGE TEACHING SUPPORT FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE TEACHING RESOURCES ONLINE
4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 12
III.
13
THE NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION SYSTEM
EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS, PARTNERS AND THEIR ROLES ORGANISATION OF NEW ZEALAND PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION TYPES OF SCHOOLS NATIONAL AGENCIES AND ORGANISATIONS QUALIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION
14 15 16 17 22
IV.
23
V. VI.
GOAL SETTING CODE OF CONDUCT MAKING THE BEST USE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE
28 31
Welcome
1
Welcome to New Zealand
We hope you had a safe journey and are ready to take in a lot of information about your new home. The purpose of this orientation seminar is to help you set up life in New Zealand, give you an introduction to the New Zealand education system, provide you with important resources, guide you through your contract and conditions of employment and to give you some tips on New Zealand culture. It is also a great opportunity for you to meet all the other Language Assistants, ILEP sta! as well as Embassy o"cials.
HAERE MAI In Te Reo M!ori, the language of New Zealand’s indigenous M!ori, Haere Mai means ‘welcome’, and we welcome you to this booklet which aims to give you a small taste of New Zealand and its people. New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific Ocean 2,200 km from Australia, our closest neighbour and friend. There are two main islands - the North Island and the South Island. Total land area is 270,000 sq km, which means New Zealand could fit into Australia 28 times and the United States or Canada 34 times each. However, we are slightly bigger than the United Kingdom. New Zealand is truly multicultural. The first settlers in mainland New Zealand were the M!ori, who arrived over 700 years ago, followed by sealers and whalers around 1800, then large number of migrants from the United Kingdom from the 1840s. English is the main written and spoken language in New Zealand, albeit with a number of different accents. Te Reo M!ori (the M!ori language) is also officially recognised. Our third official language is New Zealand Sign Language. The first few months can be busy and challenging and life in New Zealand may be quite different from the life you are used to. ILEP is committed to assisting and supporting Language Assistants in settling quickly and successfully. We look forward to helping you make your way in New Zealand and wish you well in your life here. ii
The Learning and Teaching of Languages in New Zealand Secondary Schools
2
! Trends, Developments and Key Documents ! New Zealand Education system ! The Generic Languages Curriculum ! Languages Assessment ! Teaching Techniques and Resources ! Support for French Language Teaching ! Support for German Language Teaching ! Support for Spanish Language Teaching ! Resources Online
Section 2.1
Trends, Developments and Key Documents International Languages are a separate learning area in the NZ Curriculum Framework. From 2010 onwards schools were expected to make every effort to offer students in years 7-10 the opportunity to learn another language. New Zealand schools have a great deal of autonomy and because of this, you will ďŹ nd that the conditions under which languages are taught, vary from one school to the next. For more detailed information, visit the following websites: www.minedu.govt.nz/Boards/EffectiveGovernance/Public ationsAndResources/EffectiveGovernance.aspx www.nzqa.govt.nz While French is still the most widely taught European language, the number of students studying a language in general is relatively low. One major difference between the New Zealand and the French/German/Spanish education systems is that subject choice is largely optional. Languages are optional at all levels. It is the school that decides whether learning a language should
be compulsory to a certain year level or a designated group. This has wide implications on both pedagogy and student numbers. When subjects are not compulsory teachers have to work especially hard to attract and keep their students from year to year. You are likely to see a range of teaching styles from more formal, grammar based to student-centred task-based involving a lot of group and pair work. The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) is the overarching document governing the teaching of all subjects. www.nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-N ew-Zealand-Curriculum Its front section covers generic elements of educating young New Zealanders, such as Vision, Principles, Values, Key Competencies, Learning Areas, Effective Pedagogy and The School Curriculum. Each school is responsible for creating its own curriculum, incorporating relevant aspects of the NZC, to correspond to the needs of the particular learning community. The back section contains the curriculum for each subject area. In addition to this there is the Learning Languages Poster which incorporates the generic languages curriculum, Principles of effective language acquisition, The Learning Languages Area statement and a schematic overview of the elements of language teaching/learning. 4
Section 2.2
The New Zealand Education system Secondary education in New Zealand begins in year 9 (average age 13 years). This can be confusing for a foreigner, who could be excused for thinking that year 7 would be the first year of
secondary school. Secondary education is compulsory until age 16 (usually years 11/12) and optional there on. There have been major changes in our assessment system over the last 10 years and the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) is the new set of national qualifications for senior secondary students in Years 11,12 (average age 16 years) and 13 (average age 17 years). There is both external and internal assessment of achievement standards and students gain credits towards the NCEA, more than half of which are assessed internally within the school. Most Year 11 students will aim at NCEA Level 1, Year 12 at Level 2 and Year 13 at Level 3.
5
Section 2.3
The Generic Languages Curriculum The core strand in the new languages curriculum is: Communication at all levels. The supporting strands are: language knowledge and cultural knowledge. Cultural knowledge is no longer seen as a set of static facts but rather a focus on dynamic aspects of culture, such as values and attitudes. How culture is reflected in language is an important consideration. Instead of focusing predominantly on language knowledge and mastery, there has been a shift towards valuing and understanding cultural differences. This is reflected as much in behaviour as in language. Now it is no longer sufficient to have a knowledge of the language but rather an appreciation of how to use this language appropriately in a variety of contexts. Through a study of language and culture, students are encouraged to reflect on their own cultural identity and to realise that their habits and beliefs represent only one way of viewing the world rather than being the norm against which to judge other cultures. The six principles are that intercultural communicative lan-
I.
integrates language and culture from the beginning
II.
engages learners in genuine social interaction
III.
encourages and develops an exploratory and reflective approach to culture and culture-in-language
IV. fosters explicit comparisons and connections between languages and cultures V.
acknowledges and responds appropriately to diverse learners and learning contexts
VI. emphasises intercultural communicative competence rather than native-speaker competence. In addition to the traditional four skills of listening, reading speaking and writing the NZC language curriculum includes the categories of Viewing and Presenting/Performing. There is an increased emphasis on interacting and negotiating meaning. The Learning Languages Wall Chart contains 10 Principles of effective second language acquisition. These principles underpin current best pedagogical practice for language teachers in New Zealand. The principles highlight the need for students to: I.
develop a rich repertoire of formulaic expressions as well as a rule-based competence 6
Section 2.3 II.
focus predominantly on meaning
III.
focus also on form
IV. develop implicit as well as explicit knowledge V.
take account of individuals’ ‘in-built syllabus’
VI. have extensive L2 input VII. have opportunities for L2 output VIII. have opportunities to interact IX. take account of individual differences X.
can describe aspects of their own background and immediate environment Level 5 & 6: Students can understand and produce more complex language. They can communicate beyond the immediate context, for example, past and future events. Students can understand and produce a variety of text types Level 7 & 8: Students can use language variably and effectively to express and justify their own ideas and opinions, and support or challenge those of others. They are able to use and identify the linguistic and cultural forms that guide interpretation and enable them to respond critically to texts
be examined in both free and controlled production
The generic languages curriculum is arranged in four pairs of levels (curriculum levels 1&2, 3&4, which correspond to years 7 – 10 and 5 & 6, Year 11 and 7 & 8, Years 12 & This is only a guideline, reflecting practice in most schools. Each level has a proficiency descriptor which determines what students should be able to do. Assessments reflect these descriptors Level 1 & 2: Students can understand and use familiar expressions and everyday vocabulary. Students can interact in a simple way in supported situations Level 3 & 4: Students can understand and construct simple texts using their knowledge of the target language. Students 7
Section 2.4
Language Assessment Due to a change in the New Zealand Curriculum, NCEA achievement standards have been newly developed and only recently implemented. Resources for external assessment can be found at www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/n cea/subjects/ In the new achievement standards there are 5 assessment types worth up to a total of 24 credits at each level. Schools are encouraged to offer no more than 20 credits at each level. Schools and students choose which achievement standards they will undertake.
3."
Interact" "
Internal " "
5 credits
4."
View and Respond" External" "
5 credits
5."
Write"
5 credits
"
"
"
Internal" "
For the first time, in 2011 students undertook the .3 (interact) and .5 (write) standards and are now required to keep portfolios of work from which they will offer a selection for final assessment. Teachers are currently working on ways of managing this new requirement. It is designed partly to develop students’ selfmanagement and judgement skills. Language assistants are likely to be particularly valuable to teachers and students preparing the .3 standard, as their interactions with students can be stored as digitally recorded evidence. For a more detailed outline of the revised NCEA languages matrix see www.ncea.tki.org.nz/Resources-for-aligned-standards/Lear ning-languages
In Year 11 students generally sit NCEA Level 1, In Year 12 Level 2 and in Year 13 Level 3. The standards are very similar at each level and are as follows: 1."
Listen and Respond""
External" "
5 credits
2."
Speak, present""
Internal" "
4 credits
"
8
Section 2.5
Teaching Techniques and Resources
There is an increasing emphasis on using audio-visual and computer aids in language teaching; particularly data projectors, interactive white boards and web based resources. This corresponds to a decrease in reliance on text books. Sources for authentic language and culture exchanges are used for virtual exchanges with native speakers. www.learning-languages-guides.tki.org.nz
There has been a widespread change of approach in the teaching of languages in New Zealand schools, largely as a result of the curriculum changes. A communicative approach is used extensively in recognition of the satisfaction pupils experience at being able to use the language they are learning for its intended purpose, that of communication. Task-based methodology (l’approche actionnelle) is particularly well suited to developing oral proďŹ ciency.
9
Section 2.6
Support for French Language Teaching There is a very dynamic website dedicated to supporting the teaching of French in NZ with activities, resource information and ideas relating to the curriculum on www.french.ac.nz The French Embassy: is active in assisting the teaching of French in New Zealand by providing the services of an Attaché de Coopération who works closely with the National French Adviser. The French Government also helps to make available bursaries and “stages” (to the French Pacific territories) for teachers of French. www.ambafrance-nz.org The Alliance Française is a primary support for French language and culture in New Zealand. Auckland contacts are 9a Kirk Street, Grey Lynn Auckland. Tel: 09 376 00 09, Email: www.alliance-francaise.co.nz
Tel: (04) 474 96 00, Fax: (04) 474 96 03, Email: alliance@paradise.net.nz or alliance@french.co.nz The local DVD store is worth checking out as having possible resources. The National French Language Adviser is employed by International Languages Exchanges and Pathways (ILEP). Her role is to promote high quality French teaching and learning in New Zealand schools by supporting teachers of French and language assistants. The current French Adviser is Glenda Palmer. You will have the opportunity to meet her at your orientation seminar. She will assist you to form your professional goals and visit you in your schools during the year. Glenda Palmer Phone: 09 623 8899 (Ext 46 366) Mobile: 021 020 56646 french@ilep.ac.nz
Resources are also available for members from the Centre de Resources at the Alliance Française, Dominion Building, Level 3, 78 Victoria Street, Wellington.# 10
Section 2.7
Support for German Language Teaching There is a branch of the Goethe Institute in Wellington (50 Cuba Street, Wellington (www.goethe.de/wellington). The Institute plays an important role in supporting the teaching of German language and culture in this country. It administers the scholarships awarded each year to New Zealand teachers of German to attend a language course in Germany. The Institute also runs an intensive refresher course for teachers every second year alternating with the NZALT conference and contributes to inservice training course in various centres throughout the year. Up-to-date resources are also always available to teachers from the media library and teachers in or near Wellington can arrange class visits. If you need teaching resources you can contact the Institute on: Tel: 04 385 6924 or email: info@wellington.goethe.org. The Goethe-Institut “Fachberater Deutsch” / National German Language Adviser is employed by International Languages Exchanges and Pathways (ILEP) and her role is to promote high quality German teaching and learning in New Zealand schools
by supporting teachers of German and language assistants. The current German Adviser is Dr Heike Papenthin. You will have the opportunity to meet her at your orientation seminar. She will assist you to form your professional goals and visit you in your schools during the year. The website of the German teachers’ association in New Zealand (German in Aotearoa New Zealand = GANZ) provides all kinds of information and resources from German teachers for German teachers and also works as a platform for exchanging ideas and asking questions related to the teaching and learning of German in New Zealand: www.ganz.ac.nz. Heike Papenthin National Adviser for German Phone: 09 623 8899 Ext 48 661 Mobile: 021 810 372 german@ilep.ac.nz
11
Section 2.8
Section 2.9
Support for Spanish Language Teaching
Resources Online
The Spanish Embassy through its Education Office in New Zealand offers support for the teaching of Spanish. The current Spanish National Adviser, Pablo Mateu Garcia is based in Wellington at the Spanish Embassy. The role of the Adviser is to promote high quality Spanish teaching and learning in New Zealand schools by supporting teachers of Spanish and language assistants. You will have the opportunity to meet with the Spanish Adviser at the orientation seminar and he will assist you to form professional goals and visit you in your schools during the year.
You will also find a number of resources on the internet www.ilep.ac.nz/LanguageAssistants/LanguageAssistantsRe sources.aspx www.tpdl.ac.nz/resources www.nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-Ne w-Zealand-Curriculum/Learning-areas/Learning-languages www.learning-languages.tki.org.nz/Language-Resources
Pablo Mateu García Phone: 04 802 5665 Ext 217 Mobile: 021 819 140 spanish@ilep.ac.nz
12
The New Zealand Education System
3
!Education organisations,
partners and their roles !Organisation of NZ Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education !Types of schools !Who’s who and what’s what in the NZ Education System
Section 3.1
Education Organisations, Partners and their Roles The basic roles of the main organisations are
The Ministry of Education is the Government’s lead adviser on the education system, shaping direction for education agencies and providers and contributing to the Government’s goals for education. The Ministry of Education determines the curriculum for learning and teaching in NZ schools. www.minedu.govt.nz #
NZQA's role in the education sector is to ensure that New Zealand qualifications are regarded as credible and robust, nationally and internationally, in order to help learners succeed in their chosen endeavours and to contribute to New Zealand society. NZ Qualifications Authority sets and monitors the requirements for all qualifications within the NZ system. This also includes determining the equivalence of overseas qualifications in relation to NZ-based qualifications. www.nzqa.govt.nz #
The New Zealand Teachers’ Council sets and monitors the requirements (professional standards) for entry into teaching in NZ. www.teacherscouncil.org.nz
14
Section 3.2
Organisation of NZ Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education
15
Section 3.3
Types of Schools Contributing schools
Primary schools with classes from Year 1-6 (few of these teach languages).
Full primary schools
Primary schools, Years 1-8.
Intermediate Schools
Year 7 and 8 only. Usually found in larger towns and cities. They are a sort of transition zone from primary to secondary education.
Restricted composite or middle schools
Years 7-10. There are only a handful in the country.
Composite and area schools
Years 1-13. Combined primary and secondary. Area schools are usually found in rural areas; composite
Secondary Schools
Usually Years 9-13. Years 7-13 schools with an attached intermediate section are becoming more common.
Wharekura / Kura Kaupapa
Maori immersion schools.
The Correspondence School
Years 1-13. Provides distance education for those unable to access education in the usual way. Very important
schools are often private schools with a religious base.
provider of secondary languages education. 16
Section 3.4
National Agencies and Organisations International Languages Exchanges and Pathways (ILEP)
supports schools and teachers to implement the Learning
Languages curriculum area through the promotion of a five-stage professsional learning pathway for schools and teachers in years 7-13. We work with principals and senior management, heads of departments, senior tteachers and teachers of years 7 -13 to establish a learning languages strategy and framework. This involves for example offering workshops/infformation seminars for principals and language teachers, visiting schools, offering feedback to language teachers, looking at existing language prog grammes and working with key stakeholders on strategies to restructure a programme to cater better to both learners’, communities’ and the school’ss needs.$$ $$ Physical Address# ILEP, University of Auckland, Epsom Campus,# 74 Epsom Avenue, Epsom # Auckland 1023, New Zealand $$# #
Postal Address# ILEP, Faculty of Education,# Private Bag 92601, Symonds Street,# Auckland 1035, New Zealand
Phone:!09 623 8899 Ext 46 355" Email: !d.mitenkov@auckland.ac.nz ! www.ilep.ac.nz !
The Ministry of Education (MoE) is the Government's lead addviser on the New Zealand education system, shaping direction for sector
agencies and providers. In the early childhood and schooling sectors MoE E has responsibility for strategic leadership, policy development and has a substantial operational role. PO Box 1666 Wellington 6140
Phone: +64 4 463 8000 Fax: +64 4 463 8001# www.minedu.govt.nz
17
Section 3.4 Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI)
– the online knowledge basket – is Ne ew Zealand’s bilingual education portal. An initiative of the Ministry of
Education, it provides New Zealand schools and students with a we ealth of information, resources, and curriculum materials to enhance teaching and learning, raise student achievement, and advance professsional development for teaching staff and school managers. If you have any suggestions or questions, or need assistance with using the site or accessing resources, please contact TKI. Te Kete Ipurangi PO Box 19090 Wellington 6149
Phone: 0800 858 525 Email: help@tki.org.nz www.tki.org.nz
"
New Zealand Qualification Authority’s (NZQA) role in the education sector is to ensure that New Zealand qualifications are
regarded as credible and robust, nationally and internationally, in orderr to help learners succeed in their chosen endeavours and to contribute to New Zealand society. NZQA is responsible for managing the New Z Zealand Qualifications Framework, administering the secondary school assessment system, independent quality assurance of non-university e education providers, qualifications recognition and standard-setting for some specified unit standards. Postal Address PO Box 160 Wellington 6140 New Zealand Street Address Level 13, 125 The Terrace Wellington 6011
"
Phone: 0800 697 296 www.nzqa.govt.nz
"
18
Section 3.4 The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand goovernment department that evaluates and reports on the education and
care of students in schools and early childhood services. ERO’s reportts are used by parents, teachers, early childhood education managers, school principals and trustees, and by government policy makers. General enquiries: You can email info@ero.govt.nz. If you are Local enquiries: ring ERO's National Office on 04-499 2489. emailing or writing to ERO, please include your name and a postal www.ero.govt.nz address. A contact phone number can also be helpful.
New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa R advocating for quality public education.
Auckland - NZEI Northern Regional Office Level One, 4 Bond Street# Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021 # PO Box 52087, Kingsland, Auckland, 1352# Fax: (09) 360-4008
members work in every community in New Zealand, leading and
Wellington - NZEI Central Regional Office 5th Floor, Education House# 178-182 Willis Street, Wellington, 6011 # PO Box 466, Wellington, 6140 # Fax: (04) 384 9983 www.nzei.org.nz
The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Associatiion (PPTA)
is a voluntary trade union and professional association
registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 and the Employme ent Relations Act 2000.$$ For over 50 years PPTA members have worked in schools and nationally to ensure all young people in New Zealand havve equitable access to a high quality public education. Phone:$ + 64 4 384 9964# Fax: + 64 4 382 8763# Email: enquiries@ppta.org.nz www.ppta.org.nz
PPTA National Office# P O Box 2119# Level 5, 60 Willis Street# Wellington
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
19
Section 3.4 The New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZ ZSTA)
promotes excellence in school governance in New Zealand,
provides national/local representation and advocacy on a wide range e of matters of importance to boards, delivers comprehensive support services to assist boards in their trusteeship/employer role, promotes and facilitates ongoing professional development for trustees through education and training. New Zealand School Trustees Association Te Whakaroputanga Kaitiaki Kura O Aotearoa 3rd Floor - Aurora Chambers, 66-68 The Terrace, Wellington PO Box 5123 Wellington New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 473 4955 Fax: +64 4 473 4706 www.nzsta.org.nz
"
The New Zealand Teachers Council (NZTC) is the proffessional and regulatory body for registered teachers working in early
childhood centres, schools and other education institutions in New Zealand. We represent teachers working in both English and M!ori settings. NZTC supports the professional status of teachers along with high quality teaching and learning through our mandated functions. Level 12# 80 Boulcott Street# Wellington 6011# New Zealand
"
"
"
Phone: +64 (0) 4 471 0852# Fax: +64 (0) 4 471 0870# Email: inquiries@teacherscouncil.govt.nz www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz
"
20
Section 3.5
Qualifications and Documentation New Zealand's National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) are national qualifications for senior secondary
school students. NCEA challenges students of all abilities in all learning areas, and shows credits and grades for separate skills and knowledge. It enables students to gain credits from both traditional school curriculum areas and alternative programmes.
www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/ The New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), established in July 2010, contains a comprehensive list of all quality assured
qualifications in New Zealand. Specifically, the NZQF conveys the skills, knowledge and attributes a graduate has gained through completing a qualification, enables and supports the provision of high-quality education pathways, requires the development of integrated and coherent qualifications, enhances confidence in the quality and international comparability of New Zealand qualifications, contributes to the strengthening of M!ori as a people by enhancing and advancing m!tauranga M!ori, represents value for money and is sustainable and robust.
www.nzqa.govt.nz/studying-in-new-zealand/nzqf/ The New Zealand Curriculum curriculum.
sets the direction for student learning and provide guidance for schools as they design and review their
www.nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum The National Education Goals (`the NEGs')$are statements of desirable achievements by schools, statements of government policy
objectives for the school system. This is where the Government lays out national priorities for education which, among issues of local importance, the board must take into account when preparing a charter.
www.minedu.govt.nz/Boards/LegalObligations/NationalEducationGuidelines.aspx 21
Section 3.5 The National Administration Guidelines (NAGs) for school administration set out statements of desirable principles of conduct or administration for specified personnel or bodies.
www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/EducationInNewZealand/EducationLegislation/ TheNationalAdministrationGuidelinesNAGs.aspx 2LL - Second language learning
NZALT - NZ Association of Language Teachers. www.nzalt.org.nz
ESOL - English for speakers of other languages
NZAFT - NZ Association of French Teachers. www.french.ac.nz/nzaft
NESB - Refers to Students from non English-Speaking backgrounds
NZAJLT - NZ Association of Japanese Teachers. www.japanese.ac.nz
LOTE - Languages other than English. More of an Australian than a New Zealand expression, but occasionally used here. DP - Deputy Principal. Second in school hierarchy after the Principal. AP - Assistant Principal. Third in school hierarchy after Principal and DP. HOD - Head of Department HOF - Head of Faculty TiC - Teacher in charge of a subject. Means the teacher has responsibility for the subject but no o"cial status or extra pay.
GANZ - German in Aotearoa / NZ. www.ganz.ac.nz STANZA - Spanish Teachers’ Association of NZ Aotearoa. www.stanza.org.nz French: www.french.ac.nz German: www.german.ac.nz Spanish: www.mec.es/sgci/nz LangSem - Professional Development days for language teachers run by local region of NZALT, annually - in Auckland, every second year - in other regions. TKI - Te Kete Ipurangi. The Ministry of Education’s website for NZ teachers. www.learning-languages.tki.org.nz
BOT - Board of Trustees. Elected board responsible for much
22
Goal Setting
4
Your position is funded by the Ministry of Education for the purpose of improving the language and cultural knowledge and communicative competence of students and teachers. It is important that we can show at the end of the year how you have made a di!erence and how you have improved teachers’ and students’ skills and knowledge. Language Assistants are expected to define some clear goals that will be measured at the end of the year.
Section 4.1
I DENTIFIED N EED
G OAL
A CTION
P LEASE
STATE HOW YOU ARE PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASS
E XAMPLE 1
E XAMPLE 2
E XAMPLE 3
In one of my classes there are a couple of students who get extremely nervous when they speak Spanish. As a consequence, they never participate, and one of them does not even do his homework, because he does not see the point for it.
I selected Year 12 students who were eager to apply for the German Goethe Institut scholarship. I picked them because not all of the students are that interested in the German language even if they learn German. The ones who signed up are really interested and motivated, because they are confident enough in German to compete with others in a foreign language.
Year 13 students which are currently not very engaged, but still show a real interest in learning more about the French culture.
Improve participation of particular students To get the Goethe Institut scholarship for Year Develop cultural awareness. in Spanish classes. 12. To get more cultural awareness to the students so they would get more involved in the country, find personal interest and stuck with this language because they want to and not because they have to. I'd like to work with them both during the class and after hours so that they'll improve their oral skills and their confidence. First, I'll help them train their general language skills (e.g. by making them read out loud to me until they get used to it, by telling them about my own mistakes in their native language, by asking them to trust their instincts when it comes to understanding Spanish, etc.), then I'll make a list of their most common mistakes.
I want to meet with them on a weekly basis to help them understand the subject, practice interviews and prepare Mind Maps about possible topics. I would like to set up some typical “German daily life situations” like “Café und Kuchen”. I will show them a lot of German Music, Movies and Artists and read through the lyrics. All of the conversations will be held in German and the students will talk a lot without even noticing because they will be so involved in the topics.
Creating a board game close to a ‘trivial pursuit” where each student will have a role. So everyone could be at ease with this project. For example, that means that some would cooperate (in French) about how they imagine the board and some others who are more confident in writing will deal with the composition of the different questions.
24
Section 4.1
P LEASE E XAMPLE 1
M EASURE OF S UCCESS
I MPACT B EYOND T ARGETED S TUDENT
STATE HOW YOU ARE PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASS
E XAMPLE 2
E XAMPLE 3
By the end of Term 3 we should see a It would be great if the students receive the Re-engagement of these students in decrease in the number of those mistakes, Goethe Institute Scholarship. French Language Learning. as well as in the number of physical ticks, English words, and question intonation occurrences that are caused by their insecurity. Participation in class should improve. I will try to ďŹ nd out which exercises they Other students might become interested in the enjoyed the most and made the biggest topics we are discussing and might start to difference, so I can recommend these to develop an interest in the German language. other teachers.
25
Section 4.2
I DENTIFIED N EED
G OAL
A CTION
P LEASE
STATE HOW YOU ARE PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE TEACHERS YOU WORK WITH
E XAMPLE 1
E XAMPLE 2
E XAMPLE 3
One of the teachers in my school does not often speak Spanish to me and her Spanish is not as confident as the other teachers’.
This teacher is perfect in the German language and very confident in grammar and conversation. He has a family and hasn't been able to afford the time to go to Germany recently so he is not so familiar with what is going on there. What is in and what is out. What bothers the youth or what kind of new slang is used nowadays.
One of the teachers is from New Caledonia, and the other one is from New Zealand. The teachers asked me to update their cultural knowledge of French expressions, music, celebrities, movies or cartoons etc. So that the French they teach stays real and up to date. Also the reason is that students will be more interested.
Improve the Spanish Language Skills of the To enrich and refresh the teachers cultural To update the cultural aspects used in class. teacher. knowledge about the country. From now on we have agreed that I will talk to her only in Spanish even if she starts the conversation in English and I will carefully correct her mistakes when we are in the staff room but never in front of the students. I will note down how many times per day the interaction was in the target language and what were the errors she had as a habit.
When I am in the High School where he works, we use every single free period possible to create a database of things that are happening in Germany and could be interesting for the students. We split them in 3 categories like politics, student lives and culture. We summarise what is important and write down keywords so he can look things up on the Internet and be up to date all the time even when I have to leave the schools and can’t help him anymore. He doesn’t waste that much time because now he knows in which direction he has to research.
I make power points about music or word documents with up-to-date vocabulary. Also create some dialogues for the students to read and gain vocabulary. I also provide with French movies or TV programmes that are recently released.
26
Section 4.2
P LEASE E XAMPLE 1
STATE HOW YOU ARE PLANNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE TEACHERS YOU WORK WITH
E XAMPLE 2
E XAMPLE 3
At the end of the term we will be able to At the end of the year the teacher will be up to The teachers will feel more conďŹ dent M EASURE know (by looking at the notes) if her date with what is happening in Germany at the about French expressions and popular OF S UCCESS language has improved over time. moment. music and movies. I MPACT B EYOND T ARGETED T EACHER
The notes could help me develop a The database and keywords will help other The PowerPoints can be used by other resource for teachers to use in future, as teachers in the future. teachers in other classes. many native English speakers might have similar problems with Spanish.
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Code of Conduct
5
In class a good ďŹ rst impression will help, and you should try to establish yourself from the start as a well-organised, professional and motivated person.
Section 5.1
Do be yourself and smile be aware that you represent your country in eyes of students talk about yourself, family, town or city, likes and dislikes, etc speak target language as much as you can with the students & teachers use humour speak slowly and clearly, in short bursts say things in more than one way, especially for questions check regularly for understanding (fidgeting, whispering) always keep in mind what level the students are working at and try to speak at the level (check with teacher) brainstorm useful language with students before starting activities be clear and firm with instructions use gesture to help students understanding meaning offer help, ideas on what you can contribute take problems to teacher, HOD remember that language learning is optional remember that teachers are very busy, often stressed remain neutral in staffroom politics explain how things are in your country and invite comparison be punctual & reliable get involved in extra-curricular activities, if interested be generous with praise 29
Section 5.2
Don’t
judge students/teachers by their level of language correct a teacher in front of the students take responsibility for discipline teach the class alone (unless you are happy to) be generally critical of NZ – very sensitive use loads of grammatical terms sit on desks in a classroom – culturally insensitive touch children (especially Maori & Polynesian) on the head – tapu swear in English at school use s arcasm!
You are encouraged and expected to use the Internet for professional purposes, and you can usually do so at your school. However, you should check with your teacher when you can and cannot use the Internet. Do not overuse it: if you need to use the Internet for personal matters, try to do so outside school. Be careful: if you access pornographic and other unsuitable sites (even accidentally) on school computers, you could be dismissed from your job. You should be very careful about how you use social networking sites (such as Facebook) while you are a Language Assistant. Keep your profile private so that it can only be seen by people you intend to see it. If you invite other teachers to be ‘friends’, remember to remain professional in what you say on your wall. You should never swap personal contact details with pupils or invite them to be ‘friends’, or accept similar invitations from them, as this is likely to be regarded as inappropriate behaviour and could lead to disciplinary action. Ask advice from teachers if you want to get pupils involved in online work, for example for projects.
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Making the Best Use of Your Experience
6
The NZ system is likely to place high demands on you in terms of being flexible and adaptable. The emphasis and expectation we place on flexibility will be one of the main di!erences you will find here in comparison with the European system which tends to be more rigid. It is very useful to have a little collection of activities that you always have with you for this purpose. You will need to be flexible in your relationships with teachers you are working with as the relationship will vary greatly from teacher-to-teacher.
Section 6.1
Groups of schools and their different needs
Assistants working at the Year 7 and 8 level will find a difference in language teaching. In secondary schools you will be working with a specialist language teacher but in the primary/intermediate schools, teaching languages will just be one of the many skill areas of a classroom teacher. Try and pitch yourself at the level required. Your role is to assist. Be sensitive to the needs of the individual teachers and try and adapt to them. It is quite likely that you will have one school/ or teacher that you enjoy working with less. Try and focus on your positive work relationships rather than dwell on a negative situation.
Getting involved in school life Expectation in most NZ schools is that teaching staff will play an active role in the co-curricular school programme. Co-curricular involvement: helping out at a school camp or trip, sport day, getting involved in a school play, choir or sports team. Whilst being involved in co-curricular activities is entirely voluntary, it does provide an opportunity to help integrate you into the school community and NZ culture. Language Assistants who get involved in the wider school life are invariably the ones who at the end of the year have had the most positive NZ experience.
‘Give and take’ philosophy of NZ work environment The NZ work environment is not as ‘unionised’ as in Europe. As a result we tend to not be as rigid about hours and what we can and can’t participate in. This ‘give and take’ philosophy is not about doing unpaid work, but rather contributing some extra time when needed and then taking that time off in lieu at a later stage during a quiet period. It is also about participating in school life that is not part of your job description but may be useful / of interest to you e.g. joining a staff meeting.
Teaching duties and hours of work Assistants employed for 4 days a week are required to work 15 hours of class contact time per week plus up to a further 6 hours a week for preparation time. Preparation time includes: preparing class work, resource materials as well as any email/telephone/ after class contact time you have with teachers to discuss classes/ students, etc. Your salary is based on class contact and preparation time 32
Section 6.2 per week. Teachers therefore expect you to arrive at their school prepared. Marking students work is not considered to be an essential part of the role of the Language Assistants (unless it is providing a useful purpose for your language assistant duties). If you are asked to do some marking then it should be included as part of the class contact time per week and not as preparation time.
Involvement in extra-curricular activities In New Zealand extra-curricular activities play a large role in school life and in most schools, teachers are expected to be involved in some form of extra-curricular activity. Schools are always appreciative of Language Assistants who are keen to get more involved in the general New Zealand school culture. This may include language camps, school trips, school sports days, drama productions etc. Whilst this involvement is entirely voluntary, to participate in the New Zealand school culture outside of the language classes, definitely enriches the overall experience of being a language assistant. From our experience, those Language Assistants who have involved themselves fully are invariably the ones who leave with the most positive experience.
Communication In NZ people do not always separate the argument from the person so if you are too direct or too frank it can be taken personally.
Helpful hints for Language Assistants Where possible, the incoming Language Assistant should contact the previous Language Assistant for some insight on the schools and their expectations.
In the Classroom Be positive, flexible, adaptable, creative and calm – and above all keep your sense of humour! If appointed to a group of schools, be ready to adapt very quickly as different teachers don’t use LAs in the same way. 33
Section 6.3 Get familiar with students. Ask for pictures and names/or seating plan. Discover their interests and needs. It is important that you contact the teacher (email/text/phone) the day before you go to a school to ensure the teacher is prepared. This is especially important if you don’t visit the same schools on a weekly basis. When working with the teacher in the classroom, you should be actively participating by interacting with students e.g. moving around the classroom and viewing the students work etc. Arrange with your teachers the best means of communication with you outside the school. Always start an oral session with what the students have already practiced and then introduce a new topic. Discuss topics that students like. This is generally topics that are currently popular with teenagers e.g. music, teenage magazines and tourist information on your home region. At the end of each term it is useful to review the learning covered so students can see their own progress. Don’t be too critical; highlight what’s correct and not what’s wrong. Use areas of your own interest in teaching and resource development. It is important to write legibly on the whiteboard so that students can actually read what is written. Establish your own pool of resources and teaching materials and always carry some with you when you go to different schools. It can be really helpful to share ideas and work activities with teachers at your group of schools. Be open-minded and ready to talk about yourself and your family. Listen to students’ suggestions and be ready to do research if you don’t know the answer to their questions (especially about culture and countryRespect the teaching methodology of your host teacher, even if you don’t agree with it.
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Section 6.4 Remember that teachers in your employing schools are likely to have many years of accumulated wisdom and practical experience of what works for their learners. Be open and flexible but also assertive and clear about what you can/cannot do. Some useful expressions are: “I do not feel comfortable/confident about….” Speak slowly. Remember that pupils may only be 13 and for many it is their first experience of studying a second language. Speak in the target language as much as possible. Try to teach without using detailed grammar terminology as NZ students may only know basic grammar. Don’t be afraid to suggest ideas to assist the host teacher. experiment with your own ideas.
If you are tactful, most teachers will be willing to allow you to
Don’t be afraid to show teachers activities that have worked well in other schools. Never correct the teacher in front of the classroom unless he/she asks to be corrected. Don’t be offended if the teacher forgets that the assistant is due at his/her school. Tell teachers if you are happy to take whole classes. Talk to your host teacher about your timetable to make it effective. Keep teachers informed of the materials you have. Understand teachers are sometimes very busy. Do not be discouraged if they do not have the time to talk to you immediately. Try and choose a time when they have time to engage with you. It may be worthwhile making a list of what you need to know and then arrange for a meeting. If you have family or relatives visiting from France then consider taking them into the classroom. 35
Section 6.5 Don’t stress out – ask for specific tasks and do them independently.
In the School Be aware of the Anglo-Saxon way of expressing oneself: don’t be direct – be diplomatic. Work as a professional regardless of working conditions Ask to be involved in school activities and accept invitations, including taking part in school camps. Ensure that the school administration has your contact details for last minute changes of plan and or unusual events. Talk to the salaries officer to ensure that they are aware that you are to be paid during holidays. Your status is that of parttime teaching staff and not temporary relief staff. Make a point of going regularly to the staffroom and make the effort to talk to people. Internal politics in schools. It is important for LAs to remain neutral and not get drawn in to any discussions.
Outside Schools Where possible, get involved with extra-curricular activities e.g. sports, clubs etc. more into the host country culture but you will also gain goodwill.
Such involvement not only integrates you
It is very important to have the flatting experience (i.e. sharing a house with other members of your own peer group) and is definitely recommended for improving your language and participating in the ‘kiwi’ lifestyle. Make good use of your holidays. Change your habits but remain French and don’t compare.
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Section 6.6 Buy a car. Cars are cheap but don’t buy too cheap either as it may turn out to be a lemon! Bring an international driver licence. Gym membership is cheap. The Warehouse is a good source of cheap goods. Private tuition charges are generally between $30 and $35 per hour. Visit the local tourist office and use the “Lonely Planet” guide. Try to learn the culture of your host country and be tactful and refrain from too much criticism.
Useful Activities for the Classroom The following activities have been suggested by previous language assistants: Primary / Intermediate school students Games – physical Videos – to introduce culture Quizzes Guess Who game Songs Snap cards Word find 37
Section 6.7 Question and answer activity Photos of your family (as they want to know everything about you at the beginning) Year-long competition. Divide class into teams with selected team names receiving points for various achievements. (Competition gets them proactive!) Secondary: Juniors Years 9-11 Same as above Bingo Treasure hunt Practise in asking questions using egg timers Role play – is very popular with this age group Competition works very well – intra- and inter-group competition (is especially effective with boys). Secondary: Seniors year 12 and 13 Talk on a topic for approximately one minute. Communicative games. DVD advertisements – describe what is being advertised. Small group activity – assistant leads discussion on a topic, gives the vocabulary and then asks them to write an essay. Students then swap essays and mark each other’s work.
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