Willetton SHS – A NALSSP good
story from WA
Nathan Harvey
Head of Languages
July 2013
“All languages are equally valid and Learners gain
similar social, cognitive, linguistic and cultural
benefits regardless of the language studied”.
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The Department is committed to supporting all key
languages in Western Australian Public Schools
These are: Chinese, French, German, Indonesian,
Italian, Japanese and Aboriginal Languages
By 2020 at least 12% of students will graduate
from Year 12 with fluency in one of the
designated Asian languages, Chinese
(Mandarin), Indonesian and Japanese

The Asian Language Hubs Strategy - the
Department’s key strategy to meet the
objectives of the NALSSP.
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Steady decline in senior secondary numbers
National direction to increase access to Asian
Languages and Studies of Asia programs
Need to provide pathways to cater for the
diversity of language learner backgrounds
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Lack of quality language teachers
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A need to articulate standards of achievement
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A need to be realistic about the level that can be
achieved considering time spent on languages
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A need to provide engaging programs
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A need to provide maintenance and revival
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2009: 47% of Year 9 students studied a
language

2009: 2% of Year 12 students studied a
language
◦ 39 students studied Chinese
◦ 102 students studied French
◦ 28 students studied German
◦ 58 students studied Italian
◦ 22 students studied Indonesian
◦ 97 students studied Japanese
Western Australian Public School Students Participating in Language Studies 2009(a)
Cult
ural
Year
Level
AIL
Ausl
an*
Chin
ese
Studi
es
French
Germ
an
Indon
esian
Italian
Japan
ese
Spa
nish
Vietn
ames
e
Total
Total
Students
Student
%
Public
Doing
Lang
3
789
64
390
143
1979
359
4684
5698
4140
153
30
18446
20148
92
4
761
60
382
179
2081
359
4843
5757
4146
164
37
18785
20257
93
5
851
77
419
202
2159
415
4955
5906
4153
183
42
19382
20776
93
6
788
85
521
180
2134
502
4654
5689
3938
125
40
18681
19849
94
7
408
36
245
125
1146
250
2650
2825
2200
119
19
10029
10787
93
8
349
22
463
247
2560
419
2029
2928
3087
0
0
12114
16626
73
9
185
19
314
0
1892
340
1210
1778
2279
18
0
8047
17164
47
10
80
17
219
0
635
163
355
863
678
0
0
3018
17485
17
11
52
8
74
0
143
42
31
80
143
0
0
573
17558
3
12
16
10
50
0
110
24
22
46
102
0
0
380
11850
3
398
3077
1076
2873
25433
TOTAL
4279
14839
31570
24866
762
168
109455
172500
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How do we engage these students
to graduate from Year 12 with a
degree of fluency in a second
language?
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Resources and responsibilities for language
learning provided to schools
Implementation of Language Hubs to develop
sustainable pathways and programs
Support provided for the teaching and
learning of languages (TDSs)
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Increase demand for a language program
beyond Year 9
Provide continuous quality language
pathways from partner primary schools
through to Year 12
Provide a differentiated curriculum to ensure
students are engaged in a challenging, quality
language program
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Promote languages across the school
community to increase student knowledge
and understanding of language communities
Establish leadership opportunities for
language teachers
Provide professional learning support for
teachers associated with the hubs
Language Hubs to provide:
• Challenging and innovative curriculum K-12
• Continuous language learning pathways primary
through to Year 12 (and links with pre primary and
VET)
• Flexible timetabling and use of native speakers
• Access to Online learning and teaching resources
1.
2.
1.
Flexible delivery and pathways: to ensure that
innovative and creative approaches to the teaching
and learning of languages are promoted
Increased teacher supply and support: to ensure
that there is an increased and maintained supply of
quality language teachers
Stimulating student demand: to ensure that
students are aware of the benefits of studying
languages and are engaged in quality programs
1.
2.
Asian Language Hubs:
Strategic Plan
Operational Plan
Hub report end of November 2010
European Language Hubs
Mid Year Review July 2010
Strategic Plan
Hub report November 2020
Accountability focus (describe and act)
◦ Strategies used by the hubs
◦ Gathering evidence
Planning for Sustainability (reflect)
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Reflection on the data
Has the plan/action been successful
Any shocks/ surprises
Where to next?
Continuous Improvement (plan)
◦ Document what is happening on the journey to learn
from the process
◦ Plan for improvement
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Lead secondary school- Willetton SHS
Partner Primary Schools – Burrendah,
Rostrata, Willetton Primary Schools
Addition of Riverton Primary School
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Increased levels of achievement in Languages
Increased numbers of students studying
Japanese to Year 12 (+French +Italian)
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Here is what the national research and standards tells us….
Quality Languages programs:
•
•
•
•
•
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are actively valued in their schools
have appropriate timetabling
are adequately staffed by qualified, permanent teachers
are allocated dedicated space
have adequate budgets and resources
have appropriate class sizes and groupings
• focus on progression in language learning…
…supporting the development of long term programs
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The Program standards are designed to assist us
to understand our own professional context and
needs for
- performance evaluation our own professional capabilities
- program development: recognising and articulating needs
for effective language teaching both in our own practice
and in your school context
- advocacy: a statement of values that can be used to
achieve program success
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PSs Year 1/3/5-7 compulsory Italian or German
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Competitive Selection Japanese program Yr 6 and 7
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Student self selection at the end of Year 7 for
secondary
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Compulsory and continuous Year 8 and 9
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Full year elective in Year 10
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Year 11, Year 12 (university entrance level)
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Competitive Entry Year 6 and 7 Academic
Extension Program in Japanese
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Curriculum Differentiation & Extension,
Acceleration Program
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Links with Murdoch University School of
Education
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Targeted PL program for teachers (especially in
text and task design and GATE)
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Celebrate and reward hard work and success
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Extension of Native Speaker Program into
Years 8 & 9
Invest further in sister school relationships
Enhanced links with UWA, HPGCC, Dante
Alighieri Society & Alliance Francais
Trial Cross Curricular program with Science
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Development of Interns Program in
collaboration with Kagoshima Immaculate
Heart College
Staff development (teachers and assistants)–
all staff to be on board and given curriculum
leadership responsibilities
Partnership with University of Tasmania to
developing online FLOTE materials
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“Backward Design” focus:
◦ Clarify results and evidence of them before
designing lessons – standards, resources,
support
Teaching for understanding is the goal of
teaching and compatible with a standards
focus
UbD is a way of thinking more carefully
about design, not a program
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Thinking like an assessor, not only an activity
designer, is key to effective design.
Overcoming the “twin sins” of “aimless activity” and
“superficial coverage”.
The work is only “coverage” or “nice activity” unless
focused on questions and big ideas, related to the
Standards.
1.
Identify desired results based on
achievement standards
2.
Determine acceptable evidence
3.
Plan learning experiences & instruction.
2012 Achievements
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Nominated by SCSA as highest performing
schools for Year 12 WACE Stage 3 Japanese
1st and 3rd Place winner: WA Japanese
Language Speech Contest (senior division)
1st place winner for National Japanese
Speech contest
24 Certificates of High Distinction and 24
Certificates of Distinction for outstanding
student achievement in the Australian
Council for Educational Research Language
Certificate Competition (French, Japanese,
Italian)
1 Highly Commended Entry in the
Teacher’s
of
French
Association
Competition
Silver and Bronze medal winners for WAATI
Italian Examinations
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2 Certificates of High Distinction and 2 of
Distinction (Year 11); and 5 Certificates of
Distinction (Year 10) in the Dante Alighieri
Italian Examinations
A Year 12 student won a two month
scholarship to Japan through the Southern
Cross Cultural Exchange program
2 Year 10 students won a six months study
exchange program to Japan scholarship
1 year 11 student won a 3 week
scholarship to La Reunion Island for French
1 year 11 student ranked 7th in WA out of
over 1000 students for her outstanding
achievement in the Alliance Francaise
Exams for French
1 Certificate of High Distinction and 3
Distinction (Year 11) and 8 Certificates of
Distinction (Year 10) in the Alliance
Francaise Exams
2013 and beyond…
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Keep the impetus going and maintain
momentum for exemplary curriculum
development by working in teams
Exploration of whole school options for
studies of Asia- Cross Curriculum Priorities
and General Capabilities
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Continued targeted PL for teachers
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Seriously explore links with other languages
hubs
2013 and beyond…
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Further formalise links with MUSE and UWA
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Sharing of FTE across schools
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Formalise plans for sustainability
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Further staff training in data analysis for
curriculum planning
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Questions?
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Comments?
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Feedback?
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Suggestions?
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Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay. Understanding
by Design. New York: Prentice Hall. 2000.
McKenzie, Jamie. Learning to Question, to
Wonder, to Learn. New York: Linworth
Publishing.2004.