VicTESOL

VCE EAL Reading and Comparing Texts - Face-to-Face Session
2019-05-27 17:00 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, 603-615 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051, Australia
Marcellene D’Menzie
Monday 27 May, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
The Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, North Melbourne
This session will focus on the VCE EAL Reading and Comparing Texts study. Marcellene will offer some strategies and ideas that can work for any pair of texts, however the session will especially focus on ‘The Longest Memory’ and ‘Black Diggers’, and ‘The Crucible’ and ‘Year of Wonders’. Specific worksheets will be provided.
Marcellene is an English, EAL and Humanities Teacher at Princes Hill Secondary College. She has been teaching for more than 31 years and leading English curriculum programs for 25 years. She is also an VCE English examiner.
VicTESOL Members $10
Non-members $20

VCE EAL Reading and Comparing Texts - Online Conversation Rooms
2019-05-30 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Thursday May 30, 4:00 – 5:30pm
Free
VicTESOL is offering the opportunity for VCE Unit 3&4 teachers to meet and discuss the upcoming Reading and Comparing Texts unit. In this online conversation room, you will be grouped with EAL teachers who are teaching the same text pairing as you. This is a space for you to discuss the themes, characters and motifs of the texts, share approaches to comparison, and swap ideas for writing comparative responses. There will also be the opportunity to share resources and stay in touch with the teachers in your small group. This session will be participant led.
Places are limited. Please only register for this session if you are a Unit 3&4 VCE EAL teacher or coordinator.

Foundation House: New Report - Webinar
2019-06-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Monday 17 June, 4-5pm, online
Greg Gow, Program Coordinator, Schools Support Program & Matt Rodger, Schools Support Officer West Region, Schools Support Program
‘School is where you need to be equal and learn’: Insights from students of refugee backgrounds on learning and engagement in Victorian secondary schools (2019)
This report presents the findings of a research project conducted by the Schools Support Program at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House). This project sought out the insights of students of refugee backgrounds on the barriers and facilitators to learning and engagement at school. Focus groups were conducted at three Victorian secondary schools, with 51 students (aged 13-19). The students were all from refugee backgrounds and had arrived in Australia within the past seven years. Through this project the Schools Support Program was able to learn directly from students of refugee backgrounds and position them, through their lived experience, as experts on ‘what works’ to support them at school.
In this webinar, Greg and Matt will take you through the findings of this report and provide insights into how this report can inform practice at your school.
This is a free event. Please complete a RSVP on the left of the screen to participate.

Support and Advice for Primary School Teachers of EAL Students – Online Q&A Session *Registrations have now closed for this event*
2019-06-25 15:45 - 16:45 | Online
Tuesday 25 June, 3:45-4:45pm, online
Michelle Andrews, Giuliana Mecoli & Rebekah Jones de Villagran
Free Event
VicTESOL has assembled a panel of experts in primary school EAL teaching to answer your questions, offer advice and support, and discuss best practice in primary school EAL teaching. Whether you have a specific question you want to ask, or just want to tune into some informed discussion, this session could be for you. In this online Q&A session, Michelle, Giuliana and Rebekah will tailor their discussion around your specific needs. They will answer both live questions and questions gathered in the registration process.
To register, please fill in the RSVP section on the left of the screen.
Panel Members
Michelle Andrews, Preston North East Primary School
Michelle Andrews is currently working as the EAL specialist at Preston North East Primary school. An experienced Primary EAL teacher, she taught for more than 12 years in the New Arrivals program, undertaking a variety of roles including curriculum leadership. She is an active member of the VicTESOL committee, working mainly in the area of Professional Learning. Passionate about working with other teachers to build excellence in practice, her recent move back into a mainstream Primary school has reinforced her enthusiasm to support student learning and engagement through effective EAL teaching.
Giuliana Mecoli, Department of Education and Training
Giuliana is currently working as the EAL Project Officer in DET, North West Victorian Regional Office and previously was in the same role in the South West Victorian Region for a number of years. In this role she is responsible for providing EAL policy and strategic advice at regional, school and teacher level. She has extensive experience working in the EAL and Literacy fields with teachers across state and independent education sectors at primary, secondary and adult levels. She has worked as a university lecturer in TESOL, classroom teacher, EAL specialist, network leader and literacy coach/mentor at primary and secondary levels.
The key passion that has driven Giuliana’s work over the years has been her commitment to improving teacher’s knowledge about language and to build their skills and capacity to improve the English learning outcomes for EAL students in schools.
Rebekah Jones de Villagran, Blackburn English Language School
Rebekah is the Primary Curriculum Leader at Blackburn English Language School. She has been working in the New Arrivals program since 2015 where she has taught mostly in the upper primary year levels. With over 13 years of experience in primary and English language teaching and a Masters in TEFL/TESL from the University of Birmingham, she has taught over 40 different nationalities in a range of teaching and learning contexts, across Australia, Japan and Guatemala. This has given her a comprehensive understanding of the cultural, social and linguistic issues in EAL teaching and language acquisition.

Incorporating Action Research into the Classroom - Adult TESOL
2019-07-22 17:00 - 18:30 | Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, 603-615 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051, Australia
Rebecca Grimaud, Hân Trinh, Hayley Black – Carringbush Adult Education
Monday 22 July, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, North Melbourne
In this workshop Rebecca, Han and Hayley will share their experience incorporating action research into the classroom to explore approaches to teaching digital and traditional literacy skills to low language and literacy learners. They will share ideas and activities that they have trialled, including using technology, gestures, learner-centred tasks and students’ L1 in the classroom to help them to learn English.
Rebecca has been a teacher in a variety of settings in England, France and Australia for over ten years. She joined Carringbush as a literacy volunteer in 2017 and now teaches low level literacy learners two days a week. Rebecca also teaches French at a local Primary school. She is interested in the use of gestures and explicit pronunciation to help learners increase their confidence in speaking.
Hân has worked as an ESL teacher in Vietnam and Australia for more than 5 years. She studied her Masters of TESOL in Melbourne and joined Carringbush teaching team in 2018. Hân has mainly worked with low level literacy learner groups at Carringbush and is interested in teaching explicit pronunciation and incorporating multilingual teaching approaches into her practice.
Hayley Black is an EAL teacher with a secondary school media and EAL teaching background and a Masters in TESOL. She currently teaches beginner level EAL classes at Carringbush Adult Education. Hayley has taught in the Victorian school system as well as teaching and volunteering overseas in Korea, Nepal and Japan. Her professional interests focus on pedagogical development for teachers working with adults at the Foundation level.
Members $10
Non-Members $20

*SOLD OUT* VicTESOL Symposium 2019
2019-08-19 08:30 - 16:00 | Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, 603-615 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051, Australia
VicTESOL Symposium – Sharing multiple perspectives on TESOL
Monday 19 August, 2019 from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
This event is now SOLD OUT. To join the waiting list, please email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au.
Ticket Prices
$130 – VicTESOL Member
$170 – Non-member
$200 – VicTESOL individual membership and ticket purchase
Click here for detailed information regarding the VicTESOL Symposium 2019.
Please ensure you are logged on by going to ‘My Account’ in the top menu bar in order for member prices to be applied.

Supporting recently-arrived EAL students in a mainstream school setting
2019-09-04 16:00 - 17:00 | Dandenong High School, 92-106 Princes Hwy, Dandenong, VIC, 3175, Australia
Elena Di Mascolo & Liaqat Gulzari
Dandenong High School
Wednesday 4 September, 4-5pm
In this workshop, Elena and Liaqat will share their experiences establishing and implementing specialised programs for recently-arrived EAL students in a culturally-diverse secondary school setting, from Year 7-10. They will explain the features of the various academic and non-academic programs, including both embedded and parallel EAL academic programs, community programs and transition processes. There will be a particular focus on the “Connect” program, designed to support recently-arrived EAL students over 16 years of age. They will share their pedagogical approaches and the related strategies they employ and look at measures of success. Resources and processes will also be shared in order to assist schools to develop programs tailored to their own settings.
Elena is a Learning Specialist at Dandenong High School. She has been teaching in the areas of EAL and Learning Difficulties for about 20 years and has worked at Dandenong High School for ten of those years. She is interested in school structures and pedagogical approaches that support the learning of recently-arrived EAL students who require specialised support to thrive in mainstream secondary school settings.
Liaqat is a Learning Intervention Officer at Dandenong High School. He has been supporting students at the school for two years. He is interested in supporting the learning of students in a mainstream secondary school setting.
Members $10
Non-members $20

Bringing Language to Life - Teaching EAL to Adults through Drama
2019-10-15 17:00 - 18:30 | Williamstown Community and Education Centre, Joan Kirner House, 14 Thompson St, Williamstown, Melbourne, Victoria, 3016, Australia
Jodie Whitehurst
Williamstown Community and Education Centre
Tuesday 15 October, 5-630 pm
Using drama techniques in the teaching of adult EAL provides learners with authentic, meaningful contexts in which to practise the language, while increasing their motivation and speaking confidence. Drama can also energise a class and build a sense of trust, empowering students to take more risks and develop their communication skills. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn some useful drama-based activities which can easily be adapted for various language levels. You don’t need to be an actor, an extrovert or have a background in drama teaching; just bring an open mind and a sense of fun!!
Please note that this session is designed for adult TESOL teachers, but all are welcome to attend as the ideas are transferable to other age groups.
Jodie Whitehurst teaches adult EAL classes at Williamstown Community and Education Centre. A former secondary school Drama and English teacher, Jodie has always been interested in the benefits and best practice of bringing drama methods into the adult English language learning space. This topic was the focus of her research project for the Master of TESOL she completed in June, 2019. Additionally, as a recipient of a 2018 ISS Institute VET International Practitioner Fellowship, Jodie has recently returned from a trip to Europe and Canada, through which she gained a wealth of knowledge and skills in this field. She is passionate about sharing this knowledge with other practitioners who are interested in using drama techniques in their EAL classrooms.
VicTESOL Members $10
Non-members $20

The diverse interactions of Aboriginal EALD speakers: Codeswitching, translanguaging or “whatever”….
2019-10-28 19:00 - 20:00 | Online Webinar
Professor Rhonda Oliver, Curtin University
Monday 28 October, 7-8pm (Australian Eastern Standard Daylight Savings Time)
Free Online Webinar

Click here to register!

Australian Aboriginal people interact in diverse ways and this is especially the case for those who grow up and live in rural and remote locations. In such locations Standard Australian English (SAE) is often not spoken as the residents’ first language or dialect, instead they may have either traditional Indigenous language(s) or an English-lexified creole as their first language (L1), or they may have Aboriginal English (AE) as their first dialect. In addition, most will also use AE as the lingua franca to communicate with other Aboriginal people who do not share their home language. For Aboriginal people, particularly those living in the rural and remote communities, the importance of language (i.e., traditional languages, creoles and AE), both for the maintenance of culture and as a marker of Aboriginality, should not be underestimated. For younger people in particular, their Aboriginal languages contribute in significant ways to the formation of their self-identity. At the same time, however, to fully participate in mainstream Australian society Aboriginal people also need to develop an awareness of and have skills in using SAE. This is especially the case for those studying in schools and universities. To address this need, Aboriginal students have been encouraged and, at times, explicitly taught to codeswitch – changing from their home language to SAE within the classroom. This has been implemented on the assumption that written literacy development will emerge from such a foundation. Yet despite this, educational outcomes (e.g., NAPLAN results) show they continue to achieve under the national standard in language and literacy (ACARA, 2012). While formal success in SAE seems elusive, many Aboriginal speakers, including children, demonstrate a complex linguistic repertoire. Rather than simply switching from one language to another they move fluidly between their various linguistic codes and do so as required by the context, audience, and the learning environment. In this presentation I will describe various observational data showing the diverse ways and various modes in which they do this and make suggestions for how pedagogy (including assessment) can move beyond our current monolinguistic hegemony to one that is Informed by a translanguaging perspective (Garcia & Wei, 2014).

Professor Rhonda Oliver is Head of the School of Education at Curtin University, Perth, Australia. She is widely published in the area of second language acquisition with more than 4,000 citations to her publications. Internationally she is best known for her work in relation to child language learners. As well as work within the interactionist paradigm, she has also conducted numerous studies on language learners in schools and universities. She has also undertaken work in the area of Aboriginal education, particularly for those students who have Standard Australia English as their second language or dialect.

To register, please click here to visit: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/c6f380470de8e07966858a512be5123a
After registering, you will immediately receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Reminders about this event will also be sent to you closer to the date.

ABC Education Learn English Showcase- Using digital for the digital age
2019-11-21 16:00 - 16:45 | Online Webinar
Shivali Nayak, Senior Content Producer, Learn English, ABC Education
4:00 – 4:45pm (Australian Eastern Standard Daylight Savings Time)
Thursday 21 November 2019
Free Online Webinar

The digital age presents some new and interesting learning opportunities for EAL learners. How can teachers harness the power of digital resources to engage students in the classroom and provide them with self-learning opportunities? ABC Education Learn English creates innovative digital content for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Find out how you can use these support materials in your classroom to complement EAL teaching and learning in this free online webinar.
Shivali Nayak is the senior content producer for ABC Education Learn English. She has led the development of creative digital content on a range of topics such as everyday English, weather, grammar, commonly confused words and daily conversations. Learn English is the ABC’s educational resource for people learning English as an Additional Language. Learn English has close to 5 million followers on social media, making it the ABC’s largest Facebook community.

Click here to register for this event!
After registering, you will immediately receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Reminders about this event will also be sent to you closer to the date.

VCE EAL Exam Webinar - Meet the Assessors
2020-02-11 16:00 - 17:30 | Online Webinar
Glynis Rose & Rosemary McLoughlin
Tuesday 11 February, 4-5:30 pm, Online event
In this session, Glynis and Rosemary will provide feedback on student performance in the 2019 VCE EAL exam, including analysis of student performance in each section and examples of student responses. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions and gain valuable insight into how the exam is assessed. They will also suggest ways to prepare students for the 2020 exam.
Glynis Rose is the chief assessor and Rosemary McLoughlin is the assistant chief assessor of the 2019 VCE EAL Examination.
Please note that the content of this session will be similar to that presented through VATE.
Cost:
VicTESOL Member $20
Non-member $40

Once your registration/payment is complete, you will be emailed your unique URL that you will use to join the webinar. If you have not received this one week prior to the event (5 Feb 2020), please email VicTESOL-
victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au
or
plcoordinator [at] victesol.vic.edu.au

New to VCE EAL Presentation/Discussion Forum
2020-02-17 17:00 - 18:30 | Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Julia Lippold, Rebecca Gillies & Debra Icely
Monday 17 February, 5:00-630pm with pre-session exhibition viewing from 4pm
The Immigration Museum, Melbourne
*This session is aimed at teachers who have not taught VCE EAL before, however teachers in the early years of teaching VCE EAL are also welcome to attend.*
Have you been allocated VCE EAL for the first time in 2020? Would you like some guidance and support from three experienced EAL teachers who have been in your shoes before? Meet Julia Lippold, Debra Icely and Rebecca Gillies for a discussion forum and presentation on tips for teaching VCE EAL for the first time. Julia, Deborah and Rebecca will join forces to bring their extensive EAL teaching experience to VicTESOL members and guests with the aim of providing practical suggestions on how to transfer EAL pedagogy into the VCE context. An overview/breakdown of the current VCE EAL Study Design will be included, in addition to tips on meeting the needs of our EAL learners within the VCE context. The aim of the session is also to respond to participants’ questions directly, therefore a short questionnaire will be completed in the registration process and questions will be addressed during the session.
This session will be held at The Immigration Museum. Participants are welcome to explore the exhibition spaces before the event from 4pm. Discover the array of resources and excursion possibilities for your classes in 2020!
Presenters:
Julia Lippold is an EAL and TESOL specialist teacher and ‘teacherpenerur’ with over 14 years of TESOL teaching experience. She has taught in both the New Arrivals and independent sectors, and also in Korea. She began her formal teaching career at Blackburn English Language School in Melbourne and as a volunteer tutor working with refugees on Temporary Protection Visas. At Blackburn ELS, Julia worked as a Leading Teacher, Head of Senior School, and International Student Coordinator maintaining close links with the International Division at the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Julia currently teaches at Lauriston Girls’ School in the role of EAL Coordinator (Years 7-12) where she has had an integral role in establishing the EAL program. Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Languages) with Honours, a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), a Master of Public and International Law and a Graduate Certificate in Literary Classics. In addition to teaching, she supports staff in accommodating the needs of EAL students and delivers staff professional learning workshops. Julia is a member of the Executive Board of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA), an affiliate of both VicTESOL and VATE, is actively involved in the VCAA F-10 EAL Curriculum for Victorian Schools Consultation Review, is a member of the VCAA VCE Examination Development EAL Reviewing Panel, and is the founder and creator of Zealous English. Julia is passionate about teaching EAL and creating user-friendly resources for both teachers and students.
Rebecca (Bec) Gillies has over 11 years’ experience teaching EAL students, most recently at VCE level. Originally focused on a corporate career, Bec completed a Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing), then worked in Japan before travelling extensively. Her experiences living and working in different cultures have given her an insight into the challenges and rewards of language acquisition. Holding a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), Bec has taught in both the Government and Independent sectors, commencing her second career in the New Arrivals Program at Blackburn English Language School in Melbourne. Bec currently teaches EAL at Korowa Anglican Girls’ School where she has developed curriculum and resources for Years 7-12. In addition to teaching, she supports students and colleagues to ensure EAL learners achieve to the best of their ability, regardless of their English language competency. Bec is an active member of VicTESOL and VATE.
Debra Icely has taught in public schools in Victoria for over 30 years, with 20 + years at Princes Hill SC- teaching yrs 7-12 EAL students in a mainstream school setting. Debra has presented at VicTESOL PL sessions on VCE EAL, VATE EAL Teachers’ Days & VATE/VicTESOL Student Revision Lectures. She has been a member of the VicTESOL committee for several years & has previously chaired the VCE EAL sub commitee of VicTESOL.
VicTESOL Member $10
Non-member $20

Multicultural Classrooms - Plurilingualism in Practice Webinar
2020-03-04 15:45 - 16:45 | Online Webinar
Janet Armitage
Wednesday 4 March, 3:45-4:45pm
Free Webinar
Functional Multilingualism/Translanguaging are currently popular terms being researched, discussed and adapted to diverse learning settings. This paper is a practical response to the current interest in Translanguaging, suggesting ways this might look in EALD classrooms and what teachers might consider when developing Translanguaging activities. With the intention of bringing students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge to the fore through redesigning Australian Curriculum and SACE task, four tasks, along with samples of student work, will be presented and discussed.
Janet Armitage currently works for the South Australian Department for Education in the role of EAL/D Hub Coach supporting teachers in professional development that recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander EALD learners. Janet undertook action research in a large secondary school in South Australia where she was an EALD teacher and EALD & Languages Coordinator. She is also a PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics with the University of South Australia and has been part of a team providing professional development to Languages teachers across the state.

Please click here to register for this event.

This is a free event.

Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:

Once you register, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the webinar link contained in the email, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

*SOLD OUT* Whole-day Adult TESOL event- Creative pedagogies for teaching adult EAL learners
2020-03-20 08:30 - 16:00 | Carringbush Adult Education, 415 Church St, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
Carringbush Adult Education, 415 Church St, Richmond
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
* This event has sold out. Please email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au if you would like to be placed on the waiting list. You will be notified if there is a cancellation.
This full-day forum will bring together researchers and practitioners in the adult EAL sector to explore current evidence-based teaching strategies. Sessions will include workshops on practical teaching tips, research presentations, a panel discussion and plenty of opportunities for networking.
Click here to view the conference schedule.
During registration, you will be asked to register your preference for Session A, Session B & Session C. Places are limited for each session, so you will receive an email confirming your session allocation.
VicTESOL Members $80
Non-members $120

*Online Webinar* VCE EAL Listening - How to teach and assess
2020-03-25 17:00 - 18:30 | Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, 603-615 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, Victoria, 3051, Australia
April Edwards, La Trobe University
Wednesday 25 March, 5:00-6:30pm
***This event will now be offered as an online webinar in the interest of public health safety. Date and time remain unchanged.***
Listening skills are ones we all employ, both passively and actively, but how do we teach and evaluate them as part of VCE EAL assessment?
In this session you will consider how to develop and embed valid EAL listening assessment into every outcome of Units 1-4 through the completion and analysis of an existing assessment tool and subsequent creation of a task based on evidence-based listening assessment practices.
As a passionate EAL, Spanish and 7-12 English teacher as well as an active VicTESOL committee member and second language learner, April is highly experienced in the areas of first and additional languages education. She completed her Masters thesis on VCE listening task assessment at the University of Melbourne and is currently training undergraduate and post graduate teachers at La Trobe University in literacy, secondary EAL pedagogy and curriculum and interdisciplinary education. She recently developed materials for the DET Koorie Outcomes Unit to promote the use of EAL teaching practices for improved social and academic outcomes for Victoria’s Indigenous students.
VicTESOL Members $10
Non-members $20
Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
You will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

More tickets now available - Teaching EAL learners online using video conferencing
2020-04-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Victoria Butterfield, Voula MacKenzie, Heena Sharma, Panayiota Kai
The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program of the Victorian School of Languages (VSL)
Tuesday 28 April, 4-5pm
Online Webinar
Are you faced with the challenge of teaching your EAL students online during the Covid-19 crisis?
This session will provide practical strategies for teaching EAL online, followed by a Q and A session with a panel of expert primary and secondary EAL teachers who work with the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program.
Participants will learn tips and strategies for the effective use of videoconferencing to teach EAL learners. Examples will be shown of how engaging lessons can be conducted online for F-10 EAL learners at all levels.
This professional learning session will focus on working with EAL students who will have access to videoconferencing software at home.
Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance to be addressed by the panel during the Q and A session.
About the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program [VNAP]
The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program supports new arrival EAL students using video conferencing sessions delivered through a distance education model at the Victorian School of Languages (VSL). The Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (VNAP) is specifically for newly-arrived EAL learners in remote country schools who cannot access an English Language School or English Language Centre.
Victoria Butterfield is co-coordinator and a teacher in the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (VNAP). She is a highly accomplished EAL teacher who has taught in English Language Schools and Centres in Victoria for the past twelve years. Since 2017, Victoria has taught in the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program to support newly-arrived EAL learners and teachers in regional Victoria.
Voula Mackenzie is an experienced EAL, Information Technology and Humanities teacher, who has taught in Victorian secondary schools, English Language centres and most recently at the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program (Distance Education) hosted at the Victorian School of languages campus in Thornbury. Since 2014, Voula has led the development of the Virtual EAL program, which began as a pilot project, and is now an established program with 65 students throughout rural Victoria. Voula co-coordinates the program.
Heena Sharma is a generalist teacher specialising in EAL. She has worked in government Primary schools for over 15 years and in collaboration with Panayiota Kai teaching EAL. Heena Sharma joined the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program team in 2017.
Panayiota Kai is a generalist teacher specialising in Languages and EAL. She has taught in government Primary and Secondary schools for over 20 years. Panayiota has worked as an EAL Coach, trained EAL Leaders and offered PD on EAL issues. Panayiota has been part of the Virtual EAL New Arrivals Program as Curriculum Co-ordinator since 2015.
VicTESOL Members – Free
Non-members – $20 Click here for further information about joining VicTESOL.

*SOLD OUT* Learning from home: Supporting EAL students remotely
2020-05-05 16:00 - 17:30 | Online Webinar
Online discussion forum and mini-presentations
Tuesday 5 May, 4-5:30pm
VicTESOL is providing an online space for teachers to come together to discuss their experience of teaching and supporting EAL students remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.
The session will begin with a number of mini-presentations with presenters sharing what they have implemented so far and their reflections on the experience of remote teaching and learning. This will be followed by small group discussions between participants in which there will be opportunity for you to share your experience and also hear what other teachers are implementing, sharing tips and advice for future learning. Librarian Jennifer Peck from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) will then present some of their multilingual and EAL online resources.
VicTESOL Members – Free
Non-members $10 Click here for information about joining VicTESOL.

*Second session sold out*- Learning from Home: Supporting EAL students remotely
2020-05-07 16:00 - 17:30 | Online
Online discussion forum and mini-presentations
Thursday 7 May, 4-5:30pm
*Due to popular demand, VicTESOL is running a second session of this professional learning event.*
VicTESOL is providing an online space for teachers to come together to discuss their experience of teaching and supporting EAL students remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.
The session will begin with a number of mini-presentations with presenters sharing what they have implemented so far and their reflections on the experience of remote teaching and learning. This will be followed by small group discussions between participants in which there will be opportunity for you to share your experience and also hear what other teachers are implementing, sharing tips and advice for future learning. Librarian Jennifer Peck from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) will then present some of their multilingual and EAL online resources.
VicTESOL Members – Free
Non-members $10

Webinar - Intercultural communication in the adult EAL classroom: Concepts and classroom practice
2020-05-14 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Skye Playsted
Thursday 14 May, 4-5pm
Online Webinar
When we think of the term ‘culture’, it can be easy to focus on concrete elements such as art, music, clothing or food. However, these visible aspects are only the tip of the cultural iceberg (Ting-Toomey & Chung, 2011). Deeper cultural assumptions are hidden from view and are not as easy to identify. These can include our beliefs about learning and teaching, expectations of politeness, values, social norms or unspoken conversational ‘taboos’. Misunderstandings can easily occur across cultures in these areas. A deeper understanding of the ways in which culture and language influence our views of the world and how we communicate is needed (DeCapua & Wintergerst, 2016). Drawing on DeCapua’s (2018) Culture Myths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom Teaching, this session offers teachers an opportunity to consider and ‘unpack’ some commonly held ‘myths’ about culture which affect learning and teaching in the adult EAL classroom.
Skye Playsted is an educator with over 20 years of teaching experience as a second language and music teacher in Australian schools. She has taught English to adult students as a volunteer in community refugee support groups, and has been teaching in vocational colleges and university academic English programs in the Refugee Welcome Zone of Toowoomba, Queensland. Skye completed her M Ed (TESOL) via distance through the University of Wollongong, NSW, and has recently moved to Brisbane with her family. She has been awarded a PhD scholarship through the Australian government research training program, to research reflective practice, teacher cognition and oral communication pedagogy in beginner adult English language teaching.
VicTESOL Member $10
Non-member $20 Click here for further information about joining VicTESOL.
* REGISTRATIONS FOR THIS EVENT CLOSE AT 12 NOON ON THURSDAY 14 MAY 2020 *

Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
Prior to this event, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

VCE EAL Reading and Comparing Texts - Online Discussion Rooms
2020-06-02 16:00 - 17:30 | Online Webinar
Tuesday June 2, 4:00 – 5:30pm
Free online event
Are you a Unit 3&4 VCE EAL teacher? Do you want to swap teaching ideas with teachers from other schools on the upcoming Reading and Comparing Texts unit?
VicTESOL is offering the opportunity for teachers to meet and discuss this unit online!
In this session, you will be placed into small groups to discuss the themes, characters and motifs of the texts, share approaches to comparison, and swap ideas for writing comparative responses.
There will also be the opportunity to share resources within your small group.
Please click here to register for the event.

Notes about attending a VicTESOL online event:

Once you register, you will be sent an email containing a link to join this event using the online meeting platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the meeting link contained in the email, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

*SOLD OUT* Differentiating for EAL Across the Curriculum - Workshop now online
2020-06-23 15:45 - 16:45 | Online Webinar
Ruth Hibburt and Geelong English Language Centre (GELC) teachers
Tuesday 23 June, 3:45-4:45pm
Online Event
This session is a practical workshop to assist teachers to modify programs and scaffold learning to assist EAL students to access the Victorian Curriculum across all subject areas. Participants will learn about engaging EAL learners, scaffolding essential vocabulary and making appropriate modifications to learning and assessment tasks.
Expert teachers from GELC will work with participants in small groups to guide them through making appropriate adjustments to the work sample for their EAL learners. Participants are asked to send in a work sample such as lesson plan, unit planner, assessment task or worksheet they are currently using or are planning to use in Term 3 so that GELC staff can formulate recommendations tailored specifically to your needs.
This session is aimed at primary and secondary school teachers.
Ruth Hibburt is a highly accomplished teacher with over 12 years experience teaching in Victorian Secondary Schools 7-12 and English Language Centres P-10. She specialises in teaching the academic language of Mathematics and Science through planning, engagement, curriculum development, assessment and reporting for EAL Maths and Science P-10. Ruth is a positive change maker in education and an expert in building skills and confidence with teachers and students. She has taught over 3000 students from a diverse range of social backgrounds and learning needs. Ruth currently works in Victorian schools as a Network Numeracy Improvement Teacher.
The GELC staff are all qualified specialist EAL teachers with many years experience in delivering English language programs. GELC programs develop the English language knowledge and skills for students to access the Victorian curriculum across a range of subjects areas including maths, science, humanities and ICT. GELC staff also work in a coaching and mentoring capacity with mainstream classroom teachers to scaffold learning appropriately to meet the needs of EAL students.
VicTESOL Members (including other state TESOL association and ACTA members) $10
Non-members $20

Facilitating remote learning for EAL students using online platforms – Online discussion rooms
2020-07-16 15:45 - 16:30 | Online Webinar
Thursday 16 July, 3:45-4:30pm
Free online discussion rooms – *Registrations have now closed for this event*
VicTESOL is again offering a space for teachers of EAL students to discuss remote learning. This time the focus is the sharing of EAL teaching strategies to meet the needs of learners through online platforms. Participants will be grouped based on the main platform they are using. It will be a chance to share expertise gained from the first round of remote learning, and to go into greater depth and detail about how best to meet the needs of EAL students using the functions of your platform.
Please note that this session will be entirely small group discussion. The session is best suited to teachers who are currently practising and able to share their practice. Groups will be participant-led.

Notes about attending a VicTESOL online event:
Once you register, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the online event using the platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Teaching Grammar: A Deductive Approach
2020-07-30 15:45 - 17:15 | Online Webinar
Julia Lippold, Lauriston Girls School
Thursday 30 July, 3:45-5:15 pm
Online Webinar
*LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: Registrations close 2pm Thursday 30 July*
Teaching grammar can be fraught with challenges. In the EAL setting, students can find understanding syntactical metalanguage as well as abstract concepts challenging. So how do we make grammar accessible to EAL students? My approach to teaching grammar is, at its core, deductive rather than didactic encouraging students to figure out rules and patterns deductively rather than being expressly instructed. Getting students involved in the learning process is key to this method: a highly visual, contextualised and participatory pedagogy.
This session will guide teachers through this deductive method as they too participate in the learning process. Topics covered will include:
– Why is grammar so important?
– Connections to the F-10 EAL Curriculum and National Curriculum (EAL Achievement Standards)
– Deductive pedagogy
– Sample grammar lessons and teaching tips aimed at EAL students (including, phrasal verbs, the conditional, nominalisation, shades of modality, coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, punctuation and parts of speech)
Julia Lippold is an EAL and TESOL specialist teacher and ‘teacherpenerur’ with over 14 years of TESOL teaching experience. She has taught in both the New Arrivals and independent sectors, and also in Korea. She began her formal teaching career at Blackburn English Language School in Melbourne and as a volunteer tutor working with refugees on Temporary Protection Visas. At Blackburn ELS, Julia worked as a Leading Teacher, Head of Senior School, and International Student Coordinator maintaining close links with the International Division at the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Julia currently teaches at Lauriston Girls’ School in the role of EAL Coordinator (Years 7-12) where she has had an integral role in establishing the EAL program. Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Languages) with Honours, a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), a Master of Public and International Law and a Graduate Certificate in Literary Classics. In addition to teaching, she supports staff in accommodating the needs of EAL students and delivers staff professional learning workshops. Julia is a VicTESOL representative of the Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA), an affiliate of both VicTESOL and VATE, is actively involved in the VCAA F-10 EAL Curriculum for Victorian Schools Consultation Review, is a member of the VCAA VCE Examination Development EAL Reviewing Panel, and is the founder and creator of Zealous English. Julia is passionate about teaching EAL and creating user-friendly resources for both teachers and students.
Cost:

$10 – VicTESOL Members (including other state & territory TESOL associations affiliated with ACTA)
$20 – Non-members

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF VICTESOL FOR 2020

Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
Prior to this event, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Translanguaging in the Classroom
2020-08-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Dr Sue Ollerhead, Macquarie University
Wednesday 5 August, 4-5pm
Online Webinar
*LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER: REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 2PM TOMORROW!*
In this workshop, Sue will discuss the important role that students’ home languages play in their classroom learning. She will explore the rationale for using translanguaging as a pedagogical approach and present some key classroom translanguaging strategies used by teachers to create more inclusive and engaging learning experiences for multilingual learners.
The session will be aimed mostly at upper primary and secondary teachers, but the principles can be applied in wide range of contexts. All welcome.
Dr Sue Ollerhead is a lecturer in Languages Education at the School of Education at Macquarie University. She has worked extensively as a teacher, teacher trainer and researcher in South Africa, Egypt, the United Kingdom, India and Australia. Her current research focuses on translanguaging pedagogies in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. Sue is co-editor of the book Plurilingualism in Teaching and Learning: Complexities across Contexts (2018) and the special issue of the Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics: Translanguaging as a resource in teaching and learning (2020).
Cost:

FREE – VicTESOL Members (including other state & territory TESOL associations affiliated with ACTA)
$10 – Non-members

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF VICTESOL FOR 2020
Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
Once you register, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the above link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Using the Foundation to Level 6 Literacy Teaching Toolkit to support EAL learners
2020-08-12 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Yan Yao Choong, Department of Education and Training
Wednesday 12 August, 4:00-5:00pm
Free Webinar – Click here to register
The Literacy Teaching Toolkit provides practical advice and high impact teaching practices to improve student outcomes in reading, writing and speaking and listening. In 2019, the Foundation to Level 6 Literacy Teaching Toolkit (F-6 Toolkit) was updated to include specific strategies to differentiate for EAL learners.
This webinar introduces the EAL content incorporated in the F-6 Toolkit and how it may be used to support EAL learners. The session is aimed at primary school teachers.
Yan Yao Choong is a Senior Project Officer at the Department of Education and Training (the Department) with ten years of TESOL teaching experience. She has taught English in Korea and tutored EAL students at VCE level. She has worked in Western English Language School and Blackburn English Language School teaching primary-aged migrant and refugee students. Yan Yao was a Primary Curriculum Coordinator at Blackburn English Language School before joining the Department in 2018. She now works to support teachers of EAL learners in conjunction with other areas in the Department.

Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
Once you register, you will be sent an email containing a link to join the webinar using the online webinar platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the above link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Meeting graduate standards for working with EAL/D learners
2020-09-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Dr Jenny Barnett
Tuesday 8 September, 4-5pm
Free Online Webinar – Click here to register!
If you expect to work with EAL/D learners in your teaching career, then you will want to be familiar with the EALD Elaborations of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. In this webinar, Jenny will take you through some of the thinking behind the document and show how it can serve you both in your preparation and your practice. As convenor of the original writing group, she aims to bring the EAL/D Elaborations to life for you, and will be very ready to answer your questions.
This webinar is for Initial Teacher Education students and pre-service teachers.
Please click here to access the EAL/D Elaborations of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Dr Jenny Barnett worked for many years in TESOL teacher education at the University of South Australia, offering pre-service and in-service courses with a focus on inclusive pedagogies and curriculum design. Her research interests have centred on learning and teaching English in settings ranging from multilingual city schools to remote Indigenous communities and South East Asian universities.

Notes about attending a VicTESOL webinar:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar using the online platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the above link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Culturally Diverse Literature Professional Learning Series - Part 1: Why cultural diversity in literature is important
2020-09-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Stories are powerful. They shape the way we think about the world, ourselves and each other. The stories we choose to present to students at school, as teachers and librarians, profoundly affect how students perceive the world and their place in it. We want to help you choose culturally diverse resources that reflect students’ diverse lives, promote inclusion, challenge stereotypes, confront racism and ultimately strengthen our multicultural society.

Part 1 – Why cultural diversity in literature is important
Online Panel Discussion with Remy Lai, Solli Raphael, and Cath Moore
Wednesday 9 September, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Cost:

$10 – LMERC / SLAV / VicTESOL members (including other state & territory TESOL associations affiliated with ACTA)
$20 – Non-members

In part 1, join us as Remy Lai, Solli Raphael, and Cath Moore discuss why culturally diverse literature is important and provide insights into their work.
Remy Lai
Remy Lai writes and draws stories for kids. She is the author and illustrator of Pie in the Sky and Fly on the Wall (Macmillan US and Walker Books Australia), both of which are graphic novel/prose hybrid books. Her middle years graphic novel Pawcasso will be published in 2021 (Macmillan US). Remy studied fine arts, with a major in painting and drawing.
Many of the characters in Lai’s books grapple with the dislocation of moving to a new country, learning a new language and trying to make sense of it all.
Remy was born in Indonesia, grew up in Singapore, and currently lives in Brisbane, Australia, where she can often be found exploring the woods with her dogs.
https://remylai.com/index.html
Solli Raphael
At 12 years of age, Solli Raphael was titled the youngest ever winner of the Australian Poetry Slam held at the Sydney Opera House after he performed ‘Australian Air’ – a poem about political wisdom, environmental awareness and the importance of social consciousness. He then rose to fame after his winning performance was viewed online over four million times in 24 hours. Now 15, Solli is a globally renowned poet and keynote speaker; having led workshops; performed and spoken at conferences, schools and universities. Additionally (and passionately), Solli is an environmental activist and humanitarian who works closely as an ambassador for four charities and organisations.
Solli’s first book Limelight, was published in 2018 and has received accolades for its capacity to engage students in poetry, having also won a Nautilus Book Award in 2019 for best middle-grade nonfiction. Solli’s second book, Spotlight, will be released in September 2020.
https://solliraphael.com.au/
Cath Moore
Cath Moore is of Irish/Afro-Caribbean heritage. She was born in Guyana, raised in Australia and has lived in Scotland and Belgium. She now lives in Melbourne. Cath is an award-winning screenwriter, a teacher and a filmmaker. Metal Fish, Falling Snow is her first novel.
https://www.cathmoorewrites.org/
The panel will be moderated by Lenny Robinson from The Stella Prize.

This series of professional learning events is a result of collaboration between staff from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC), the School Libraries Association of Victoria (SLAV), Stella Schools, and VicTESOL.

About the Organisers
The School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) offers dynamic and inspiring opportunities for teacher-librarians and library teams to build their essential role in engaging and developing lifelong learners. Through leadership, advocacy and collegiality and an extensive professional learning and publications program.
www.slav.org.au
Stella is an organisation that champions cultural change through recognising, elevating and celebrating Australian women’s writing. It includes the annual Stella Prize award for women’s writing, the Stella Count, which examines gender bias in book reviewing and Stella Schools, which develops programs that seek to inspire and empower young people to find their own creative voices, challenge stereotypes and imagine a future not limited by their gender.
https://thestellaprize.com.au/
The Languages & Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) is for educators across all sectors K-12. LMERC provides resources in the areas of English as an Additional Language (EAL), Languages other than English, the Intercultural Capability and the cross curriculum priorities areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and Sustainability. The library holds an extensive collection of over 25,000 resources in all formats for educators across all sectors and at all levels, early childhood to adult. Library membership is available free to teachers from these educational settings: early childhood centres (in receipt of government funding), schools F-12 across all sectors, pre-service teachers and lecturers (in the areas of EAL and languages), homework clubs and community language schools. Home school parents, teachers of adults and community workers in education roles are also welcome to join.
https://lmerc.softlinkhosting.com.au/oliver/home/news

Notes about attending a VicTESOL online event:
Prior to this event, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar using the online platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Culturally Diverse Literature Professional Learning Series - Part 2: Choosing culturally diverse literature
2020-09-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Stories are powerful. They shape the way we think about the world, ourselves and each other. The stories we choose to present to students at school, as teachers and librarians, profoundly affect how students perceive the world and their place in it. We want to help you choose culturally diverse resources that reflect students’ diverse lives, promote inclusion, challenge stereotypes, confront racism and ultimately strengthen our multicultural society.

Part 2 – Choosing culturally diverse literature
Resource auditing and recommendation session with LMERC and SLAV librarians
Tuesday 15 September, 4:00 – 5:00 pm (Online Event)
Cost:

$10 – LMERC / SLAV / VicTESOL members (including other state & territory TESOL associations affiliated with ACTA)
$20 – Non-members

In part 2, we discuss possible ways to audit your current text lists or collections, and give resource recommendations for you to consider introducing at your school or institution.
Jennifer Peck will take you through the resources available through LMERC, including lists of culturally diverse texts.
Stella Schools Manager Lenny Robinson will introduce the audience to two resources developed by Stella Schools to support diversity in text selection: The Read Up Reading Guide, developed in partnership with the Victorian Government, and the Stella Sparks Reading Guide, one of several resources included in their Resource Kit for Stella Sparks schools program.
We will then split into groups facilitated by SLAV and LMERC librarians who will take you through some resource recommendations relevant for the age of your readers.
Focus on primary students (age 6 -12 years)
Raffaela Grasso is the current full time Primary Teacher Librarian /eLearning Facilitator for the Primary school Years 2-5 at Bialik College. Raffaela is currently undertaking the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) degree. Throughout her career she has worked closely with Primary classroom teachers to support and develop a love of reading and develop respectful and responsible use of technology in the Primary years.
Focus on lower secondary students (age 13 – 14 years)
Hope Do is currently the Information Services Coordinator at Caroline Chisholm College, a school with a diverse population of more than 83 nationalities. She has been the Head of Learning Resources at Loyola College, a Catholic Secondary co-educational College in Watsonia from 2015- 2019. Hope started her life as a Maths teacher in 2002. She then returned to study completing a Master of Information Management at RMIT. Prior to joining Loyola in 2015, Hope spent a number of years as a Teacher-Librarian at St. Monica’s College.
Focus on upper secondary students (age 15 – 18 years)
Erin Wamala has previously worked in children’s publishing and bookselling and is now a Teacher Librarian at Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne. She is also currently an Older Readers Judge for the Children’s Book Council of Australian Awards.
Focus on adults (18 years plus)
Jenny Peck is the manager of the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC), a small specialised Department of Education and Training library for educators across all sectors including early childhood and adult education. The LMERC library specialises in resources to support delivery of the Victorian Curriculum in the areas of English as an Additional Language, Languages, Cross Curriculum Priority areas and Intercultural Capability. In this role she manages a small team of 2 part time staff, assists teachers to find resources – in the library or remotely, writes a quarterly newsletter, develops the collection, produces curated lists of resources and delivers presentations to groups. She has been a librarian since 2007.

This series of professional learning events is a result of collaboration between staff from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC), the School Libraries Association of Victoria (SLAV), Stella Schools, and VicTESOL.
About the Organisers
The School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) offers dynamic and inspiring opportunities for teacher-librarians and library teams to build their essential role in engaging and developing lifelong learners. Through leadership, advocacy and collegiality and an extensive professional learning and publications program.
www.slav.org.au
Stella is an organisation that champions cultural change through recognising, elevating and celebrating Australian women’s writing. It includes the annual Stella Prize award for women’s writing, the Stella Count, which examines gender bias in book reviewing and Stella Schools, which develops programs that seek to inspire and empower young people to find their own creative voices, challenge stereotypes and imagine a future not limited by their gender.
https://thestellaprize.com.au/
The Languages & Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) is for educators across all sectors K-12. LMERC provides resources in the areas of English as an Additional Language (EAL), Languages other than English, the Intercultural Capability and the cross curriculum priorities areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and Sustainability. The library holds an extensive collection of over 25,000 resources in all formats for educators across all sectors and at all levels, early childhood to adult. Library membership is available free to teachers from these educational settings: early childhood centres (in receipt of government funding), schools F-12 across all sectors, pre-service teachers and lecturers (in the areas of EAL and languages), homework clubs and community language schools. Home school parents, teachers of adults and community workers in education roles are also welcome to join.
https://lmerc.softlinkhosting.com.au/oliver/home/news

Notes about attending a VicTESOL online event:
Prior to the event, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event using the online platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.

Preparing students for the VCE EAL Exam
2020-10-06 16:00 - 17:30 | Online Webinar
Online Presentations and Discussion Rooms
Tuesday 6 October, 4-5:30 pm
Naomi Weiler, Stephanie Georgiou, and Maria Papasotiriou
Are you preparing students for the VCE EAL exam? Get ideas and strategies from three experienced EAL teachers and join us afterwards for small group discussions.
Presenters
Stephanie Georgiou has more than 18 years of experience in teaching EAL. She has worked in the adult, Catholic and government sectors, continuing her ongoing tenure at the Department of Education and Training. She has managed and coordinated multiple programmes throughout her career. This includes setting up a government funded bridging program for refugee students and most recently as Language Centre and EAL coordinator managing the learning of international students and teaching staff within that program. She has run numerous in-house in-services for staff on teaching strategies for EAL students.
Maria Papasotiriou is the Head of EAL at Wellington Secondary College, a large government secondary school in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne. She is an experienced VCE EAL teacher and has taught local and international students from culturally diverse backgrounds, including refugees with disrupted schooling. She has previously presented at the VATE Conference and has been an English assessor for VCAA.
Naomi Weiler is the EAL Unit 1-4 Coordinator and Gifted Learners’ Leader at St Francis Xavier College. Naomi has ten-years teaching experience in English, EAL, Humanities and Accelerated Subjects. Naomi will be presenting on Section A of the exam. Her approach to the Listening Task is based on the explicit teaching of skills and knowledge to aural content.
All participants in this session will also receive access to the resources from the Meet the VCE EAL Assessors webinar held earlier in the year. This includes access to both the powerpoint and video recording.
Registrations close 2pm on Tuesday 6 October.
Members $10
Non-members $20

Culturally Diverse Literature Professional Learning Series: Part 3 – Making changes at my school or institution
2020-10-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Online Webinar
Stories are powerful. They shape the way we think about the world, ourselves and each other. The stories we choose to present to students at school, as teachers and librarians, profoundly affect how students perceive the world and their place in it. We want to help you choose culturally diverse resources that reflect students’ diverse lives, promote inclusion, challenge stereotypes, confront racism and ultimately strengthen our multicultural society.

Part 3 – Making changes at my school or institution
Online discussion rooms – Wednesday 7 October, 4:00-5:00pm
Free
* Please note that there are limited spaces for this session. If you register, please make sure you are able to attend.
In part 3, we are offering an online space for you to talk about changes you are considering making to your text list or collections which will support and promote culturally diverse literature. It will be an opportunity for you to connect with teachers and librarians from other schools.
Please note groups will be based on the age-group of readers you are looking to cater for. All groups will be participant-led.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This series of professional learning events is a result of collaboration between staff from the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC), the School Libraries Association of Victoria (SLAV), Stella Schools, and VicTESOL.
About the Organisers
The School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) offers dynamic and inspiring opportunities for teacher-librarians and library teams to build their essential role in engaging and developing lifelong learners. Through leadership, advocacy and collegiality and an extensive professional learning and publications program.
www.slav.org.au
Stella is an organisation that champions cultural change through recognising, elevating and celebrating Australian women’s writing. It includes the annual Stella Prize award for women’s writing, the Stella Count, which examines gender bias in book reviewing and Stella Schools, which develops programs that seek to inspire and empower young people to find their own creative voices, challenge stereotypes and imagine a future not limited by their gender.
https://thestellaprize.com.au/
The Languages & Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC) is for educators across all sectors K-12. LMERC provides resources in the areas of English as an Additional Language (EAL), Languages other than English, the Intercultural Capability and the cross curriculum priorities areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and Sustainability. The library holds an extensive collection of over 25,000 resources in all formats for educators across all sectors and at all levels, early childhood to adult. Library membership is available free to teachers from these educational settings: early childhood centres (in receipt of government funding), schools F-12 across all sectors, pre-service teachers and lecturers (in the areas of EAL and languages), homework clubs and community language schools. Home school parents, teachers of adults and community workers in education roles are also welcome to join.
https://lmerc.softlinkhosting.com.au/oliver/home/news

Notes about attending a VicTESOL online event:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar using the online platform Zoom. We suggest you test the link on your computer and that you allow time to download Zoom if required. The software should automatically install when you click the link, but if you have difficulty you can refer to this help information or email victesol [at] victesol.vic.edu.au. It is recommended that you carry out a pre-meeting test check to ensure that your audio settings are configured correctly. You are welcome to join the session 10-15 minutes early to check that the link is working.
