Some notes on 

AFMLTA National Conference, 9-12 July, 2015

Opening - Senator Scott Ryan, parliamentary secretary to Minister for Ed, Vic

Saturday, 10 July

Keynote: Diane Larsen-Freeman - Pluralism

- language policy in Australia recognizes multiculturalism, social, economic diversity

-     how do these documents ie Australian language policy relate to pedagogy?  Theory is easy.

-     competencies of pluralism - multilingual, meditating and interpreting, using available knowledge  ie inter-comprehend

-     using pluralistic practice in the classroom, not just a goal - Elizabeth Ellis

-     averages conceal a great deal

-     language as a homogenous, static system is a normative fiction

-     language is dynamic, always changing (using language - changes it)

-     act of playing the game ie using the language - changes the language - language changes, its dynamic

-     using one language to scaffold learning another language, using one language to become pluralingual

-     hybridity with languages -  innovation - creating new words and language

-     arguing against repetition, but promoting iteration - Larsen-Freeman, 2012eg read+Youtube on the same topic

-     teaching adaptation - teach students to take their present system and mold it to a new context for a present purpose (Larson-Freeman, 2013) Stevick's idea of techniques eg 4-3-2 pair off with a partner, A talks for 4 minutes to a partner, then partner re-tells in 3, then you go to another partner and tell the same story in 2 minutes

-     semiotic agility, resources eg non-verbal

Prof Stephen Dinham - The nature and importance of instructional leadership

The Melbourne Declaration 2008

Goal 1: Aust'n schooling promotes equity and excellence

Goal 2: All young Australians become

-     successful learners

-     confident and creative individuals

-     active and informed citizens

Research shows progress

TIMSS study

PIRLS

PISA

-     Aust highly de-regulated education system and PISA test keeps going down, Germany has a highly regulated education system and the PISA is going up

-     teachers are a big influence on student learning approx 30% of learning attributed to teacher

-     Stephen's book to Four Fundamentals of student success

     - Focus on the student (learner, person)

     - leadership - adds value to the school

     - Professional learning for teachers

     - quality teaching

Leadership qualities

1.     External awareness and engagement

-     openess to change and opportunity

-     develop production

2.   A Bias towards innovation and action

-      using discretion, bending rules, procedures

-     bias to experimentation, risk taking

3.  Personal qualities and relationships

-     leaders have positive attitudes which are contagious

-     BMW bitching, whinging and moaning

-     intellectual capacity

-     moral leadership - example you set for other people

-     assist, feedback, listen to staff

-     treat staff and other professionally

-     expect high standard

-     provide professional, pleasant facilities

4. Vision, Expectations, Culture of Success

-     expect a lot, give a lot

-     clear, agreed, high standards

-     the standard things done well

-     recognition of student, staff achievement

-     creates a culture, expectation of success

5. Teacher Learning, Responsibility and Trust

-     Investment in teacher learning

-     all teachers can be leaders

-     responsibility recognition, empowerment, staff development

-     trust an aspect of mutual respect

6. Student Support, common purpose, collaboration

-     centrality of student welfare

-     teaching and learning prime focus of school

-     creates an environment of purpose

7. Focus on students, learning and teaching

-     leadership takes time

-     leaders build on what is there

-     consistency, yet flexibility in policy

-     stand for something

Workshops

CLIL Web 2 tools

App Smashing - Joe Dale

 Sunday - Joe lo Bianco

Impossiblising - the challenging of

- Tube Tongues - London tube languages spoken

-     London - 300 languages spoken in schools

-     Bianco - making schools multi-lingual

-     mother tongue based 2nd languages, ie not the national or "supra" lang eg English

-     Myanmar - home language, plus national language integrated into the school, can be up to 7 languages

-     Papua New Guinea - 800 languages as official languages of the education system (Baki 2005), local schools use local language. Decentralized language decision making

-     Malaysia - National Schools ie Malay medium and Venacular schools - non Malay Chinese and Tamil

-     To increase student numbers in NSW and Vict, offer ore languages

-     NSW 5 out of 6 discontinue lang by Yr 12

-     Principled flexibility - see photo Possibilising MLE

Tony Urban CLIL

Using technology to infuse language content in class. Practicum teachers (pre-service)

Flipped lesson

Teachers had to think about presenting 1 lesson per week using an web 2 tool. These were incorporated into their teaching pracs.

 Sample web 2 tools

-   live binder

-   print friendly

-   Read the Words (text to speech)

-   Present Me - screen record and presentation

-   22 Frames - video editor

-   LyricGaps - find lyrics and create activities

Re-purpose, re-tool, re-mix to present new content Edmodo code in photo or terban@ut.edu

Photos from the conference and around Melbourne

More iPad and App smashing ideas

TIP: If you need a bigger image of the images below, install the Chrome extension Hover Zoom, then hover over the image.

There's been a lot of discussion since iPads, tablets and smartphones have been used at schools regarding how distractive they can be.  Most of the distraction for students using devices could be that the activity they are doing are not engaging enough or the lesson has been poorly designed around the use of the device.  

Devices, can be a powerful tool for teachers and students.  BUT the successful use of devices will only happen if good planning and integration of them into the classroom is made.  

Hopefully, these suggested activities below will help make your lesson more engaging.  I've posted before about app smashing,and the ideas below include more easy to use apps such as Thinglink and Cute Cut, two free apps that are worth downloading onto yours' and your students iPads and tablets. 

Below is a Prezi I recently presented at teacher inservice.  You can download the activities, which include an iBook embedded in the Prezi either by scanning the QR code or the clicking onto the Dropbox link.  A few pages of the ebook are below.