Learning Languages in NZWhen at a UK curriculum leaders conference, in Warwick (Shakespeare's theatrical turf), England, 1999, I found myself caught in a situation that NZ students today, should never experience. ESOL was the topic and in an auditorium of over 1200 people, I raised the only hand at this question: 'Who knows no other language, other than English?'. While I was working in Brunei at the time, learning snippets of Malay, this didn't count. All bore reference to what was learnt at school.
Matapu School, Taranaki, NZ
To the south east of Mt Taranaki, lies a school who's leading the way in its adoption of the new Y7-8 curriculum mandate, re: the learning of languages. While there may be schools dotted across the country who've ventured thus far, Matapu School has a very 21st century, inter-school, online learning, collaborative approach. As partners in action, Cambridge East school in the Waikato are also hot on the case. Spanish lessons by teacher Jarad, beam out of Matapu School to two other interested schools and Cambridge East. French lessons beam in from Cambridge East School, under the fluent facilitation of French speaker Sandra.
This team has become the latest case study for a contract AEO Ltd has with NZ's Ministry of Education's eLearning Department. In production mode, is a Virtual Learning Network (VLN) Primary/Intermediate development plan. Matapu School presents a wonderful model, with doors open to enrol more students. The development plan is a work in progress and while languages is but one focus, there's also music and Te Reo...
National Action in the field of online learning continues to thrive, but just as remarkably so...so too is the learning of languages for students in NZ - thankfully not something a student can only do at secondary level, but now also primary. The beauty of it all, a school need not have the specialist factor to teach a language. Beaming out for it, is in action! It's hugely encouraging...!
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