DRAFT Minutes of the NZALT Executive meeting at ACENZ on 15/16 October

2005

Present: Anne Jacques (Pres.), Noeline Grant (Senior V-P), Jane Lee (Treas), Janet
Sirisomphone, Gretchen Badenhorst, Adele Scott, Jenness Riethmaier, Philippa Doig,
David Hall, Judy Gibb (Sec)

Welcome: the President welcomed Exec members to probably our last meeting to be
held in the very convenient rooms at ACENZ, expressing her appreciation for this
generous hospitality.

Minutes of the previous meeting were signed as a correct record.

1.0 Business arising: detailed review of very full meeting minutes

1.1 15. TRCC – Leadership in Languages

This is to be a residential course, 4-5 days, to be held before June 2007 e.g. Jan 22-
26, ’07. Leadership focus would be to support existing leaders and encourage
potential leaders, strengthen leadership in middle management, strategic planning.
Minority langs should be targeted also. Contact Alice Patrick re Maori teachers, and
TiC in isolated areas. Aim to encourage spread of message in local areas afterwards,
work with SLAs.
Parameters to be set for applicants – membership of NZALT, representation across
langs sectors needed.
Course directorate team – Philippa, Adèle, Noeline
8 TR days needed to allow members of planning group (4 for 2 days) to get together.
1 member of TRCC would be present.
Close liaison with School Support Services is desirable as they have the networks and
this would allow effective follow-up, real strengthening – but what ‘output’ could this
work relate to?
N I and S I courses of 50 people each, e.g. Chch and Hamilton, would give better
coverage. Suggested dates - Waikato – (21) 22, 23 Jan; Chch – (24) 25,26 Jan.
Need to enquire what are needs of current teachers – suggested publicity in n/ltrs
Anne to make initial response to Colleen McClymont.

(Prep for Gail – most points were covered in the later discussion, but not :
Thanks to Min for funding Langsems but problems with dilatory receipt of payment.
Difficulty of using logos. – do we need to include this next time?)

2.0 Gail Spence (Min of Ed)

Anne welcomed Gail and thanked Min for the initiative re scholarships with AFS for
lang immersion courses for students and teachers for 1 month, 3 months, 1 yr. Please
encourage applications. Teachers’ ones close soon.
Min has a responsibility to ensure spread of countries. David asked if interview times
could be away from NCEA times.
Gail expressed her pleasure to attend the meeting and wished to congratulate the
organising committee on raising the profile and professional level of Conference.

2.2 She outlined the Ministry’s obligation to follow manifesto, specifically to

 1. strengthen national identity
2. foster an inclusive and innovative economy
3. improve NZers’ skills
4. reduce inequalities in health, education, employment, housing

Education emphases are to

1. equip all NZers with strong foundations for future learning
2. ensure high level of achievement of all school leavers
3. encourage life-long learning and highly skilled workforce
4. make a strong contribution to knowledge base, especially in key areas of
national development.

There is pressure on Minister and Ministry to work on the particular goals of having
an education system to equip NZers with 21 c skills and to reduce systemic under-
achievement in education. There is a need to see indicators of progress being made
during this term. Ministry is only one part of total picture.

2.3 Curriculum Teaching and Learning is new name of her dept. There are 7
teams: literacy and numeracy , policy, ICT, Maori medium, early childhood
education, professional leadership and learning, design and learning outcomes.
Professional leadership, advisory services, gifted and talented, languages, new
curriculum project, NCEA are all part of these last two.

With whom does GS need to connect?

Martin Henry – Secondary education, NCEA (langs, Eng)
Anne Greenaway – Latin
Sara Esam – 2LL pool, tki.
Project officer – Jordie Cordwell (.5)
Policy – to be neg.
Alice Patrick – te reo in mainstream
Lisa-Jane Rogers – Pasifika
Joy Hooper – ICT
Mary Chamberlain – senior manager of these 2 teams.

2.4.1 Learning Languages strategy –

1. Aim to increase access to 2LL – curriculum stocktake, Y 7/8
2. The new learning area to be established in national curriculum means there is a new
learning community, made up of te reo, sign lang, 6 “int’l langs”, 5 Pacific langs,
also whatever schools might offer in their communities if they have the support and
resources in their communities.
NG – is there formal consultation with Community Languages? GS - not formally.
Also, ESOL is not a subject, but a strategy.

As the new Outcomes Co-ordinator, Gail feels it is imperative to work hard on these
2 aims, and to ensure increased quality of teaching.

2.4.2 Y9-13 – There is a world-wide shift towards the need to provide rigorous
research-based evidence in all areas of information about learning langs.

AS – NZALT has taken an encouraging lead with Conference and refereed papers; for
NZLT also.
NG – PBRF funding in the tertiary sector is also pushing this.
GS needs a frame of reference when debating topics with others, supporting langs.
This helps to give a quick response. The effectiveness and impact of any strategy
needs to be noted as there is a need to justify everything for funding which can be
withdrawn at any time. At present, languages are vulnerable because of unknowns,
not all schools are on board, what will be the new mandate for the ministry.

2.4.3 Y7/8 are here to stay.

Issues
1. Teacher supply
2. Teacher quality
3. Student outcomes

Priorities –
1. All students should achieve Level 2 of curric before leaving Y8, but what
about Japanese script?
2. Langs should be part of core curriculum.

Need for 21st C learners to be more than mono-lingual, the minimum aim should be
bi-lingual capability.
Need for a broader professional community, able to share ideas, communicate well.
Need to provide students with competence to bridge cultural gaps, at home as well as
world-wide. This would not be just for tourism, but helping people to understand
each other.
Need to have non-confrontational approach, have facts to give in support of langs,
so that people can make up their own minds – research on mind development,
Alzheimer’s.
Teachers should present a good role-model, make langs exciting. Times Educational
Supplement web-site cites teacher qualities that have influenced leaders – passion,
commitment, challenge are major ones. (Ellen Bialystock – U.S. research )

2.4.4 AJ – are there any initiatives to support teachers of Chinese, Samoan?

GS – ANZ co-operation on Learning Connection.
Electronic files are available across many learning areas. A project is under way
targeting Ch, Ja, Indonesian – character catalogue; close encounters; re-versioning of
other resources to be available on-stream soon. Recently, an advisory group on use
of these resources met to discuss implications of this and will meet again in Mar.
AS – to ring Joy Hooper to get info as to availability.

2.4.5 JS – expressed concern about the number of schools dropping out in

Christchurch, problems of staffing, difficulties for native-speakers in school profile.
How can we get more kiwi teachers?
GS - Japanese teaching works well with collegial co-operation between native
speakers and locals. Min statistics based on advts for teachers make it difficult to
support the need for Min support for training of lang teachers. Conflict between Min
direction and school independence in making policy for school direction. There are
problems providing continuity of courses in schools but we need to emphasise skills
obtained over 2 years as part of developing a passion for life-long learning.
Samoan – moves to develop packages within Learning Languages Series (formerly
ILS) to cater for Pacific langs and te reo Maori. Cook Islands Maori also under way,
over 2 years probably. Up-dates for Fr and Gn programmes will be available soon.
2.4.6 NG – appreciated the 2LL Funding support for strengthening Y7/8
programmes, but sees it is difficult for Y7/8 schools to provide 90 mins/week over 3
terms. This means 45hrs for a Y7/8 programme. Many secondary schools have 60
hours over 6 months and langs have more status in a secondary school. Is the
benchmark at Y7/ 8 too high?
Also, some schools want to trial it for 1 yr before committing to programme, so are
ineligible to apply for funding. They feel they need to know what they don’t know,
become familiar with ILS etc.
GS – need to justify taxpayer funding being spent on less than worthwhile
programmes. Aim to use materials already available in order to have some uniformity
of programme.
This issue will need to be addressed if there is a real problem. Schools and advisers
should let Min know. Funding has to be selective and the Min has to show that they
are serious.
JL – 2LL Funding model is quite prescriptive. NG – Y7/8 needs are now much more
diverse than 3 yrs ago.
GS – there are other sources of support available. e.g. increased number of advisers is
more effective in supporting schools.
AS – schools were surprised at change of focus.
GS – schools should be aware of this.
JR – worries of rural schools – if they introduce langs at 7/8 they will lose students at
Y9 to city schools in order to be able to continue. This is a real dilemma.

2.5 ACENZ, which has had responsibility for int’l advisers, exchange
programmes since 90s, has chosen to dis-establish itself as an institution from Dec 31.
These services must continue. An interim provider for ’06, negotiating at moment,
will give time to look at issues involved before setting new contract. New contract
will be worked out next year, put out for open tender, and the new contractor will
work with interim provider next year to work out best provision for future. Need to
support advisers during this time. Japan Foundation is reducing advisory service to
one who will continue to be Wgtn based. Yuriko has had problems with lack of
responses from schools to correspondence – please help there ifyou can.
AS – thanks from NZALT to ACENZ for wonderful support of advisers for
Langsems.

AS – re TRCC course outline and use of SSS advisers – are these actions consistent
with B7 outcomes? If so – great.

2.6 Pilot programmes in operation:

1. Open tender resulted in programme at Univ of Akld for Y7/8 teachers ( led
by Wendy Thomson & Sylvia Insley). This has led to increased confidence and
fluency in Sp and Gn teachers. They are prepared for int’l qualifications + 2LL
methodology, based on school visits, observation. 17 teachers involved. German have
worked out system for teachers, Sp will follow. Teachers are all doing well, but also
very positive reaction from students. Need recognised for increased pre-service
training, but institutions are responsible for their own programmes.

2. Contract signed for Ja and Fr with Christchurch Coll. of Ed. for 2006 (Jo
Guthrie/Sarah Perkins). Akld will continue also. Evaluation of both programmes will
be done as to their cost-effectiveness, impact on teacher quality.
2.7 New curricula out next year for sign lang and Tongan, Tokelauan, Niuean.
Te Reo in mainstream still in draft, and may continue in this state for longer.

Essence Statement – new draft is available (Sept 05) – will go to David for web-site.
Paper from Angela Scarino – issues for lang tchng – also to DH.
Meeting on Curric Project to be held in the next week.

The President thanked Gail most sincerely for her time and the latest information
from the Ministry of Education and wished her well in her work for languages.

3.0 Correspondence:
Inward
Min reports
Ltr from Deborah Williams re idea for student competition – language badges?
Uni-Visual Media Distribution application for support – replied by Pres

Outward:
A. McLauchlan – from David re his project
Barbara Purvis re L3 Internal Asst Resource Devt. – from Pres.

(Received/endorsed)

4. Finance (Jane)

4.1 Jane has data-base on disc, and presented the accounts - approved (JL/DH)
It was suggested that the appointment of a membership sec would be most helpful.
Life-members don’t pay subs but get info.

4.2 Conference (Akld) admin will be done by Lynda Booth, Akld Univ
Conference Manager, Centre for Continuing Education. She has raised the matter
of the possible need for registration with the IRD for GST, as organisations having
an annual income of $40,000 need to be GST reg.
Gretchen to inquire if Lynda can sort the GST for conference as maybe a single GST
claim could be made by a non-profit organisation after conference, rather than having
ourselves GST reg. This issue needs to be addressed on a national scale as there may
need to be constitutional changes made. As a non-profit organisation we may still
need to be GST reg.
Judy to sort out info for Mar mtg.

4.3 David and Jane reported on their scoping with Rachel from Katipo
Communications a resource to deal with subscriptions and become a data-base that
will provide also receipts, reminders, be automatically up-dated, and could provide
payment by credit-card facility. It would be accessible from web-site.
This would provide current status of membership, be available to ROs twice yearly.
Sticky labels could be produced if reqd, although NZLT now had direct printing on
plastic covers. Data needs to be secure. The two issues that need to be resolved are
membership data; payments of subs.

Westpac proposal tabled – fees of various services outlined.

Set-up fees are not enormous, but ongoing costs, for say 600 payments p.a., would be
c$1400. Set-up fees would be c$1400 for first year + customisation fee of similar size
to get suitable software. Is this worthwhile?
Advantages – when payment is made on-line all fields have to be filled in before
payment can be made, so data-base is much more accurate. A small proportion of
schools pay electronically at the moment, but this should increase. In order for
individual teachers’ details to be entered, it should be more likely for teachers to
enter their own and be refunded by school. Home tel nos are needed rather than
school, but not required field.
Access to data-base was discussed. Should be available to all Exec but need to
remember Privacy requirements.
Email address – treasurer@nzalt??
New members – link will take them to appropriate course.

Treasurer proposed, with feeling, that we proceed (sec DH) - passed unanimously,
with sincere thanks to Jane and David. Next step – Jane to ask Rachel to proceed. If
problems, David will probably be in Wgtn early Nov and could meet with her then.

50 Regional Reports

5.1 Canterbury - Janet

Langsem – 180 attended; there were 7 concurrent sessions, plenary sessions
throughout day - speaker was careers adviser who stimulated thought and reaction.
Community focus.
Very happy with lang advisers’ contribution. Some problems with dearth of co-
ordinators, particularly in Spanish – need support there.

5.2 Massey – Adèle

Langsem had received good publicity, both press and radio, and she had reported to
Min. 87 attendees. 40-50 teachers + advisers, booksellers. Most successful event,
particularly with many arriving the evening before.
Presenters were not paid (except TRD), were given gifts.
‘Evaluation’ sheet filled in during conf, returned to attendees afterwards. Info really
useful for presenters. AS assembling data too. Committee of 5 but most of work done
by AS and GL.
Question – can we make/use videos of presentations? Presenters were asked to send
p/point presentations to Polyglot.

5.3 Otago/Southland - Jenness

Meeting was held in ILW. Pleasing no of younger teachers present. Meeting with
Alister McLauchlan to be held later this month.

5.4 Waikato – David

Langsem at Airport Motor Lodge - $2,400 total cost, including m/teas, lunches. Reg -
$ 65-80, $5.00 for admin. included.
87 members + booksellers. 4 langs plus Y7/8. Equal nos for Fr and Y7/8, who had 4
sessions, done in Eng. Gail – plenary speaker, also Rosemary Erlam. ICT session –
funded by Min – Steve Brooks – most successful. Ex lang-based lunch too. Ex feed-
back (unfortunate sequence of nouns there ???) from participants.
Some subsidy of travel costs was possible from Min funding for more distant ones in
greatest need, which was much appreciated. Jeanne Gilbert was convenor, David –
manager.
5.5 Victoria - Philippa
Meeting at HVHS in Sept – games session. Small attendance, but successful.

5.6 Auckland - Gretchen

Planning for Conference!

Reminder to all to send David langsem programmes for archives.

6. Asia:NZ – Janet

Watch this space! With apologies.

7. Professional Development – David

Abstract of Maki Yamada’s work is posted on web-site. Full document available from
David.
Hilary, ed of Polyglot, was provided with details of previous 10 yrs of recipients of
PD awards.

8. Discussion on Internal Assessment Resources Review proposal. Martin

Henry is Min person. Anxiety over getting the job done as quickly as possible.

9. Richard Steel (NZQA) was welcomed by Anne and reported on an eventful

year.

9. 1 Scholarship
Japanese: there were 141 entries of which 3% should get Schol, 3 more than in ‘03.
This year there are more entries so the number of awards will be proportionately
lower.
Number of scholarships is dependent on number of entries per cohort. Number of
schols is set at 2.75% - 3.25% + or - 5 candidates. Individual cases can be made.
Some judgement can be made on level of cohort for year when deciding this. At times
there will be a group of students who are very close within Performance Standard 1,
so they must be treated equally. In response to AS, he confirmed that circular 7 is the
current state of things –categories 0-8 are applied to each skill, marks given out of 8
for each; then translated into Performance category. Students will have to have met
outstanding performance in each. If you compare 8 + 4 with 6 + 6, which is the better
student? Some problems with other subject areas where there are many more
questions – there, aggregation is the only way to go.
Countback could work only when considering top scholar among say 10 candidates.
All scripts are marked at least twice – top 3% + those immediately below.

9.2 NCEA – Little variation in achievement across the levels in languages from
other years. Targets are set for each level based on historical data, range of factors, to
ensure consistency from year to year. RS has to ensure interpretations are appropriate,
panel leaders keep progress data as marking is done, make adjustments if reqd.

DH – comparability across langs? Students should not feel that one lang is easier than
another to achieve in.
NG – profile, expectations of results – are these available to examiners only? RS –
outlined rigorous process. If outcome were markedly outside the projected outline
they could have to be remarked – markers are available (!!)

NG - How do you measure the Level 1 cohort? RS – surprisingly little variation from
year to year. Stability in examiners and marking panels helps to ensure consistency.
Job of NZQA is to ensure results are acceptable. Monitoring process will be
publicised before exams to reassure public that results will be reliable. We can assure
our teachers that all is being done to maintain consistency. Languages are more skill-
based than some other subjects. Those with large content requirements have more
variability.
Over the years the numbers of NA should reduce.

9.3 1st L speaker criteria for Top Scholar award. – AS outlined responses from
SLAs. Ch and Ja had responded. No response from Fr and Gn, but apparently happy
with ‘3 yr’ version. Chinese has problems with any suggested criteria, confusion.
NZALT would support common standard across all languages, but recognises that
possible variation had been signalled for Chinese. This appears to be very important
to them. As no new arguments have been presented, and it is desirable to have same
criteria for all langs, we support the draft.

NG – questionnaire sent out with Scholarship was not as informative as hoped. RS

will pass on summary.

NG – need to produce evidence for B7 – RS suggests results can be correlated with

national results, literacy skills in other subjects. Ethnicity? Gender?

9.4 Communication with other langs presents problems. Samoan teachers do

have an organisation, but not Tokelauan, Indonesian, Cook Island Maori and Korean.
RS will send details to NG.

9.5 Noeline circulated proposal for collating exemplars, background of

consultation with Min and QA, resolution of questions.
Note – web-site questions are not publishable alongside samples, but url can be given.
Samples are needed of all levels, incl NA, particularly for L3. Need to define border-
line samples. Help to do this could be sought from SLA nominees.

Please publicise widely the need to have samples – help us to help you!

10.1 Sue Sutherland reported on the Internal Assessment Resources Review

proposal to MoE. Martin Henry offered $3,500, which was rejected by NZALT.
After consultation with Barbara Purvis, proposed sum was increased to $4,500,
minus Samoan. To be critiqued by Nat Moderator, advisers to do native speaker check
– at no cost to us.
New proposal submitted for $7,500. Reply –“ recommended the preferred reviewer.”
An ‘expression of interest’ from NZAJLT had been submitted, also one from GANZ,
we believe.
Sue emphasised the need for suitable remuneration for the contract, and for 2 teachers
per language. She expressed concern about the process that had been followed.
AS proposed a letter should be written to Sarah Perkins and Martin Henry expressing
these concerns. PPTA is willing to support realistic remuneration standards. AS to
write ltr to be signed by Pres. Copies to be sent to SP (NZAJLT), Gail Spence and
Mary Chamberlain (Min of Ed), and Judie Alison (PPTA).
By 9 Sept ‘preferred reviewer’ had been neither contacted nor contracted.

NZALT needs to lift and support, strengthen SLAs

Strong expression of appreciation to Sue for time, effort and articulate passion. Maybe
there will not be an immediate benefit but in longer term we can hope for better.

10.2 Sue reported on the meeting set up by PPTA involving representatives of

most subject areas. The Min of Education has dfficulty in communicating
efficiently with the various subject areas to give information or seek feed-back. So
many different associations and groupings are involved. Is there a better way? It was
proposed that the Royal Society could provide a suitable umbrella for facilitating
appropriate meetings.

NG raised concerns that there could be problems in having a single person for
facilitating application for govt contracts. Also, was there a possible conflict of
interest ?

Stage 1 of proposal could be implemented this financial year.

Min of Ed (Camilla Highfield) seems very supportive of proposal.

It was moved that a letter should be sent to Judie Alison, thanking PPTA for their
initiative, and informing them that we endorsethe choice of Royal Society in umbrella
role, and look forward to participating in the process. (JS/NG-carried).

Thanks to Sue for her able representation and reporting.

$300 should be offered to Sue Sutherland to be our representative at these meetings
(NG/AS-carried)

Reminder that at our’ 04 meeting Judie proposed sharing with us 2004 stats of jobs
advertised– breakdown of positions per language. This had not been done.

(I have no idea what this is about – HELP please!)

(NG – outlined process – what teachers need to submit, requirements for subject
specialists, prep for Mar mtg
Costing discussed – quotes for commercial as well)

11.0 NZALT Conference 2006 – Gretchen

11.1 Continuing Education management people will take responsibility for

manning desks, doing all running around, checking provision of gifts for speakers etc,
so there will be less work for Exec. Concern was expressed by the committee that
NZALT Conference is a national event to which Exec and Advisers do not pay
registration. This decision is part of the larger picture of NZALT affairs, and has
been minuted. David to up-date Working Rules. Pres to write to Akld convenors,
(Mairi and Deborah Rattray), cc to Cont Ed organiser, congratulating them on
progress. Pres will be attending the Akld AGM and an opportunity could be given to
Lynda to meet Anne there.
Conference convenors to be invited to Mar exec mtg preceding Conference.
Travel costs will be covered by NZALT (GB/NG-carried)

Date for submission of abstracts for refereed papers is 1 November. Potential

speakers are still being sought. Teachers are perhaps not aware of info on web-site.
ROs will circulate electronic version to members.

Draft programme has been prepared. It will be possible to register for single days if
necessary, but full registration is obviously preferred.
Prof Richard Johnston, Nina Spada confirmed as speakers. Generic sessions will be
in morning, lang sessions in p.m. Keynote speakers asked to do workshops as well.
Still room for more generic sessions to be proposed.

11.2 Working Rules, re accommodation for exec mtgs – AS suggested

withdrawing ‘on share basis’ (AS/DH-carried)

12. Publicity and Marketing - Jenness

12.1 Polyglot and NZLT will be ready at approx the same time. Suggested they
should be posted together to economise on postage but it is hoped Polyglot will be
earlier next year.

12.2 Certs for Y7/8 – advisers could distribute these.

13. Proposed dates for 2006 Exec mtgs.

March 18/19
July 1st and 5th . Meeting to start at 1.00 on Sat, nothing on Sun a.m. Short
meeting only after conference. Suggest departure flights could be from 7.00p.m.
Oct 28/29

NG – attended meeting on Nat’l Languages Policy. Check on speech on web-site.

Noeline also presented her apology for the first day of the March meeting as she is
running a course that day.

Anne closed the meeting with thanks to all at 3.02p.m.