Professional standards for Australian teachers of languages: Context, processes and projects

Abstract

standards, supported by a series of nationally funded projects arising from federal government initiatives aimed at increasing engagement with Asian languages and studies in schools, and in promoting schools' languages programs in all languages (see Babel 44,1). The Professional Standards for Accomplished Teaching of Languages and Cultures (the Standards) were developed in 2005 by the Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (AFMLTA). The Professional Standards Project (PSP), initially running from 2007-2008, and now extended into a second phase from 2009 -2010, followed up on the writing of the Standards with the development and implementation of professional learning materials and training for teachers of languages aimed at enhancing their professional learning and practice through intellectual and practical engagement with the Standards. This paper traces the historical context for teaching profession standards in which these Standards arose, the series of projects that has, and continues to, support teachers in engaging with the Standards, and the processes of implementation of the projects that have already seen in excess of 600 teachers of languages engage with the professional learning materials, nationally, in the first phase of the project, and a further 400 currently involved in the second phase.