School Programs
This page contains information about language education programs available for Victorian students in addition to the programs provided in mainstream schools.
Bilingual programs
Bilingual programs provide students with the opportunity to learn curriculum content in, and through, both English and another language. In the Victorian government school system one special school, twelve primary schools and two secondary colleges offer designated bilingual programs.
Schools participating in the designated bilingual programs are expected to provide
- Content-based teaching in the target language using teachers who have appropriate teaching qualifications
- Content-based teaching in two or more of the domains within the Discipline-based Learning Strand of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Schools may choose from Science, Mathematics, The Arts and The Humanities
- Face-to-face teaching in and through, the target language for a minimum of 5 hours per week to each target group in addition to the minimum of 2.5 hours per week for LOTE
- Transition arrangements with the neighbouring secondary school/s to provide the exiting primary students with the opportunity to continue their language learning at an appropriate level
- Secondary schools are required to outline how they will implement transition arrangements to support students with no prior learning of the language to participate in the bilingual program
- Opportunities to share their materials and teaching strategies with other LOTE teachers and for supervised teaching practice for trainee LOTE teachers.
Government schools offering bilingual programs in Victoria are:
| School | Language(s) | Domains |
|---|---|---|
|
Abbotsford Primary School |
Chinese |
The Humanities Mathematics |
|
Aurora School |
Auslan |
The Humanities Mathematics |
|
Bayswater South Primary School |
German |
The Arts The Humanities Science |
|
Benalla East Primary School |
Indonesian |
The Humanities Mathematics Science |
|
Camberwell Primary School |
French |
Mathematics Science |
|
Caulfield Primary School |
Japanese |
The Arts The Humanities |
|
Footscray Primary School |
Vietnamese |
The Arts The Humanities Mathematics Science |
|
Gruyere Primary School |
Japanese |
The Arts The Humanities |
|
Huntingdale Primary School |
Japanese |
The Arts The Humanities Science |
|
Kennington Primary School |
Auslan |
The Humanities Mathematics |
|
Lalor North Primary School |
Macedonian Modern Greek |
The Arts Mathematics Science |
|
Richmond West Primary School
|
Chinese Vietnamese |
The Arts Mathematics |
|
Upper Yarra Secondary College |
German |
The Humanities Mathematics |
|
Westall Secondary College |
Chinese Modern Greek |
The Arts The Humanities Mathematics |
Victorian School of Languages
This government school complements the provision of languages other than English in mainstream schools by providing classes in over 40 languages, usually on Saturday mornings. It also offers distance education courses in approximately ten languages to secondary students who do not have access to language programs in their mainstream schools for reasons such as remoteness, medical disability and travel.
For more information see: Victorian School of Languages (http://www.vsl.vic.edu.au/)
Community Languages Schools
Community languages schools are “out of school hours“ providers of community languages for students of school age. These schools (previously known as 'after hours ethnic schools') are run by incorporated community-based, not-for-profit organisations.
For parents - Find a Community Language School for your child.
For schools - Information on teaching resources, teacher training, school accreditation and funding.
For further information contact:
Kypros Kyprianou
Senior Project Officer
Email: kyprianou.kypros.k@edumail.vic.gov.au
Fahry Abubaker
Ethnic Schools Association of Victoria (ESAV)
150 Palmerston St , Carlton VIC 3053
Email: abubaker.fahry.f@edumail.vic.gov.au