LIA for Teachers

Applications close on 6 July 2012
Email: prue.elwood@afs.org

Background
This programme is funded through the Government’s Growth and Innovation Framework to support the
development of language skills considered necessary for New Zealand’s growth as a knowledge economy that is globally connected.
 
It delivers immersion experiences in language and culture for teachers. Teachers develop their language
proficiency skills and intercultural competence in authentic settings so they can apply the knowledge and
skills they have gained to improve student language learning outcomes
 
Awards are offered for teachers of languages within the New Zealand curriculum (other than NZ official languages). AFS Intercultural Programmes New Zealand was selected to develop and manage these awards to countries where languages are spoken that have curriculum support in NZ schools (currently French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Cook Island Maori, Samoan, Korean, Tokelauan, Tongan and Vagahau Niue).
 
AFS Intercultural Programmes is responsible for selecting teachers and students; arranging all travel and host country details; payment of teacher relief, providing orientation both pre-departure, on arrival in host country and on return home; and providing the necessary support in the host country according to AFS international policy and procedures.


Priority Goals
The priority goals for the programme are:

 
Eligibility Criteria
 
Priority will be given to:
1. Teachers teaching languages in Years 7 – 10.
2. Teachers who are applying for the first time.
3. Teachers in state and integrated schools.
Private school teachers can apply and their applications will be considered but priority will be given to teachers from state and integrated schools.

Your application must include:
 
All forms will be available on the website from February 2012 or by contacting prue.elwood@afs.org
 
You also need to state the following:

All Awards are for language, not country placements, you do not specify a country, placements will be made by AFS Intercultural Programmes based on the language.

The Language Immersion Awards will continue in 2012. However, there will be some changes to the 2012 programme compared to previous years.
Award costs, i.e. travel, insurance and visa costs will be met.  Teacher relief is covered for the period of the programme and teachers continue to receive their New Zealand salary as usual.  Selected participants will be responsible for their personal spending money.  Participants will be hosted by a local family in most programmes. 

Email prue.elwood@afs.org for more information.


What other teachers say

Susan Henshall, one-year, Spanish language, 2011
La Vida Loca in Buenos Aires with Susan Henshall, what a life-changing year it has been here in Buenos Aires, Argentina!  How do I begin to explain the roller-coaster ride of living a year abroad in South America.  When I first arrived, life was very challenging for a couple of months. For starters, the language! It took me a good month to actually understand what people were saying to me, and at least another month to begin speaking a bit like porteños!  High school life here is so very different to what it is like in New Zealand and took a lot of getting used to!  It has been so awesome to spend so much time speaking Spanish every week and improving my fluency. I’m crazy about the Spanish language, so am incredibly grateful to have had this chance to get better. It has also given me the chance to work on all my teaching plans for NZ and make them properly authentic! I have learnt so much about the Argentinean way of life and the culture that makes Argentineans so unique! There is no one else like them!

So, with just over 2 months to go, I’m not ready to face the reality that I’m coming back to New Zealand! This country has truly gripped my soul and I don’t quite know how I’m going to leave!
 
Heike Cebulla-Elder, 3 month French language, 2011
It was very enriching for me to be staying with a local family. Secondly it was also very good to be a student again to realize how often and in how many different ways I need to expose my students to new material as it took me much longer to absorb new vocabulary and structures and then to be able to produce them.

That learning needs to be as much as possible in an authentic setting – I need to make sure that all activities for my students are relevant and that I can create a French environment for them.  As well I would like to see as many of my students as possible to be able to on an exchange.
 
Imogen Warren from Tawa Intermediate, 1 month, German language 2011
4 weeks at a top language school in Munich was a dream come true. I spent my mornings in the school speaking only German (auf Deutsch bitte, was the tutor's ongoing reminder). We all spoke broken German but with gestures, load empahsising and effort we laughed, learned about each other and slowly improved our German. First thing every morning we would review the newspaper and learn about German politics and economics. I have learned a huge amount about Germany, the German language, teaching languages and indeed myself during my trip. I have brought back new teaching techniques, resources, and most importantly a new idea of what it is like to be a student. Watching my tutor, other students and thinking about my reactions as a student have given me fresh thoughts about what students need, want and are comfortable with. And what I can do better as a teacher.  LIA Award to Germany: a top 5 life experience.
 
Keith Ferguson, selected in 2010 under the Spanish language, departing in March 2011
http://www.educationreview.co.nz/pages/section/article.php?s=Teach+International&idArticle=22807
"I would advise any teacher applying for a Language Immersion Award that it is well worth the time and effort to put together a thoughtful application.  Give your best responses where you find questions difficult, rather than ignoring them.  The selection panel will notice where there are gaps."
 
Jess Ware, 3 month Japanese language, 2010
The experience of being a student was invaluable and gave me many things to ponder about my own teaching practice.  Sometimes after teaching a language for many years it is easy to become focused on examinations and results rather than the beauty of the language itself. Being in the country reminds you it is a living language not just in a text book. I could not wait to get back and share all my new language and cultural knowledge with my classes.

Nigel Mills, 1 month, French language, 2009
"The last day with the kids was hard, they all wanted a hug and my autograph(eh!?) so I was swamped by loads of kids with bits of paper. It has changed me as a teacher, helped me develop language skills that have been dormant for far too long and made me realise that life is an amazing gift and that good people abound in this world. I, we as a family too, have been blessed greatly."
 
Chris Thorne, 1 year, Chinese language, 2009
I observed my teachers using a range of approaches to teach me Chinese.  I was able to assess the effectiveness of different strategies.  I plan to take aspects of these approaches to develop my own pedagogy.

Guy Mance, 1 year, French language, 2009
http://www.educationreview.co.nz/pages/section/article.php?s=Teach+International&idArticle=22792
With the increased importance given to language learning in the new NZ Curriculum this award provides teachers with an opportunity to increase their own fluency in the language and to refresh their knowledge of contemporary life / society. If non-native language teachers are to be valued by their students they need to have this contemporary knowledge of culture and language in order to motivate their students and to provide them with a genuine language learning experience in the classroom.

Uenuku Fairhall, 1 year, Spanish Language, 2008, reflecting on his experience of living in Chile
Living in a country whose customs, systems and language you don't know well means that AFS, more specifically your AFS host family, is invaluable. These are people who want to host you and who want you to leave with the best possible impressions of their country. Our host family in Temuco, Chile, involved us in as many of the AFS activities there as possible, whether informal get-togethers or the welcoming and farewelling of new intakes. We were able to extend our number of acquaintances and friends, who in turn took us into their hearts and homes which relieved the burden on our own hosts. I believe we were able to help the hosts of NZ students by being available to talk matters over with their new 'children'. My wife and I went on the AFS-organised bus tour of Northern Chile which we thoroughly enjoyed, more so because of the camaraderie that AFS engendered there.
 
I can't say enough about our host family, who are now very, very good friends. The laughter, adventures and tears that we shared meant Chile really has become a second home, that we miss so much.
 
The school that we were involved with, Scole Creare, had an exceptional principal and staff. They were incredibly inviting and made sure to involve us in many social events beyond the school itself. The sudden illness of the English teacher made it difficult for a while as I was the handiest relief teacher. However, thanks to my involvement with a mathematics class in Temuco, I now teach my Year 8 Maths class in Spanish on Fridays! I found the laissez-faire approach to reluctant students annoying and let that unnecessarily cloud my enjoyment. A good test of adaptability! I put my calmer, more tolerant, positive approach to teaching and class-management here at home down to my Chilean experience.
 
¡Muchísimas gracias a AFS!