Appropriate pay and conditions for all people teaching their languages in schools

While schools are increasingly interested in offering a local language as a curriculum subject, there remains little awareness of how to begin discussions with local custodians to initiate such programs. Likewise, there are few examples of how to employ language specialists in schools appropriately. First Languages Australia has been in conversation with the Australian Education Union, Independent Education Union, and education authorities nationally to improve this situation.

The Queensland discussions culminated in an industrial guidelines workshop in October that brought stakeholders together to identify solutions. Attendees included the Queensland Teachers Union, Independent Education Union, United Workers Union, First Languages Australia, Queensland Indigenous Languages Advisory Committee, Department of Education, Independent Schools Queensland, Queensland Catholic Education, and teacher representatives – covering registered teachers, principals overseeing language programs, assistant teachers, co-teachers, and contractors. Each state and territory also contributed existing industrial relations tools and an outline of needs; with a plan that the guidelines developed in Queensland will be relevant for adaption by each authority.

First Languages Australia looks forward to continuing this work through the first half of 2022 through the final stage of Yalbilinya: National First Languages Education Project funded by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

Industrial relations workshop attendees. Credit: Independent Education Union