AddressPurpose
The Victorian School of Languages (VSL) is a government school and state-wide service of the Department of Education and Training (DET) which provides language programs from Foundation to Year 12 (VCE) to students from all three sectors (Government, Independent, and Catholic). The school offers Languages in face-to-face and Distance Education classes to students who cannot study the language at their home school. The key directions are the DET Language policies and the 2015 ¿The Education State¿ document. The school began in 1935 by teaching two languages and now offers over 50 languages. The VSL Head Office is currently located in Thornbury, as is its Distance Education Section.
Our School Values
The values that underpin the development and delivery of the VSL¿s Languages provision are:
¿a respect for languages as a way to increase lifelong opportunities for learners
¿a commitment to students from all communities and socio-economic backgrounds to study a language of their choice
¿a strong sense of community and teamwork which embraces diversity as a strength
¿courage, resilience and integrity to develop as a leader in a specialised field of endeavour
¿ a commitment to students from country, regional and metropolitan areas to have increased access to Languages
¿a commitment to enhancing student well being
¿a commitment to improving outcomes for every student, in every class, in every VSL Centre and in all communities.
Our Vision:
The Victorian School of Language aims to provide the best languages teaching service to students and schools throughout Victoria using a variety of delivery methods (e.g., face-to-face classes, Distance Education, online teaching) and play a key role in maintaining and strengthening Australia¿s language heritage.
The Victorian School of Languages will:
- provide an educational environment which challenges students and encourages excellence in language teaching and learning
- be a leader in the development of online provision
- encourage positive community values and promote positive values of multiculturalism
- work collaboratively with officers of the various section of DET and interstate Government language schools to develop and share curriculum and administrative resources
- promote the benefits of language study to students and the wide school community
Environmental Context
¿The school has two main sections Centre (face-to-face) classes and Distance Education classes. In addition, the school
· has a course development section with a focus on online provision
· provides a range of professional development activities on Languages curriculum and technology
· is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and provides a number of Certificate courses in Languages
· provides VET in Schools (VET delivered to secondary school students) courses in languages.
¿The school teaches 50 languages in 42 Centres (campuses) across Victoria. Students come from both Government and non-Government schools. Classes are held outside school hours usually on Saturdays throughout the Melbourne metropolitan area, country and regional Victoria. The VSL Centres are organised in eleven areas, each under the administration of a Leading Teacher (Area Co-ordinator) and Centre classes range from Foundation to Year 12.
¿The school teachers 13 languages via Distance Education (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese). The levels range from Year 6 to Year 12 (VCE). The teaching is carried out through workbooks, video-conferencing, WebEx, online courses and regular seminars.
¿ The VSL School Council, which comprises elected and nominated members, provides expert and broadly based guidance and leadership to the school.
¿Overall staffing arrangements, curriculum, and administrative services are organised from the Head Office in Thornbury where the Principal and three Assistant Principals are based.
¿The school is a state-wide provider for Languages, a member of the Australian Network of Government Language Schools, the Australasian Association of Distance Education Schools, the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria, and the Modern Language Teachers Association of Victoria.
¿The school has a broad socio-economic demographic and widely diverse cultural setting.
¿As the school has multiple campuses (42) throughout Victoria, metropolitan and country, it requires high-level management to achieve consistent outcomes.
¿The school responds to Language needs of new and emerging communities and changing demands/demographics.
¿The school faces increased demand for distance and online provision and places an increasing emphasis on ICT in learning.
¿The school places an increasing emphasis on data collection and analysis.
