Our students will soon be benefiting from the government’s investment in Asian Language Learning in Schools (ALLiS) funding initiative.

There are currently 11 schools signed up with the VLN Primary Asian Language Project that cover the length of New Zealand with the projected capacity of up to 24. Foundation ALLiS schools are Mangere Central School, Paparimu School (Auckland & district), Moanataiari School (Thames), Oakura, Marco, Matapu Schools (Taranaki) Apiti, Rangiwaea, and Makuri Schools (Lower North Island), Putorino School (East Coast), and Halfmoon Bay School (Stewart Island).

These schools will collaborate to develop a programme that provides for face to face as well as virtual learning (blended learning), with a focus on culture as well as language and global connections and that accesses the strengths in our local communities. Eteachers of Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and Bahasa Indonesian are being employed and shared across participating schools; as are Mandarin Language Assistants provided by the Confucius Institute, Auckland. Older students will tutor younger students through the ‘Over the Back Fence’ initiative.

Key aspects of the programme are in growing NZ teachers’ capability in our schools, creating curriculum and learning resources, strengthening community partnerships and in developing pathways of learning for students wherever they are based. This project is inclusive of all New Zealand students, and interested schools should make contact with the VLN Primary School to find out how to participate.

More information about the programme can be found here.