Store & Retrieve Data Anywhere | Amazon Simple Storage ... · Web viewUpcoming PD datesPlease keep the following in your diary:_____Saturday 9 May – Beginning Teachers DaySaturday

Newsletter No. 1/15February 2015

Keep up with the latest ETAQ news and discussions: http://www.facebook.com/ETAQLD https://twitter.com/ETAQld

Reading rules at seminar 1Associate. Professor Jacqueline Manuel, from Sydney University offered fascinating insights into the process of reading in English classrooms and with teenagers more generally.A/Prof Manuel offered an insight into the research behind her text Teenagers & Reading. The key message she shared is the power of choice of reading materials when teaching teenagers. Documents recording her thinking are to be found on the website in the Members’ only area, under Resources. A range

of workshop presenters have also placed their resources in the Members’ only section as well. Feedback on the quality of presentations was very positive.

AGMThe AGM was conducted at the start of Seminar 1 and saw the election of two new members to the committee. Peter Algate, from Marsden State High School, and Jackie Rutter, from St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School. Leah

Cremen and Rebecca Hewitt, who are moving away from the committee in 2015, are thanked for their contribution and we wish them our best.

Congrats also to some of ETAQ’s preservice award winners for 2014, presented below: Natalie Grant (QUT), (left), Rhiannon French (UQ) and Kaylene Simpson (USQ).

Membership renewal is due by March 31

You can renew on-line or by mail

Time to renew your membership now if you want to maintain access

to ETAQ resources and reduced rates for events. You can go on-line

OR check the website for details.

You can always check in with Trish Purcell if you need any

assistance. .at [email protected].

In this issueSeminar 1 & New Committee

1

Membership Renewal 1

From the President 2

President’s Report 2 & 4

National Conference & sponsorship 3

BTD Sponsorship 3

Literary Competition 3

Writing Competition 4

Page 2


AGM: President’s Report

Extract from President’s Report (found on website)

English teaching is something

that many people care about

deeply – not just the erudite

people in this room. Parents,

the community, the tertiary

sector – all have strong

thoughts about what makes the

best English teaching. In this

contested territory, we faced

yet more challenges in 2014.

2014 has been a year of

change in communication. This

started with the launch of our

new ‘refreshed’ logo at the start

of the year. With a cleaner line

and some stronger use of

colour, mainly blue and

maroon, it has been perfect for

use on our new website which

was launched at the start of

2014. Moving to this website

has changed significantly what

ETAQ can achieve: on-line

registration, on-line

membership and resources

available in the members’ only

area. Our Epistles have a new

look with a reach of 695

recipients.

2014 included two key

opportunities for ETAQ to

advocate for English teachers.

The first was in providing input

to the Wiltshire Donnelly

review of the Australian

Curriculum. The federal

government found the person

who has a history of finding

what we do in classrooms most

heinous, Kevin Donnelly, to

review the curriculum along

with Ken Wiltshire. Our

national arm, AATE, led by

Garry, developed a thorough

response to this review.

The second major issue for our

profession has been the Senior

Assessment and Tertiary

Entrance report by Matters and

Masters released in October

2014.This is the greatest

potential change to our

practice in many years.

One positive is that ETAQ has

been invited to be part of the

QCAA’s English Working

Group, tasked with seeking

feedback on the proposals for

change. This is after the QCAA

dispensed with our services on

Fiona LaingETAQ President

Term 1 is a busy term for

teachers. We start with

great ideas and

enthusiasm, as do our

employers. As each new

initiative is invested in,

English teachers can find

themselves stretched taut

as we support our students.

Seminar 1 offered a

welcome opportunity to

stop and consider how to

best approach the critical

skill of teaching reading to

our teenage students.

Members can share

resources from this on the

website. With membership

now due, all are

encouraged to stay

connected to ETAQ’s

resources and support

network.

Page 3


the LARC a few years ago. So it is satisfying to have our place

back at the table.

Continued on p4.

AATE National ConferenceJoin us in Canberra this July 3-6 for a wealth of opportunity to share in all

things English. The AATE/ALEA conference is entitled:

CAPiTALiSiNG ON CURiOSiTY:

'ninggi warrguu'

- look and ask why -

Nurturing Inquiring Minds

ETAQ is offering earlybird registration (worth $625) to three ETAQ members. Candidates will need to attend the Future Leaders Forum and provide an article for Words’Worth on return. Contact [email protected] with why you should be considered in 10 words or less. Preference will be given to personal members but those covered by Corporate membership should also apply. Closing date for applications is Wednesday 29 March, 2015

Sponsorship for Beginning Teachers DayFor those who live outside the south-east corner (North of Gympie and west of Dalby), ETAQ offers sponsorship of $200 to assist with travel and accommodation as well as complimentary registration, to 3 teachers in the early part of their career. Applicants for this sponsorship should apply to [email protected] by Wednesday 8 April explaining why you should be considered in not more than 100 words. Successful applicants will be advised by Friday 24 April.

Next PD

Beginning Teachers Day

Our next event is the

much valued

opportunity for early

career teachers to

share experience and

expertise.

When: 8.45-3pm

9 May 2015

Where: Brigidine College

Seminar 2: Meeting in the Middle

Prof Donna Pendergast will

share insights into English

teaching in the middle

years (5-9).

When: 30 May 2015

Where: Brisbane Grammar School

Annual State Conference

When 15 August, 2015

mailto:[email protected]


Page 4


2015 Literary CompetitionOur Annual Literary Competition is on again! Now in its 56th year, the Literary Competition is open to all students from Year 6 to Year 12, and their teachers, in both State and Independent schools in Queensland and the Northern Territory. So, if you can pen a poem, write a short story or a piece of non-fiction prose, then we’d love to receive your submissions. Entries and posters will be sent out to schools in the next couple of weeks, and will be available on our website soon. Entries close Friday 17th July, 2015. So c’mon students and teachers, start writing! Cash and book prizes available.

Page 5


President’s Report (cont) Since the report was released, John-

Paul Langbroek, the minister, released

a response in December but, since the

government went into election mode a

few weeks later, that response seems

to have become irrelevant now.

The key changes include:

4 only assessment tasks for the year

1 of these to be externally set and externally marked assessment (exam?)– suggested to be 50%

Moderation to change to a 3-tiered system – endorsement, confirmation and ratification

ETAQ, at our recent meeting,

has taken the early position of

arguing that, if there is to be an

external assessment (exam)

for English, we believe it

should be no more than 25%

value and should be no larger

in scope than any of the

current assessment items

schools complete. What we

don’t want from this process is

to move to very large exams

used in NSW and Victoria with a wide range of components – 3

hours and several essays as well as a range of short answer.

.

Upcoming PD dates

Please keep the following in your diary:_____________________Saturday 9 May – Beginning Teachers Day

Saturday 30 May – Seminar 2_____________________Saturday 15 AugustAnnual State Conference

Contact

Please direct payments and enquiries to:Trish Purcell ETAQ – Administration Officer & Treasurer

Email: [email protected]: (07) 3284 3718

www.etaq.org.au

Postal address: PO Box 3375 STAFFORD DC QLD 4053

Physical address: 46 Tainton Street, CLONTARF QLD 4019

Resources for MembersThere are wonderful resources waiting for members on the website. To access them, click on Member login, login as a member using the email address associated with the membership and password. Select Members Resources>videos and scroll down the page to print materials
