Minutes July 2008

Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers held at Wellington Girls’ College staff room. 6th and 9th July, 2008 Meeting started at 9:17am, Sunday 6th July Present: Adele Scott, Sue Sutherland, Jo Rittey, David Hall, Philippa Doig, Jenness Reith, James Donaldson, Doug (new Auckland rep) Apologies: Anne Jacques, Pam Mabin Conference related items (these dealt with first as Philippa and Sue had to leave) Programme /EXEC responsibilities - Philippa/Sue • Exec to thank generic speakers – write name on programme. Exec wear special name badges. • Issue with delegates who sign up for early bird and are not members. • Eric Yates is unable to make conference due to health and personal circumstances. • Welcome part of the powhiri. Practice needed between 3 and 4pm. • David is part of manuhiri. Janet McAlister will lead the waiata from the other side. 2:30ish to go through it. • 8:30 On Stage for whakatau – Exec and committee. • Procession Flowers arrive at 9:30am Monday to be collected for Gail • Name badges – normal badges and matching stickers to put on conference book. • Guests seats are reserved from are MOE, family. Gail and Richard on stage. When Ian McKinnon has finished and Philippa doing her piece we will have left the stage. David will look after the guests. David and Adele will look after the Spence crowd. • Before the G. General arrives all guest should be already seated, not as part of the procession. There is no special fanfare etc for G. General. • Guests of Gail arrive by 9:40 • Morning tea at 10:10am. Someone to give the wave for Philippa to know when to start the welcome. Best view of lectern for the family. • When thanking a speaker -Be the timer. Pick up a gift and card for the person. 40 minute presentations and 10 minutes for questions. Thanking finishes at that time. Generics are level 2. Aim to finish 45 minutes past the hour. Stand between 40-45 minutes for questions. Sue and Philippa to thank the Plenary speakers. SLA’s breakfast – David, James and Doug. • Questions about those who are going to be at the Pre-Conference drinks. The group is Advisors. Should we be inviting the ILANZ advisors or the HanBan and international guests instead? Or should we have the convenors offer invites?We need to give the invites sorted out. • Exec Lunch on Wednesday – in staff area on platters.

VISITOR – 11am – Andrea Mark from NZQA (SEE APPENDIX A for notes on the conversation) i.* Financial report/President’s report – Jane/ Adèle (Strategic Goal Three: Financial Sustainability) Both reports (Financial and President’s) will be offered to members to read before the AGM on Tuesday 8th. People have been referred to the website. President’s report - Outline of NZALT to date /Polyglot website is going online / Strategic Plan is also metioned. A quote from Steven Covey “commitment requires involvement from the individual” Financial Report – questions will be raised on • Exec costs. NB: Increases in airfares and accommodation. • Questions about the differences in expenditure. Effectively 31 January 2008. • Term Deposits – why are they sitting there? They were kept for emergencies (e.g. Auckland Conference 2006 was touch and go at one stage). More money will be spent in future on website. • The auditor is making the comment about how things are set up. Our accounts have to be water-tight. IRD forms. Now that we have IRD number we are going to have to pay. There is no point spending time on a job in which we are not an expert in and we will have to employ. • We have to request to become tax exempt and the charitable trust. We have to request it. There is one with only first $1000 is exempt. This links to being charitable. Adele will think about the charitable thing. • Maybe we need to look at secretarial person at $35 an hour. Keep in the back of your mind. What else could we look for from a professional secretary? If we are to realise our strategic plan and to continue to be the voice of languages we need to look at it. ii.* Remits – David/Adèle/Jane (Strategic Goal Three: Financial Sustainability) • Jane: Online Banking account: Currently the account has 3 signatories which makes things awkward and disqualifies us for online access. There was a lot of red tape with three signatories and that the account becomes an online account. There will have to still be a second person to authorise it online. This gives a lot of freedom to pay for airfares etc. It would make sense to have David as the second signatory as his role involves money and since he was seconded as deputy treasurer. The Treasurer could then reimburse and pay your expenses via Internet banking. David would still have to co-sign cheques.

MOTION: “That two of the three current signatories to the NZ Association of Language Teachers’ Westpac account (Pam Mabin and Maire Ferguson) be removed and a new signatory, the Deputy Treasurer be added (David Hall).” Moved: Jane Lee Seconded: Adele Motion carried. Exec members to forward online banking details to Jane for reimbursements. •

Expense claim forms: Adele issued and explained the need to itemise events and attach receipts. Exec stationery eg notepads

REMITS (SEE also APPENDIX B) In summary: Remit 1: Wording of the definition: current wording and proposed changed salary scale name. The name of the scale was not correct and this is just a formality and that we become GST registered. Good news for schools who will be able to claim back on membership. Remit 2: New section added to 10 to meet requirements of Inland Revenue. We haven’t applied for Income Tax exemption. A need for an accountant. Remit 3: A new category for membership to alow for schools with large numbers of teachers. Wednesday’s AGM: follow ups will need to be motions for accounting changes and the proposed changes in membership. GST will be added onto memberships and members still need to remember their school can claim back on GST. Piece of paper of who is at meeting. Design a Stamp winners Year 1-6 Benjamin Sharp of King’s School of Auckland (Mr Gallagher member teacher) Year 7-8 Tainui Wharawhara of Dilworth Junior Campus of Auckland (member teacher) Year 9-10 Emily Harris of Wainuiomata High School Auckland (Mr Shinichi Muroya member teacher) Conference pack - Online survey to be filled out. This has been gazetted too. Working Rules – Looked at what Exec have to pay for and not pay for during Conference. For meeting Wednesday 9th: • Exec stationery • Bank details needed: Bank Branch and Account Name and number. • Need feedback from Advisor breakfast and SLA breakfast. Roles on Executive

Changes to website. Jo’s Rittey: • Delete anything to do with Asian Language projects • Year 7 and 8 – Eileen had to go for family reasons to see her father. Speak to Eileen first and confirm. Not under Jo’s. • Do we liaise with tertiary? Non-school based is President/Vice President. • Jo’s definition. We have ticked new bullet points. • We could add the “White Papers”. Summarise current research on the website. A description of White Papers on the website. Not just identifying the issues, but finding feasibility of doing research on it. James’ • reword more • get rid of a lot of the Languages Website • Find out about cert numbers off RO reports and let Sue know or pass on to Jo. • They (SLAs???) often use our constitution. Does it reference to our one?

Our next point of contact is the point of contact. Auckland 21 Waikato 5 Victoria 12 20 Canterbury Otago / Southland 7 Massey 10 Starters and Strategies David if you can note it and E-mail Adele to find the link. Good stuff for ILW. Quality Teaching Fund. We’ll have to liaise with Jane about our Charitable Trust. Now that parent body is GST registered, do they still need a GST number? It would impact on income for the conference. It is not the account. They could use. Can we have more than 1 GST number? Or do we have one for each? How does the accountant that would work. Receipts for stickers GST number. Template for invoices from David. James to send David a template of the Sticker order form and the winners of the Stamp competition. Curriculum and Assessment – should they ask for a summary of issues they would NZALT to follow up. We need to know the issues around assessment at the end of the year in time for first NZALT meeting of each year. New SLAs addresses for Doug Anderson. Adèle to make a past tense of a Press Release of FIPLV award.

Scholarship Research • 2008 -Collect teachers’ information online about students’ intention. What do we want to carry on investigating? What is a native speaker? At this stage we need to leave a paper trail. We need to confirm the concerns about first language speakers. • We want to reiterate the concerns of members at our 2007-2008 AGMs because of unfairness, equity and demotivation of students/teachers to sit scholarship. • Adele will write a letter very similar in wording to Steve Mahaery letter sent last year about Scholarship to new MOE. • Adele to put on website the 2007 letters and to write one to Chris Carter. Then the answer as well. New Members Treasurer’s role with edited comments on it. Accountant to be employed with the new change to GST. Needs to be a mention of GST. SCALEs project – Adèle to submit budget for SCALE to pay bills. She negoitiated 15% before GST as infrastructure cost. Not much response from SLAs. Anne, Jane and Adèle to look at getting an accountant. As soon as it kicks in the accountant needs to have access. PD – leave. Jenness MOTION The proposed changes to the Working rules be accepted and the website updated” Moved: Adèle Seconded: James Passed Advisors meeting: Send a summary of your notes to Adèle Feedback: Adèle Jo James insert it here. SLAs breakfast: Summary of meeting in minutes. WHERE? Next weekend: 18-19 October proposed meeting pleas. Adèle Scott to organise the accommodation.

APPENDIX A Conversation with Andrea Mark: Adele filled in Andrea on what NZALT is and explained about general stage of where Languages are at. SLA that are particularly strong are Japanese and French. Chinese strong, but they are not always trained teachers. German and Spanish tend to be smaller and not all members of each SLA are members of NZALT. Requests for NZ Sign Language interpreters have been interesting. Adele also explained the portfolio of Exec that deals with NZQA – Curriculum and Assessment. Adele also communicated the desire to continue the good relationship between NZQA and NZALT. Alignment of Standards to New Curriculum - Letter forwarded to Andrea via E-mail about We are deeply concerned to note the negative effect the insistence on Level 6 Achievement Objectives is having on the tasks set for Level 1. German teachers are concerned about the changes. It is going to be Curriculum Level 6, but up until now it has been “up to and including Level 6”. For teaching it does pose some problems that the Alignment Group have encountered. It is difficult to know what has been changed between MOE guidelines and the Curriculum. As NZALT we have to try and manage the communication that comes and goes. Andrea – All points of view have to be considered and listened to. Adele – In the Alignment we are trying to make sure that the progressions between Levels are defined by the quality of language and are quite open. “familiar” and “less familiar” are different. They are moving on from that Andrea – Standard reviews paper. There are 4 principles. We have just had examiner “top-up” training. There are level descriptors. Level 6 in the Appendix. Our “familiar” “less familiar” we have gone beyond what is on the NQF. Are we making things “too outside” NQF? Adele – there is no appendix. It would have been helpful to have had the Appendices that NZQA have. Andrea – they are supposed to be comparable. The document was written around the Unit Standards time. Andrea is going to have a copy sent. Adele – we will present a summary of the process at conference AGM on Tuesday. Glenda was concerned that the team was widely consulting. Adele wanted to assure NZQA that wide consultation was not taking place. Draft matrix has been produced but will not be shared as no permission given to do this. Andrea – Other updates – Richard Steel was Languages NAF and now Andrea moved to research about Key Competencies and she is back into assessment part time as a support person. The work is so wide with NZQA so Andrea has taken the character-based and romantic languages. It is important for relationship to continue. Richard’s gap April-June was filled by a part-timer. They are 3 NAFs down. Struggling with workloads. Liz

Scally then stepped in during June. She is now ‘Richard’. She has also Drama as well as Languages. Andrea and Liz are still finding their way. Latin’s NAF is Jude Barnes. Maori’s NAF is Johnny Waititi. Adèle - Learning Languages should be grouped together. If a change is made in one area they have to consult with the others Andrea – Languages, Te Reo and Latin should be consulting each other. Most NAFs are ex-teachers. All of them are supposed to co-ordinate out of their own subject areas so that is purely “assessment” point of view. Alignment – this is the opportunity to have a review. Examiners etc have been consulted to make a change. There will be no other opportunity for the next two years. There is not a lot to change. Do you have to have the conversation at Level 2 and 3? At level 1 it was taken out at level 1 review. A lot of debate about the conversation standard so level 1 can be student to student and move up through the levels. Feedback and underlining errors. When they do the .6’s teachers can’t get too specific with feedback. The emphasis is on the communication which is good. It is not perfection/error free it is that you can communicate. Underlining errors is good for teaching, but not for assessment. You should not go beyond what you are doing. This is a problem which will be redressed with the realignment. Should only be highlighting groups of sentences or paragraphs is that what you are really trying to say. Don’t underline errors. Our crafted writing is part formative and summative and the confusion over this. Adèle In the Massey region (with Gunhild Litwin, Languages Adviser) it has taken 3 years to develop a process of providing feedback. You can do the assessment from time to time. A speech every week if you want. Query on the preparation for a speech? Is it formative or summative? Feedback will be part way through. Once it is a summatve assessment although it is a formative “process” it is part of the summative assessment. It is what the student needs to look at – and it is what the students do. No feedback in the .2s. There should be no feedback on the .2’s or .3’s but only on the .6’s. Is it possible to have them ready by a certain date. The date can be chosen when the student thinks they are ready. Why are we saying it has to be ready on the same level. Hazy with the conversation and manageability. Conversation never natural. Portfolio of conversation as you go as to how to assess and moderate it is another question. Adele – this is the most natural way of collecting evidence. The reliability is different for every student. It wouldn’t be the same for every student. Some selection would be made by the student. The conditions of the assessments. Portfolios are too difficult for assessment. The idea is a nice idea, but on a practical level it is difficult. How often do you talk about current events in class in TL. It is problematic for conditions of assessment. Leaders of Panel will need to have a meeting with NZQA. How you will do it. The mechanism is coming in June/July – the process of students selecting their work. Workload is an issue?

Why are we not clear about .6? A need to read the National Moderator’s report. The conflict will be leave it for a while. If there will be not Teacher Jumbo Days these will b needed. NZALT could provide a role that would encourage NZQA and MOE to have work days to go through this. Annotated exemplars will be made available – not in margin etc. If you are going to Association all teachers to go to NZQA website and read the National Moderators’ report for every internal assessment for each level. We could maybe have this on NZQA website. Discussion on the amount of change that has taken place. Even more change with externals from 2009. All questions have to have A M E. Our writing exams are the best indicators of a students’ ability in a language according to NZQA research. The listening and the reading varies, but the writing sets people apart. Why will there be changes to 2009 when the 2010 is a new change of system. Listening and Reading. Eg with Reading we can say read this much and tell us in your own words what is the impact of…? It will have to involve an excellence aspect. A bigger passage and a bigger set of questions. The c part is the excellence. Every response has the potential provide excellence since at this stage the Listening and Reading don’t provide that same response. Languages meeting in Australia – they had an exam questions. Name 4 ways that water pollution occurs? Example of a bad question. They are researching on differentiating between questions. Out of the passage what do you want them to tell you. It is really pie in the sky stuff. For 2009 the changes will occur over all languages. It could be 6 or 8 questions. Adele outlined the standards to Andrea after teachers reviewed them. People who will give honest view were asked about them. People will be snowed under with it. Alignment will be made first of all. Substitute “familiar” and “unfamiliar” with others. What will happen with wordlist? We are yet to find out. Chinese, Latin, Samoan have lists for exams. Will there be equity? Languages can’t be squeezed into others. Teachers will choose It’s not necessarily the teaching. The stickling point is that 24 credits is all available. There will be no duplicating standards. QA would rather have Achievement Standards. There may be some that stay. You don’t have to use it. You don’t have to have all 24 credits in your programme you choose what you want to offer. Marking External project – French Listening and Reading and question was can you offer a 0-8 scale? Can you go back to numbers? The answer was 0-8 was a better scale than A M E. What that means maybe there will be a 0-8 marking scale, whether that will improve the writing? Asking excellence may redress that. (This was just research exercise) The Excellence students truly got an Excellence.

PEPs – these are being assigned for this year and these have not changed. It is not a target. If they are outside it there is a reason why – the cohort was different etc it is trying to make it even over the board. PEP’s will be different. Questions on PEP’s French essays were always problematic. It was either E across the board or M or A. There is still a perceived disparity between the two. The codes are A M E L I C. Why do we have PEP’s when there is a standard to be met? Good question. Moderation – French full-time moderator who works part-time and the one other than French. Moderator’s roles are different to original idea. Random sample has been produced and task can be sent for feedback. It can only be the one NZQA has asked. Other schools are consulted by the Moderator for accountability.

APPENDIX B REMIT 1 MOTION: That the wording under FINANCE A in the constitution be changed to reflect the change in the name of the base scale and the GST status of NZALT. Currently the wording is VIII FINANCE A. Subscriptions: The normal subscription rate for each year shall be set at the nearest dollar to 0.2% of Step 4 of the Basic Secondary Scale, as at 1 February of the year in which subscriptions are due. The new wording shall now read: A. Subscriptions: The normal subscription rate for each year shall be set at the nearest dollar to 0.2% of Step 4 of the Base Scale of the Secondary Collective agreement, plus Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 12.5%, as at 1 February of the year in which subscriptions are due. Moved: Adele Scott Seconded: Jane Lee REMIT 2 MOTION: That a new section be added to X CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION AND WORKING RULES to meet the requirements of the Inland Revenue in order for the Association to be eligible for Income Tax Exemptions. Currently the wording is: X CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION AND WORKING RULES A. For changes to the Constitution a two-thirds majority vote at the Annual General Meeting shall be required, provided no change shall be permitted which affects the Winding Up or Pecuniary Profits rules. Notice of such changes shall be submitted to the Hon. Secretary at least six weeks before the Annual General Meeting and published at least one calendar month before the Annual General Meeting. B. For changes to the Working Rules a majority vote of the full Executive shall be required. Such changes must remain within the aims and rules of the Constitution. The addition would read: C. No addition to or alteration of the aims /objectives (clause II AIMS), payments to members (clause VIII FINANCE J. Application of Profits) or the winding-up clause (XI) shall be approved without the approval of Inland Revenue. The provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed

from this document and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document. Moved: Jane Lee Seconded: Philippa Doig REMIT 3 MOTION: That a new section be added to IV MEMBERSHIP B. to acknowledge the increasing number of schools with multiple memberships. Currently the wording is: IV

MEMBERSHIP B. The following categories of membership and/or subscribers shall apply: 1. Individual membership: a. Full rate membership applicable to all full-time teachers b. Reduced rate membership: available to students of Colleges of Education and other Tertiary Institution, and part-time, retired or unemployed teachers. 2. New Zealand Language Teacher subscriptions: a. Institutions and libraries in New Zealand and overseas. 3. The NZALT may award a Life Membership of the Association to any member or past member who is considered to have made an especially valuable contribution to the work of NZALT. Procedures for nomination and election of Life Members are set out in the Working Rules of the Association

The addition would read: 4. School membership: Applicable to schools wishing to subscribe four or more teachers. The rate for a school membership shall be (4) times the individual rate applicable for the school, with entitlement to four (4) copies of periodicals and four (4) membership-rate registrations at LangSems or Conferences. All nominated teachers from the school would be entitled to all other benefits of membership as outlined in the WORKING RULES Moved: David Hall Seconded: Adele Scott

Background to REMITS can also go on the web REMIT 1 Background As part of the NZALT Executive’s strategic planning process, Financial Sustainability was identified as one of eight important goals: Goal three: Financial Sustainability: NZALT will become a financially sustainable entity to enable the ongoing development and provision of relevant innovative, leading edge products and services – which support, encourage, engage, enhance and inspire the teaching and learning of languages. For some time, the money going through NZALT finances each year has been beyond the amount required for being GST registered (currently set at $40,000). NZALT is required to become GST registered by Inland Revenue. In order for the Association to move forward and take on projects for its members such as this year’s Standards Alignment project with the MoE and NZQA it is vital that the financial systems are up-to-date and squeaky clean. Consequences 1. Subscriptions Any late subscriptions received after June 01, 2008 will incur GST of 12.5% on the 2008 rates. i.e. for full membership: $68 +GST of $8.50 = $76.50 /part-time or primary individual membership: $48 + GST of $7.20 = $55.20. Membership rates for 2009 will reflect the increase due to the Secondary Collective agreement increase and the addition of GST as follows: The Secondary Collective agreement 2007 –2010 shows: (a) Base scale Step 4 Rates effective 2 July 2008 $35,118 Rates effective July 1 2009 $36,523 NZALT membership should be set for the 2009 year at $70.24 GST on this amount is $8.78. This would increase subs to $79.02 per full time member for 2009. A further small increase should occur in 2010 to $73.05 + GST of $9.13 = $82.18 It is proposed that for the two-year period 2009/2010, the subscription rate be rounded to $80.00 per year per full membership. 2. Auditing/bookkeeping

GST will now be able to be claimed on any expenses associated with NZALT. This does mean that the treasurer and deputy treasurer may need extra support for bookkeeping and auditing costs. REMIT 2 Background As part of the NZALT Executive’s strategic planning process, Strategic Positioning was identified as one of eight important goals: Goal Five: Strategic Positioning: NZALT will operate strategically and competitively within the languages education sector, the education sector and the wider languages environment to achieve a position of authority, influence and strength, so that: • NZALT products and services are unique and widely recognised for the highest levels of expertise, innovation and quality. • The name NZALT is synonymous with second language learning in schools, with key stakeholders and interest groups. • The NZALT profile is increased as the authority for second language teaching and learning. • Membership numbers increase and membership involvement increases. (15 – 20%) • Membership satisfaction levels increase. • Partnership opportunities are secured more readily. Along with begin GST registered comes the option of being registered as a charity which would allow for sponsorships to be sought for conferences and professional development opportunities. In the past we have been unable to attract significant sponsorship as potential ‘donors’ would only donate to groups which are on the register. In the long run this means that such sponsorship would keep costs down for members. Consequences More opportunities for the organisers of NZALT LangSems, Conferences and other events to make strategic links with other organizations and bodies. REMIT 3 Background A number of schools with large numbers of languages teachers, some who may be part-time, have struggled to fund the subscriptions for all. This has meant that in some cases only one or two teachers have had their subscriptions covered by the school. In secondary schools this has also meant that some students have missed out on NZALT Certificates of Excellence in some languages as it was not their teacher’s ‘turn’ to have their subscription paid for. In primary and intermediate schools although

the subscription is already reduced, for all teachers of languages to become members is a tall order given that there are several professional associations they could become members of. Consequences Initially the income to the Association from subscriptions could drop, however it is hoped that number of active members will increase as well as groups of teachers within schools who are members of NZALT – the fun and rewarding organisation to be involved with. (Strategic Plan 2008-2012)