The Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (AFMLTA Inc.) is the national professional body representing teachers of all languages in Australia. The term ‘modern’ is used for historical reasons and is not intended to exclude any language. The AFMLTA believes that there is value in all language learning and is accordingly interested in promoting the teaching and learning of any language (ancient, modern, ‘community’, Aboriginal, traditional, international, European, Asian or other).
You can read the AFMLTA position statement.
Role and Functions
The role of the AFMLTA is to promote language learning in Australia. This role will be realised through the following functions of the AFMLTA.
- To provide a national voice on language learning and language teaching.
- To compile and distribute information on languages, language learning and language teaching.
- To develop the professional consciousness of language teachers.
Main Activities
- Provides professional leadership and advisory services at the national level.
- Tries to influence decisions made at the national level by lobbying, advising, and preparing submissions to politicians, committees of inquiry, government departments, industry and commerce, and wherever else appropriate.
- Encourages the professional development of language teachers through national conferences and workshops, especially the Biennial National Languages Conference.
- Publishes the national language teaching journal Babel.
Procedures
The AFMLTA Constitution indicates that its role and functions are carried out in the following ways:
1. Provide a national voice
- by making relevant public statements in letters and statements to the press and media and by personal representation
- by responding to public statements and actions of politicians, education authorities and others when language learning and language teaching are directly or indirectly at issue
by initiating or seeking to initiate public debate or the consideration by relevant authorities of issues pertinent to language learning and language teaching - by preparing or sponsoring the preparation of submissions on language learning and language teaching to appropriate authorities
- by distributing such statements as referred to above as widely as possible
2. Compile And Distribute Information
- by maintaining a directory of ‘contact’ people and their areas of expertise
- by referring people seeking assistance or information to relevant contact persons
- by keeping the members informed about AFMLTA Inc. activities
- by collating items of national interest and distributing them through the AFMLTA Inc. website
- by maintaining files of information on language learning and language teaching
3. Develop Professional Consciousness
- by encouraging teachers’ awareness of current developments in language teaching and the language sciences
- by encouraging teachers’ awareness of their profession, its worldwide nature, its worth and status, and their sense of belonging to it
- by encouraging teachers to increase their knowledge and expertise and their facility in successful classroom techniques
- by sponsoring research of practical significance
- by encouraging scholarships and awards to be offered to language teachers and by assisting in selecting suitable applicants
The AFMLTA’s operations are also guided by a collection of Working Rules.