AFMLTA : The national voice for teachers of languages

We provide vision, leadership, representation, advocacy, professional learning and support for quality teaching and learning of languages.

Ensure you are a member of the MLTA in your state or territory to enjoy the benefits of membership.

AFMLTA Executive Committee

The AFMLTA Executive Committee role holders are elected at the National Assembly of states and territories each year.

Gillian Cordy

President

Gillian Cordy has promoted teacher professionalism and quality education in the languages area for many years in her role as an Education Officer – Languages at Sydney Catholic Schools. She has had a long career as a teacher of Indonesian and French in secondary schools and has been involved at senior level in the writing of language syllabuses, exam development and marking processes. Gillian has also been involved in initial language teacher education at the University of NSW. Her long and active membership of the Modern Language Teachers Association of NSW was recognised in 2017 when she was made a life member of the association.  She served as President of MLTANSW from 2014-2016, as Vice President in 2017 and is still an active committee member and Public Officer.

Miyako Matsui

President Elect

Miyako Matsui is an experienced language teacher both in Japan and Australia. She completed her Ph.D. in 2022 investigating parental involvement in Japanese heritage language and cultural maintenance in Australia. She has been teaching Japanese at the University of Wollongong since 2012. Miyako has become a member of AFMLTA Promotions Officer as well as MLTANSW Secretary in 2022. She is also a member of the Australian Network for Japanese as Community Language to support families who have connections to Japanese heritage in Australia. Miyako is passionate about further developing her knowledge of the community language programs and language studies at schools in Australia.

Anne-Marie Morgan

Vice President/Acting Babel Editor

Anne-Marie is Dean of Programs, Education Futures, University of South Australia. She has a long history teaching and researching languages education, with particular interests in the work of teachers, intercultural languages teaching and learning, and the teaching and learning of Indonesian. She has published extensively in these areas, as well as authoring Indonesian textbooks and curricula, and presenting and consulting on languages education for governments, education authorities, and teaching jurisdictions.

Candice Slingerland

Secretary

Candice Slingerland is the Languages Advisor within the Teaching and Learning Team at the NT Department of Education. She is an advocate for language learning including foreign languages, local languages, and community languages within the Northern Territory. Candice is an Indonesian teacher when she is in the classroom and enjoys working with teachers to assist them in the areas of language curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Candice is the current secretary of the Language Teachers Association of the NT (LTANT) and has been on the LTANT Committee for the past 10 years.

Kylie Farmer

Treasurer

Kylie Farmer is a Languages Education Consultant and an experienced primary teacher of Japanese. She was AFMLTA President from July 2014 – 2016 and has been a member of the AFMLTA executive for over 10 years. Kylie has managed and worked on a range of projects relating to Languages Education at a national and state level and is acutely aware of current issues and policies affecting teachers of Languages. She is involved in resource development and facilitates Professional Learning and Teacher Networks to support quality teaching of Languages. Kylie can be contacted to comment on issues including Preschool and Primary School Languages programs, CLIL, Bilingual Education, the ELLA project, curriculum planning and assessment, student engagement and leadership of Languages.

Amanda Pentti

Information Officer

Amanda is an experienced teacher of Japanese in Years P-10 and has held various roles in curriculum development and as a consultant to support implementation of new curriculum in Queensland. Amanda also has experience as a teacher of pre-service educators in the areas of languages and middle schooling.  She has fulfilled several roles on the Executive Committee of the MLTAQ since 2000 and the AFMLTA. Amanda can be contacted to comment on issues such as professional learning, professional standards, curriculum and assessment, early years language learning, ICTs, advocacy and leadership in languages and school improvement in the delivery of quality languages programs.

Kelsey Cooper

Promotions Officer

Kelsey Cooper actively champions quality Languages education and sustainable teaching through her roles as the youngest MLTAT State President (2023-present), FATFA representative, and full-time Secondary/Senior Secondary French teacher in Tasmania. Kelsey served on the Alliance Française de Hobart committee for several years and tutored for the organisation briefly as well. She brought her energy to the AFMLTA Executive team as Promotions Officer in July 2024. Her passion for collaboration and cross-curriculum connections awarded her the 2022 French Embassy BELC scholarship to undertake professional learning in Nantes and the 2019 Goddard Sapin-Jaloustre Trust Scholarship to research and promote French-Tasmanian connections across France. An enthusiasm for integrated learning drives her ongoing “Fransmania” project which combines authentic Tasmanian Aboriginal culture with local historic and present-day French connections and hands-on, diverse experiences beyond classrooms. Kelsey believes in the many benefits of understanding the wider world around us and also the importance of understanding ourselves and our own backyard.