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.

Nathan Harvey

(14.05.1980 – 09.09.2023)

Immediate Past President

We are saddened at the loss of our friend and colleague, Nathan Harvey. Nathan was Head of Languages at Willetton Senior High School, Western Australia’s largest secondary school. Nathan was also the Manager of the Teacher Development School for Languages, which provides tailored professional learning to best meet the needs and context of teachers of all languages K-12. He and his team provided practical support for whole school planning, teaching, learning and assessment in languages. Through these initiatives, Nathan believed that teachers learn best from other teachers and was passionate about sharing expertise and classroom innovation across schools, networks and professional learning communities throughout WA and nationally.

Anne-Marie Morgan

Vice President

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.

Kylie Farmer

Secretary

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.

Sherryl Saunders

Treasurer

Sherryl is a very experienced Japanese teacher.  She has fulfilled a variety of roles with AFMLTA including Promotions Officer and a term as President. Sherryl has a long relationship with her state body, the Modern Language Teachers Association of Queensland (MLTAQ). She has been a member of the executive of her MLTAQ since 1997 and is currently the Webmaster for MLTAQ. Sherryl has been a teacher of students from Year 1 through to secondary students in schools and a teacher of pre-service education students. She has been a teacher, including languages; a curriculum consultant and an assistant principal in a P-12 school. Sherryl has a keen interest in maximising teacher quality to ensure maximised opportunities for learners.

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.

Andrew Scrimgeour

Babel Editor

Andrew is a lecturer in Languages Education & Chinese in the School of Education at the University of South Australia, and a member of the Research Centre for Languages & Cultures. Andrew undertakes research in the Languages Education field, with a focus on national and state policy toward Asian languages, learner diversity in the languages classroom, literacy development in Chinese, and language teacher training.

Miyako Matsui

Promotions Officer

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.