
Background

Methodology

Theme approach

Demography

Valid survey responses
◦ – First survey of its kind in the VSL
◦ - It is a survey to capture responses but also understand staff thinking and areas of
improvement
◦ – It is a survey of the VSL community with commentary – anonymous and had
relationship with VSL
◦ - Demographic, Multiculturalism, Multilingualism, LOTE, ACARA, role of VSL and
finally open ended commentary
◦ - First section of survey on demographic profile
◦ – between 460- 552 depending on the question out of a total number of about 800
people
◦ -236 made comments – equalling 29 pages of commentary, over 300 did not.
Out of 517 respondents
 Gender
◦ 409 (79.1 %) of the respondents are female
◦ 108 (20.9 %) of them are male

Country of origin
◦ 434 (83.90%) were born in another country
◦ 83 (16.1%) were born in Australia

Role at the VSL
◦ 447 (86.5%) are teachers

Multiculturalism
◦ 502 respondents
 321 indicate that education programs in Victoria are
sensitive to cultural diversity (181not sure, or disagree)
 216 agree that there is an indifference to the decline
of the ethnic media outlets in Australia (226
respondents not sure)

Multilingualism

Out of 498 respondents,

Out of 471 respondents,
◦ 90% think that Victoria is a multilingual society
◦ 58.5 % agree that languages still provoke controversy
◦ 180 (38.2%) think that the most important reason why
students choose to do languages is because
 they think learning languages is useful and
valuable
◦ And 122 (25.9 %) agree that students do languages
because
 it brings bonus points for the future studies
◦ 3rd most important reason for sts doing lanuages for
117 (24.8%) respondents is that because
 their parents insist
◦ the least important reason 128 (27.2%) respondents
think why students choose to do languages is
 because it is obligatory
◦ it is followed by 104 (22.1%) people who think that
one of the least important reasons for sts choosing
to do languages is
 the peers
 There
are diverse opinions about
defining an appropriate term
non-English languages.
for
Q.23. There are diverse opinions about defining an appropriate term for
non-English languages in Australia. Which of the following do you think
Answer Options
Languages
Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
Community Languages
Ethnic Languages
Migrant Languages
Foreign Languages
Response
Percent
12.5%
68.4%
9.1%
3.6%
1.9%
4.5%
answered question
no answer
Response
Count
59
322
43
17
9
21
471
81


The Role of the VSL
out of 460 respondents,
◦ 448 (97.4) people agree with that
 VSL is making a positive contribution to language learning

about the strongest attributes of the VSL
◦ 174 (37.8) people think that
 it is good at what it is doing
◦ 153 (33.3%) people think that
 it is a public school
◦ 97 (21.1 %) people think that
 it is its community

the attributes of the VSL that need the most
improvement,
◦ 156 (33.9 %) people think it is
 its technology, facilities and materials
◦ 95 (20.7 %) think it is
 its funding
◦ 79 (17.2 %) people think it is
 its relationship with the Department of Education


Some randomly chosen comments on
The Role of the VSL
 VSL is still playing an important role in promoting
language diversity.
 The role of the VSL is very important and many schools
like that should exist.
 VSL is proud of its history and its commitment of
teaching languages in Victoria; I believe it will continue
to play an important role for the people coming from
different backgrounds and cultures
 Most languages will be disappeared. The VSL's role is
to manage and provide LOTE training/learning. Help
every LOTE to survive.
 It is doing a good job despite limited resources
available.
 VSL has a vital role to promote and maintain the
community languages now and in the future.
 VSL has been doing a great work in presenting to the
world a tolerant Australia, in terms of language and
culture, which is unique.
 It is an excellent way of keeping the rich culture and
heritage of many communities.

Comments on the expectations from the VSL
 I believe that the VSL is doing a great job in the
promotion of languages to the wider community,
however improvement is needed with respect to the
provision of computer and internet access, particularly
for VCE classes.
 the VSL would benefit greatly if it were promoted more
widely in the communities.
 It would be great to see professional development
programs run with topics that are useful (i.e.: making
up resources) and start to create unison with staff.
 Departmentof Education should encourage and
enhance the knowledge more widely in the society that
multilingual citizens are not only valuable resources,
but they are also very essential for globalization.
 The VSL is a fundamental keystone in promoting the
importance and future of language learning through
the state sector. However, there must be more
cooperation through host day schools to promote The
VSL via advertising. Open/ Multicultural Days could
also be conducted at Centres for promotional
purposes.
 There is no doubt of the development of VSL in the
future. However, to what extent it develops is wholly
depending on the link between the department, school
and community as well as teachers to foster the
interest and need to learn the languages and cultures.
 It requires greater funding in order to provide a higher
quality level of education through improved
technology, facilities and materials.
 Most languages will disappear. The VSL's role is to
manage and provide LOTE training/learning. Help
every LOTE to survive.
 VSL should get more funding for giving ICT facilities to
the language teachers. Preferably teachers should be
given laptops and internet access at VSL schools. More
funding is needed for the development of resources.
 The school's
improvement.
marketing
including
image
needs
 The VSL should be considered a leader in Language
teaching and should play a role in the development of
the National Curriculum. The VSL structure is also
something that should be adopted in other states. It
will also be a dynamic centre to help maintain the
teaching of languages not included in the National
Curriculum.
 Languages become less important and interesting for
students. LOTE should become compulsory for all schools
and mainly to students with a non-Australian background.
Also, VSL should be become what we call the extra after
language school for qualification in the language chosen,...
 VSL should continue to provide and maintain the language
learning not only in Victoria, but in other states also!
 VSL should
languages.
play
more
important
roles
in
promoting
 Better facilities are needed at the Saturday morning centres.
 The VSL is a fantastic school. It is such a shame that not
many people know about this school - more should be done
to advertise the VSL and make it known to the community.
Teachers are inhibited by the fact that there is no access to
technology at the centres, which is keeping us behind other
schools. A really good school with dedicated teachers to
providing an enjoyable and valuable learning experience to
language students.
 Because students of languages do not view language as a
compulsory part of their education, language studies need to
excite the students to be perceived as worthwhile. The VSL
needs to invest in passionate teachers who are prepared to
cater for multiple intelligences...
 VSL is well positioned to take a significant role in delivery of
the national language curriculum and needs to embrace the
opportunity.
 More funding, more marketing, more IT and other materials,
more advertising more PD, more teachers and more centres.
 We should be more than just a «Saturday School».
 ...Smart people learn languages. Learning languages is very
important for the academic improvement of the children...
 Let's hope this survey will have a positive impact on the
learning of LOTE in Australia
THANK YOU.