Supporting
Community
Languages
Community Languages Western Australia (CLWA) is pleased to present our new, refreshed website for the benefit of all involved with the promotion and delivery of community languages in Western Australia.
It is our desire to ensure the website provides an active quality reflection of the wonderful contributions made to languages education by the community languages sector.
CLWA is grateful for the support provided by through the Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI), Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. CLWA recognises the importance of its partnership with OMI and the added value this collaborative partnership will continue to provide for the future.
CLWA would also like to express its appreciation to the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests, Hon Dr Tony Buti MLA, for his commitment and total support for community languages schools in Western Australia.
CLWA hopes you will find the new website of great benefit.
Thank you for your continued support of CLWA and for your ongoing significant contribution.
Enzo Sirna AM
President
Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry or savour their songs.
Nelson Mandela
Community Languages Program
The Community Languages Program provides support to not-for-profit community organisations to teach languages other than English and cultural maintenance programs after school hours. In 2023, Community Languages Program funding supports 71 community language schools / organisations teaching 38 languages to more than 7200 students.
Mission, Vision & Objectives
COMMUNITY LANGUAGES WESTERN AUSTRALIA (CLWA) is a representative organisation relevant to its members, community and stakeholders, as well as an effective advocate for languages education, cultural maintenance and community languages in Western Australia.
Community languages schools, in all their diversity, are seen as crucial school authorities offering purposeful learning that foster social cohesion and that form an integral part of languages education throughout Australia, alongside mainstream schools and other language education system providers.
CLWA works in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI) to further support and promote community languages schools and languages education in Western Australia. Its solid infrastructure comprises of the following three key components:
- Overseeing the Pathways to Improvement Program (PIP);
- Professional Learning Program (PLP); and
- Administrative Support.
CLWA’s effective strategic networking infrastructure includes state and national based professional affiliations with educational departments, institutions and entities such as Community Languages Australia, Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) of WA, Modern Languages Teachers Association of WA (MLTAWA), and Federal Modern Languages Teachers Association (AFMLTA).
Language is not a genetic gift; it is a social gift. Learning a new language is becoming a member of the club, the community of speakers of that language.
Frank Smith, Psycholinguist
This website was created to support
- The teaching and learning of community languages in WA, and
- The operation of community language schools.
This website will not replace the teaching of the language for you, but it provide information and resources that you may need, such as:
- An index of languages taught in community language schools in WA
- Contact details for all community language schools
- Advice on running a community language school
- Recommendations on how to set up a new school
- Guidelines and application forms so you can apply for grants
- Steps to take to plan how to improve your school
- Professional learning programs for language teachers and school leaders
- Learning activities, games and tasks that work
- Inspiring stories from other schools sharing their successes
- Access to a Help Desk which will connect you with the right person to answer your query
