MLTA ACT Events

Current and Future Events

Dates for the year's events are listed below. Events are listed in date order with the next scheduled event at the top.

For past events, see Recent Events for events of last year and earlier this year and Previous Events for events prior to last year.

Date and venue Event

2024

December 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
From 6:30 pm
Alliance Française de Canberra
66 McCaughey Street, Turner ACT 2612
AF Canberra logo AF Canberra Christmas Party

Members: $45; Non-members: $50

Book your tickets here via the AF Canberra website.

Saturday 14 December 2024
11 am to 2 pm
Das Zentrum, Griffin Centre, 20 Genge Street
Das Zentrum logo Bring a plate to share or get a coffee at On Lake Cafe before joining members, family and friends for our end of the year celebration down by Lake Burley Griffin.

See Das Zentrum website for details.

Saturday 14 December 2024
12:30 pm
Les Bistronomes
Les Bistronomes logo French Teachers' Lunch at Les Bistronomes.

See Lena's email for details.

Sunday 15 December 2024
2 pm to 5 pm
Hungarian Gate, Bowen Drive, Kingston
Das Zentrum logo Das Zentrum End of Year Picnic in the Park

Our borrowing bonanza is back! Before we close for the Summer break come and borrow to your heart's content for your holiday reading pile!

See Das Zentrum website for details.

2025

July 2025
11-13 July 2025
Adelaide
AFMLTA logo AFMLTA Conference.

Venue University of South Australia (City West Campus)

Recent events

Events are listed in date order with most recent events at the bottom.
Date and venue Event

2023

January 2023
Friday 27 January 2023 First day of Term 1 in 2023
February 2023
18 February 2023
From 10 am
Glebe Park, near Workshop Tent 1 (by the gate at the north end of Glebe Park)
ACTBEA logoMultilingual Story Walk
at the 2023 National Multicultural Festival (NMF).
See ACTBEA website for more details.
Thursday 23 February 2023 MLTA event icon Professional learning with Joe Dale

Session 1 of 2.

Register via Trybooking. Registrations close Monday 13 March.

Friday 24 February 2023
4 pm to 6 pm
The Pavillion on Northbourne
MLTA event icon MLTA ACT Meet and Greet 2023
Sunday 26 February 2023 UN logo Mother Language Walk 2023

Celebrating Australia's diversity of languages and cultures.

Canberrans are invited to join in a Language Walk to mark the UNESCO-designated International Mother Language Day on Sunday 26 February. At 10.30 am, participants will meet under the flags near the National Library. There will then be a community language walk over Kings Avenue Bridge, ending near the Police memorial at about 11.30am with a picnic and sausage sizzle. More details on IMLM website.

Tuesday 28 February 2023, 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Online seminar via Zoom
ANU logo ANU Language Teaching Forum first online talk for 2023.
Emily Tummons (University of Kansas): “Teaching Pronunciation in the Kaqchikel Maya Language Classroom” ".
If interested in presenting a session this year, please contact Wesley Lim at ANU.
March 2023
Wednesday 22 March 2023 MLTA event icon Professional learning with Joe Dale

Session 2 of 2.

Please note the change of date for Session 2.

Thursday 23 March 2023
4:15 pm; light refreshments from 4 pm
Campbell High School
MLTA event icon MLTA ACT AGM 2023
April 2023
Tuesday 18 April 2023, 4:15 pm to 5 pm
Zoom teleconference
ANU logo ANU Language Teaching Forum
Toshi Nakamura will present on “Exploring Japanese language learners’ motivation from a Bakhtinian perspective.”
This session will be held via Zoom teleconference.
Please follow this Zoom link.
Friday 28 April 2023, 5 pm
Via online form
MLTA Logo 2013 AFMLTA Conference Scholarship applications closing date
This scholarship provides financial assistance for members wishing to attend the AFMLTA 2023 International Languages Conference.
Please follow this link to complete the online application form.
May 2023
Saturday 13 May 2023, about 2 pm

Main Stage,
National Museum of Australia (NMA)

MTMLP logo

A Mother Tongue event with Anita Patel, Hangama Obaidullah, and Jolly Bhattacharjee, as part of the Tapestry of Cultures Festival.

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

Saturday 20 May 2023

10 am to 2:30 pm

Albert Hall

Community Language Schools Association (CLSA) Open Day

ACT CLSA logo

The CLSA Open Day program will commence at 10 am.

Performances by community language schools will run from 11 am to 12:45 pm.

A roundtable discussion for principals and teachers will take place from 1 pm to 2:30 pm.

Monday 22 May 2023, 7 pm
Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Canberra City
MTMLP logo An evening with feature poet and open mic items.

Feature poet will be Akka Ballenger Constantin

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

Wednesday 24 May 2023, 4 pm

Alliance Française de Canberra
66 McCaughey Street, Turner. ACT

MLTA event icon Launch for the French section of MLTA-ACT

The French section of MLTA-ACT will provide ACT French teachers with access to membership of FATFA (Fédération des Associations des Professeurs de Français en Australie).

French cheese and bread will be provided. Drinks will be available for purchase from the bar.

RSVP : Please reply by submitting the form by Tuesday 23 May, 2023, 16h / 4p.m.

June 2023
Thursday 8 June 2023
6:30 pm
Online
MLTA event icon MLTA workshop for ACT CLSA with Jo Chilver.

Lesson planning and delivering. Please refer to email notifications for details.

Friday 16 June 2023 Articles due for MLTA CONTACT Newsletter. MLTA logo Please email to Myriam Davies. For details, please see the broadcast email of 23 April from MLTA ACT.
Saturday 17 June 2023
9 am to 1 pm
Blackfriars Building, Phillip Avenue / Antill Street, ACU Watson
MLTA event icon Focus on Australian Curriculum

General group presentations followed by language group sessions.

Morning tea will be provided.

This will be a members-only event and there will be no charge.

For details, see the workshop flier.

Saturday 17 June 2023
10:30 am to 4 pm
ACTBEA logoACTBEA Festival of Languages.

  • An event organised by the ACT Bilingual Education Alliance
  • Languages activities for all ages
  • Find out more about languages spoken, used, taught and learned in Canberra
  • Morning tea and light lunch provided
  • Free, but booking requested via Eventbrite. For details, see ACTBEA website.
Monday 19 June 2023
Extended copy deadline
Via email to editor
MLTA logo Contact articles for Semester 1 edition extended copy deadline.

Please send your articles to myriam.davies@ed.act.edu.au by the start of Week 9 (Friday 19 June).

Saturday 24 June 2023
Venue tba
MTMLP logo Multilingual poetry workshop with Andrew Moss

Participants may share their work at the MTMLP Mic event a week later (see the event item for 1 July 2023)

For updates, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

July 2023
Saturday 1 July 2023, 4-6 pm
Street 2, Street Theatre
MTMLP logo Mother Tongue Multilingual Mic

Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry (MTMLP) open mic event, featuring poet and musician Karina Palomita. People who participated in the workshop with Andrew Moss (see the event item for 24 June 2023) may share their work.

Poetic City Winter Edition logo

This MT event is part of the Poetic City Winter Edition Festival. Poetic City also has a Potluck Story Share at 2pm on Sunday 2 July. The Potluck Story Share is for those who choose to share a story or poem that carries your history, your ancestry, your culture, or just listen.

For updates, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

7 to 9 July 2023
Mt Lawley Campus, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA
AFMLTA logo AFMLTA 2023 International Languages Conference
  • Welcome reception on Friday 7 July at Boola Bardip, WA Museum, with Keith Horwood Memorial lecture by Kathleen Heugh and museum gallery tour
  • Full day conference on Saturday 8 July hosted by ECU Mr Lawley; Conference Dinner at DoubleTree by Hilton Northbridge, with speaker Louka Parry, CEO of Learning Future
  • Full day conference on Sunday 9 July hosted by ECU Mt Lawley
  • Invited speakers Joanne McPake, University of Strathclyde, Gloasgow; Professor Catherine Travis, Professor of Modern European Languages, ANU
  • Visit the AFMLTA Conference website for details.
Wednesday 26 July 2023 & fortnightly thereafter in term time
5 to 6 pm
Alliance Française
French conversation group

For details, see Lena's email.

August 2023
Tuesday 1 August 2023
Theo Notaras Centre, 180 London Circuit
NMF logo Drop in for a chat about planning for the 2024 National Multicultural Festival.
For details, see NMF web page.
Thursday 3 August 2023
3:30 to 5:30 pm (formal meeting commences 4 pm)
Alliance Française, 66 McCaughey Street, Turner
French network meeting

For details, see Lena's email.

Wednesday August 2023 & fortnightly in term time
5 to 6 pm
Alliance Française
AF Canberra logo French conversation group

For details, see Lena's email.

Saturday 19 August 2023
10 am to 2 pm
Le Très Bon, Bungendore
Le Tres Bon logo French cooking class

Cost $85. For details, see Lena's emails.

Thursday 27 August 2023
NAILA logo National Australia Indonesia Language Awards (NAILA)
Deadline for NAILA competition entries
September 2023
16 September 2023
9 am to 12 pm
Campbell High School
FATFA logo Visual Listening – integrating visual stories to teach languages
TQI accredited.
October 2023
Friday 20 October 2023
5 pm via online form
MLTA logo FIPLV 1988 Scholarship applications deadline.

Please apply using this Google form by COB Friday 20 October 2023.

For details, see the scholarship flier.

Tuesday 24 October 2023, 4 pm to 5 pm
Zoom teleconference
ANU logo ANU Language Teaching Forum
Takuya Kojima, ANU Lecturer in Japanese Language and Studies, will present on “Unpacking Cross-boundary Learning in Foreign Language Education: Theoretical Understanding and Practical Application.” Please refer to the seminar abstract for details.

This session will be held via Zoom teleconference.

Thursday 26 October 2023
5:30 pm
Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, Canberra City
MLTA event icon MLTA workshop for ACT CLSA with Tina Rodriguez.

Differentiation tools and games for the language classroom.

Friday 28 & Saturday 29 October 2023, 7 pm
Indonesian Embassy, 8 Darwin Ave, Yarralumla
MLTA logo Wisdom-Based Instruction in Indonesian for Foreign Learners

Registration is via Google Form.

For more information, see the broadcast email sent to to members on 28 September and the program flyer.

Monday 30 October 2023, 7 pm
Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Canberra City
MTMLP logo An evening with feature poet and open mic items.

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

November 2023
Friday 17 November 2023, COB
Via Google form
MLTA logo Nominations due for the Fiona Arthur Award.

See the broadcast email sent to members on 9 October.

Please submit nominations via this Google form.

Friday 17 November 2023, 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Aboard the MV Southern Cross, Mariner Place, Yarralumla
MLTA logo MLTA Teach Meet End of Year Dinner.

Please arrive ahead of the start time, so that you can board the boat before departure.

Members $50, Non-members $88.

To register, please use the Trybooking form or select the QR code from the flyer (link below).

For details, see the flyer.

December 2023
Friday 1 December 2023 Articles due for MLTA CONTACT Newsletter. MLTA logo Please email to Myriam Davies. For details, please see the broadcast email of 16 September from MLTA ACT.
Januuary 2024
15-19 January 2024
Macarthur Anglican School, Cobbitty, Sydney
CI Downunder logo 5th CI Language Teachers' Conference

Unlocking the power of comprehension-based languge teaching Registration is via TryBooking.

February 2024
16-18 February 2024
Civic Square, Glebe Park, Garema Place, Petrie Plaza, Ainslie Place, Akuna Street, Bunda Street

NMF logoNational Multicultural Festival – (NMF) 2024.

See NMF Program for more details.

For information about languages at the NMF, see the latest Canberra Region Languages Forum update.

Thursday 22 February 2024
4:30 pm to 6 pm
No. 10 Restaurant and Bar
Abode Belconnen, 3 Graziers Lane, Belconnen
MLTA event icon MLTA ACT Meet and Greet 2024

Canapés will be provided and attendees may purchase drinks at their own cost.

We will be presenting the Fiona Arthur Language Teaching Award during our get together.

Please register using this RSVP link by COB Friday 16 February

Sunday 25 February 2024
10 am to 12:30 pm

UN logo Mother Language Walk 2024

Celebrating Australia's diversity of languages and cultures.

UN International Mother Language Day in 2024 is on 21 February. International Mother Language Day was first proclaimed by UNESCO and later adopted by the UN General Assembly. For more information about the UN observances, see the United Nations Mother Language page.

For details about the 2024 Canberra Mother Language Walk on 25 February, see the IMLM Canberra poster.

March 2024
Thursday 21 March 2024
4:30 pm; light refreshments from 4 pm
Campbell High School
MLTA event icon MLTA ACT AGM 2024

Please come along to learn more about the behind the scenes work and consider joining the Committee to support our vibrant association!

You can either send the nomination form beforehand, or fill in a form at the meeting. If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague and you are unable to attend, please send in a proxy vote form. For the schedule, see the AGM agenda.

Monday 25 March 2024, 6 pm
Online via MS Teams

CITSOL CML event logo Online information evening about CIT Solutions CML senior secondary language programs for students wishing to commence in Q2 of 2024 (second half of Semester 1).

Programs are offered in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Tamil.

  • Information and advice on learning languages in Years 11-12.
  • Receiving credit for your languages studies towards the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate and towards the ATAR.
  • How the programs are set up.
  • How to find current information through online systems about programs throughout the year.
  • What you need to do if you are planning to commence with CML in Q2.
  • Q2 at CML will commence in Week 10 of Term 1 (two weeks before the term break and four weeks before commencement of Term 2), to ensure there are sufficient teaching weeks to meet requirements for the Q2 half unit.

To register and to receive a link for the information session , please email CitsolLanguages@cit.edu.au.

Tuesday 26 March 2024
9 am to 1 pm
Trinity Christian School
34 McBryde Cres, Wanniassa
Comprehensible Input Strategies for Language Teaching to boost student engagement and language acquisition

In this 4-hour session, including a 30-minute break, you'll dive into comprehensible input methodologies like TPRS, TPR, and Picture Talk. Led by Bu Cathy Elliott and Mei Turnip.

Fee: $50. Morning tea is provided; however BYO lunch. RSVP by 23rd March via Trybooking.

April 2024
Monday 29 April 2024, 7 to 9 pm

Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Canberra City

MTMLP logo Mother Tongue - Multilingual poetry Open mic

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

May 2024
Saturday 11 May 2024

11 am to 1 pm

Albert Hall

Community Language Schools Association (CLSA) Open Day

ACT CLSA logo

The theme this year is Art and Culture: A key to Social Cohesion. After the official opening at 11am, student performances will include traditional dancing, singing and reading in their heritage languages. There will also be 25 to 30 Stalls showcasing community language schools' teaching resources and traditional handicrafts PLUS some cultural food to share. At 1 pm, there will be a roundtable for community language teachers. Discussion will focus on classroom and venue hire, including rent and other requirements.

June 2024
Saturday 1 June 2024
Snow Centre, CGS 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
8:00 am arrival and registration
MLTA logo Half-day workshop to include an online presentation on comprehensible input by Dr Liam Printer (Lausanne, Switzerland). Other sessions in the mini conference will include reports from members who have attended professional learning events.

Light refreshments included. For more details, see the flier here.

TQI 2024 logo

This event is TQI accredited.

Fee: $60 members, $120 non-members.

To register and pay: Trybooking link by COB Tuesday 28 May.

Friday 28 June 2024 Articles due for MLTA CONTACT Newsletter – extended deadline. MLTA logo Please email to Myriam Davies. For details, please see the broadcast email of 5 June from MLTA ACT.
July 2024
Tuesday 2 July 2024
4 to 6 pm
Location tba
Das Zentrum logo Canberra German Language Roundtable

Runder Tisch der deutschen Sprache - ACT.

Registration via Eventbrite.

Saturday 6 July 2024 to Tuesday 9 July 2024
Owen G Glenn Building, Auckland, New Zealand
FIPLV logo FIPLV World Congress in 2024

FIPLV is the international association of teachers of languages.

See the conference website for conference details.

See the conference registration page for registration details including early registration with significant discounts.

Saturday 13 July 2024
11 am to 2 pm
Alliance Française de Canberra
AF Canberra logo Bastille Day celebration

Book your tickets here via the AF Canberra website.

Friday 26 July 2024, 5 pm
Via Google form
MLTA logo Applications due for the MLTA ACT Scholarship.

See the broadcast email sent to members on 20 June. This scholarship, originally known as the FIPLV Congress 1988 Scholarship, was established after the success of the 1988 FIPLV World Congress on language learning hosted by the MLTA ACT Inc.

For details, please refer to the MLTA ACT Scholarship 2024 flier

Please submit applications via this Google form.

Saturday 29 July 2024, 7 pm to 9 pm

Smith's Alternative

MTMLP logo

A Mother Tongue event with Mimi Zhang as feature presenter. Born in Guangzhou, Mimi has lived in Canberra since 1988. A teacher, community interpreter, singer and local entrepreneur, Mimi has been writing short stories and memoirs for over 20 years. She will present poems in Mandarin and Cantonese from ‘Window’ and some more recent work.

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

August 2024
Thursday 8 August 2024
3:30 to 5:30 pm (formal meeting commences 4 pm)
Alliance Française, 66 McCaughey Street, Turner
French network meeting

Meet the new AF Director, Nabila Mazouzi who will outline some of her plans to us.

For more details, see Lena's email to French Network members.

Saturday 31 August 2024
Via email
Concours culinaire pour les apprenants de français.

Date limite: 31 août 2024; annonce des résultats: 31 octobre 2024 par email.

For details, see the CAP-FIPF flier.

September 2024
Wednesday 4 September 2024
6 pm to 8 pm
Online
Using AI to transform the French classroom: practical applications for teachers – a 2 hour online PL session with MLTA ACT French Section, facilitated by Joe Dale.

Please use this Trybooking link to register for the session.

This session will empower you with practical skills for integrating AI tools into your French language teaching. For more details, see the Joe Dale PL flier.

Wednesday 18 September 2024
4 pm to 6 pm
Telopea Park School
Le Malade Imaginaire (Molière)

Please use this google form to register your interest in attending.

For more details, see the flier.

19 September 2024
RSSS building, 146 Ellery Crescent, ANU campus

ACTBEA logoRaising children in more than one language.

Discussion will be led by a multilingual panel of parents, young adults who have grown up bilingually, and educators and academics involved in bilingual education. Participation is free, but registration is required. See the event flier for more details.

Registrations and more inforomation (including map) at the ANU Immersia 2024 page and also ACTBEA website and Facebook page.

Monday 23 September 2024
4 pm to 6 pm
Via email
National recognition for outstanding teachers of French in Australia nominations due.

Please email applications to fatfapresident@gmail.com.

For details, see the FATFA call for nominations.

Monday 23 September 2024
6 pm to 7 pm
MS Teams online meeting
CIT Solutions CML Information Session about senior secondary languages programs

MS Teams, Meeting ID: 436 763 631 955, Passcode: 9fcrJ5.

For more details, see the CIT Solutions flier.

October 2024
Thursday 17 October 2024
Three fortnightly meetings from this date
5 pm to 6 pm
Alliance Française
French conversation group

Please let Lena know if you are coming.

For details, see Lena's email.

Tuesday 22 October 2024
1 pm to 4 pm
National Film and Sound Archives
Canberra German Week logo German-Australian Science & Innovation Day

Two panel discussions will give stage time to the next generation of academic leaders, each a critical and inspirational discussion with the following research topics:

  • Technological advancement and disease management
  • Bilingualism: The importance of the German language and culture.

To register, visit the Canberra German Week Science and Innovation Day page.

For more information about Canberra German Week, visit the CGW website.

Saturday 26 October 2024
4 pm to 9 pm
Canberra Nara Peace Park, Lennox Gardens, Yarralumla
CBR logo Canberra Nara Candle Festival

For more information, visit the Canberra Nara events page.

Monday 28 October 2024, 7 pm to 9 pm

Smith's Alternative

MTMLP logo

Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Open Mic

A Mother Tongue event with Ivy Rahman and Vesna Cvjeticanin as feature presenters. Ivy is a writer, poet and social worker who was born and educated in Bangladesh and has lived in Canberra for over 3 decades. She has published several books in Bengali and one in English: ‘Heart on Fire’. Ivy will be sharing some of her poetry in the Bengali language. Vesna's first poetry book was released in Serbia a few weeks ago. Vesna, a poet, blogger, story-teller and radio producer, who writes in both Serbian and English, has been a long-term active contributor to MTMLP programs and events.

For more information, see the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry page on Facebook.

Thursday 31 October 2024, 5 pm
Via Google form
MLTA logo Applications due for the MLTA ACT Scholarship Semester 2.

See the broadcast email sent to members on 8 October. This scholarship, originally known as the FIPLV Congress 1988 Scholarship, was established after the success of the 1988 FIPLV World Congress on language learning hosted by the MLTA ACT Inc.

For details, please refer to the MLTA ACT Scholarship 2024 flier

Please submit applications via this Google form.

November 2024
Saturday 2 November 2024
Online
2 pm to 4 pm
ATESOL ACT logo Reciprocal Multilingual Learning with EAL/D students.

This ATESOL workshop will be presented by Mei French, educational linguist, University of South Australia. For more details, see the flier here.

Cost: $20 for ATESOL ACT and interstate TESOL Association ACTA members; $40 non-members.

Please register via this Trybooking link.

Friday 8 November 2024
Ainslie Football Club, 52 Wakefield Ave, Ainslie
5 pm to 6 pm (followed by dinner if you wish)
MLTA logo MLTA-ACT 2024 TeachMeet.

We invite you to give 5-minute presentations on a topic of your choice. It could be language specific, hints and tips, resources, feedback on PL you have attended, wellbeing or cultural events. We will also be announcing PL and event plans for 2025. For more details, see the flier here.

The TeachMeet is free for our members but please register so that we have the appropriate sized room. Also, please indicate if you would like to stay on after the TeachMeet for dinner at the club.

Please register via Trybooking: Trybooking link for TeachMeet.

Thursday 28 November 2024 Journée internationale des professeurs de français.

Friday 29 November 2024
From 5:30 pm
Alliance Française
French Teachers' Day

More details to come.

Friday 29 November 2024, COB
Via Google form
MLTA logo Nominations due for the Fiona Arthur Award.

See the broadcast email sent to members on 1 November.

or the information posted to the News page on MLTA website.

Please submit nominations via this Google form.

December 2024
Thursday 5 December 2024 7 pm online MLTA ACT French Section Planning Meeting. MLTA logo For details, contact Myriam Davies.
Friday 6 December 2024 Articles due for MLTA CONTACT Newsletter, Semester 2 edition. MLTA logo Please email to Myriam Davies. For details, please see the broadcast email of 17 October from MLTA ACT.

Previous events

MLTA ACT events for previous years are available as pdf documents, listed below, commencing with the most recent year.

Last updated

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