The Ministry of Education is offering a minimum of, 12 one month, 10 three month and 4 one year Ministry of Education Language Immersion Awards (LIAs) for travel in 2011 to teachers of the following languages:
- Chinese
- Cook Island Māori
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Korean
- Samoan
- Spanish
- Tongan
- Vagahau Niue
- Tokelauan
During your time away you will use the language you teach in real-life contexts and extend your proficiency in the target language by hearing and using it in the host country. You will extend your knowledge in your target language, maintain cultural awareness and sustain high levels of classroom delivery.
One of the outcomes of these exchanges is the assessment of the effectiveness of these efforts to improve teachers’ language skills and classroom delivery.
Awards are for language, not country placements.
For more information, check out the frequently asked questions, email prue.elwood@afs.org or call 0800 600 300.
Read here, about Debra Atkin, who spent a month in Japan on a Language Immersion Award in 2009.
Bonjour de la France from Nigel Mills one month teacher to France in 2009:
The last day with the kids was hard, they all wanted a hug and my autograph (eh!?) so I was swamped by loads of kids with bits of paper. It has changed me as a teacher, helped me develop language skills that have been dormant for far too long and made me realise that life is an amazing gift and that good people abound in this world. I, we as a family too, have been blessed greatly..
