Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive of the

New Zealand Association of Language Teachers held at

Wellington Girls’ College staff room.
6th and 9th July, 2008
Meeting started at 9:17am, Sunday 6th July
Present: Adele Scott, Sue Sutherland, Jo Rittey, David Hall, Philippa Doig,
Jenness Reith, James Donaldson, Doug (new Auckland rep)
Apologies: Anne Jacques, Pam Mabin

Conference related items (these dealt with first as Philippa and Sue
had to leave)
Programme /EXEC responsibilities - Philippa/Sue
• Exec to thank generic speakers – write name on programme. Exec
wear special name badges.
• Issue with delegates who sign up for early bird and are not
members.
• Eric Yates is unable to make conference due to health and personal
circumstances.
• Welcome part of the powhiri. Practice needed between 3 and 4pm.
• David is part of manuhiri. Janet McAlister will lead the waiata from
the other side. 2:30ish to go through it.
• 8:30 On Stage for whakatau – Exec and committee.
• Procession Flowers arrive at 9:30am Monday to be collected for Gail
• Name badges – normal badges and matching stickers to put on
conference book.
• Guests seats are reserved from are MOE, family. Gail and Richard
on stage. When Ian McKinnon has finished and Philippa doing her
piece we will have left the stage. David will look after the guests.
David and Adele will look after the Spence crowd.
• Before the G. General arrives all guest should be already seated,
not as part of the procession. There is no special fanfare etc for G.
General.
• Guests of Gail arrive by 9:40
• Morning tea at 10:10am. Someone to give the wave for Philippa to
know when to start the welcome. Best view of lectern for the family.
• When thanking a speaker -Be the timer. Pick up a gift and card for
the person. 40 minute presentations and 10 minutes for questions.
Thanking finishes at that time. Generics are level 2. Aim to finish 45
minutes past the hour. Stand between 40-45 minutes for questions.
Sue and Philippa to thank the Plenary speakers.

SLA’s breakfast – David, James and Doug.

• Questions about those who are going to be at the Pre-Conference
drinks. The group is Advisors. Should we be inviting the ILANZ
advisors or the HanBan and international guests instead? Or should
we have the convenors offer invites?We need to give the invites
sorted out.
• Exec Lunch on Wednesday – in staff area on platters.
VISITOR – 11am – Andrea Mark from NZQA (SEE APPENDIX A for
notes on the conversation)

i.* Financial report/President’s report – Jane/ Adèle (Strategic

Goal Three: Financial Sustainability)
Both reports (Financial and President’s) will be offered to members to
read before the AGM on Tuesday 8th.
People have been referred to the website.
President’s report - Outline of NZALT to date /Polyglot website is going
online /
Strategic Plan is also metioned. A quote from Steven Covey
“commitment requires involvement from the individual”
Financial Report – questions will be raised on
• Exec costs. NB: Increases in airfares and accommodation.
• Questions about the differences in expenditure. Effectively 31
January 2008.
• Term Deposits – why are they sitting there? They were kept for
emergencies (e.g. Auckland Conference 2006 was touch and go at
one stage). More money will be spent in future on website.
• The auditor is making the comment about how things are set up.
Our accounts have to be water-tight. IRD forms. Now that we have
IRD number we are going to have to pay. There is no point
spending time on a job in which we are not an expert in and we will
have to employ.
• We have to request to become tax exempt and the charitable trust.
We have to request it. There is one with only first $1000 is exempt.
This links to being charitable. Adele will think about the charitable
thing.
• Maybe we need to look at secretarial person at $35 an hour. Keep in
the back of your mind. What else could we look for from a
professional secretary? If we are to realise our strategic plan and to
continue to be the voice of languages we need to look at it.

ii.* Remits – David/Adèle/Jane (Strategic Goal Three: Financial

Sustainability)
• Jane: Online Banking account: Currently the account has 3
signatories which makes things awkward and disqualifies us for
online access. There was a lot of red tape with three signatories
and that the account becomes an online account. There will have to
still be a second person to authorise it online. This gives a lot of
freedom to pay for airfares etc. It would make sense to have David
as the second signatory as his role involves money and since he
was seconded as deputy treasurer. The Treasurer could then re-
imburse and pay your expenses via Internet banking. David would
still have to co-sign cheques.
MOTION: “That two of the three current signatories to the NZ Association
of Language Teachers’ Westpac account (Pam Mabin and Maire Ferguson)
be removed and a new signatory, the Deputy Treasurer be added (David
Hall).”
Moved: Jane Lee Seconded: Adele Motion carried.
Exec members to forward online banking details to Jane for re-
imbursements.

• Expense claim forms: Adele issued and explained the need to

itemise events and attach receipts. Exec stationery eg notepads

REMITS (SEE also APPENDIX B)

In summary:
Remit 1: Wording of the definition: current wording and proposed
changed salary scale name.
The name of the scale was not correct and this is just a formality and that
we become GST registered. Good news for schools who will be able to
claim back on membership.
Remit 2: New section added to 10 to meet requirements of Inland
Revenue. We haven’t applied for Income Tax exemption. A need for an
accountant.
Remit 3: A new category for membership to alow for schools with large
numbers of teachers.

Wednesday’s AGM: follow ups will need to be motions for accounting

changes and the proposed changes in membership. GST will be added
onto memberships and members still need to remember their school can
claim back on GST.
Piece of paper of who is at meeting.

Design a Stamp winners

Year 1-6 Benjamin Sharp of King’s School of Auckland (Mr Gallagher
member teacher)
Year 7-8 Tainui Wharawhara of Dilworth Junior Campus of Auckland
(member teacher)
Year 9-10 Emily Harris of Wainuiomata High School Auckland (Mr Shinichi
Muroya member teacher)
Conference pack - Online survey to be filled out. This has been gazetted
too.
Working Rules – Looked at what Exec have to pay for and not pay for
during Conference.

For meeting Wednesday 9th:

• Exec stationery
• Bank details needed: Bank Branch and Account Name and number.
• Need feedback from Advisor breakfast and SLA breakfast.

Roles on Executive
Changes to website.
Jo’s Rittey:
• Delete anything to do with Asian Language projects
• Year 7 and 8 – Eileen had to go for family reasons to see her father.
Speak to Eileen first and confirm. Not under Jo’s.
• Do we liaise with tertiary? Non-school based is President/Vice
President.
• Jo’s definition. We have ticked new bullet points.
• We could add the “White Papers”. Summarise current research on
the website. A description of White Papers on the website. Not just
identifying the issues, but finding feasibility of doing research on it.
James’
• reword more
• get rid of a lot of the Languages Website
• Find out about cert numbers off RO reports and let Sue know or
pass on to Jo.
• They (SLAs???) often use our constitution. Does it reference to our
one?

Our next point of contact is the point of contact.

Auckland 21
Waikato 5
Victoria 12
20 Canterbury
Otago / Southland 7
Massey 10

Starters and Strategies David if you can note it and E-mail Adele to
find the link. Good stuff for ILW.
Quality Teaching Fund. We’ll have to liaise with Jane about our
Charitable Trust. Now that parent body is GST registered, do they still
need a GST number?
It would impact on income for the conference. It is not the account. They
could use.
Can we have more than 1 GST number? Or do we have one for each? How
does the accountant that would work. Receipts for stickers GST number.
Template for invoices from David.
James to send David a template of the Sticker order form and the winners
of the Stamp competition.
Curriculum and Assessment – should they ask for a summary of issues
they would NZALT to follow up. We need to know the issues around
assessment at the end of the year in time for first NZALT meeting of each
year. New SLAs addresses for Doug Anderson.

Adèle to make a past tense of a Press Release of FIPLV award.

Scholarship Research
• 2008 -Collect teachers’ information online about students’ intention.
What do we want to carry on investigating? What is a native
speaker? At this stage we need to leave a paper trail. We need to
confirm the concerns about first language speakers.
• We want to reiterate the concerns of members at our 2007-2008
AGMs because of unfairness, equity and demotivation of
students/teachers to sit scholarship.
• Adele will write a letter very similar in wording to Steve Mahaery
letter sent last year about Scholarship to new MOE.
• Adele to put on website the 2007 letters and to write one to Chris
Carter. Then the answer as well.

New Members Treasurer’s role with edited comments on it. Accountant

to be employed with the new change to GST. Needs to be a mention of
GST.
SCALEs project – Adèle to submit budget for SCALE to pay bills. She
negoitiated 15% before GST as infrastructure cost. Not much response
from SLAs.
Anne, Jane and Adèle to look at getting an accountant. As soon as it kicks
in the accountant needs to have access.
PD – leave. Jenness

MOTION The proposed changes to the Working rules be accepted and the
website updated”
Moved: Adèle
Seconded: James Passed

Advisors meeting:
Send a summary of your notes to Adèle
Feedback: Adèle Jo James insert it here.
SLAs breakfast:
Summary of meeting in minutes. WHERE?
Next weekend: 18-19 October proposed meeting pleas. Adèle Scott to
organise the accommodation.
APPENDIX A

Conversation with Andrea Mark:

Adele filled in Andrea on what NZALT is and explained about general
stage of where Languages are at. SLA that are particularly strong are
Japanese and French. Chinese strong, but they are not always trained
teachers. German and Spanish tend to be smaller and not all members of
each SLA are members of NZALT. Requests for NZ Sign Language
interpreters have been interesting.
Adele also explained the portfolio of Exec that deals with NZQA –
Curriculum and Assessment. Adele also communicated the desire to
continue the good relationship between NZQA and NZALT.

Alignment of Standards to New Curriculum - Letter forwarded to

Andrea via E-mail about We are deeply concerned to note the negative
effect the insistence on Level 6 Achievement Objectives is having on the
tasks set for Level 1. German teachers are concerned about the changes.
It is going to be Curriculum Level 6, but up until now it has been “up to
and including Level 6”. For teaching it does pose some problems that the
Alignment Group have encountered. It is difficult to know what has been
changed between MOE guidelines and the Curriculum. As NZALT we have
to try and manage the communication that comes and goes.
Andrea – All points of view have to be considered and listened to.
Adele – In the Alignment we are trying to make sure that the
progressions between Levels are defined by the quality of language and
are quite open. “familiar” and “less familiar” are different. They are
moving on from that
Andrea – Standard reviews paper. There are 4 principles. We have just
had examiner “top-up” training. There are level descriptors.
Level 6 in the Appendix.
Our “familiar” “less familiar” we have gone beyond what is on the NQF.
Are we making things “too outside” NQF?
Adele – there is no appendix. It would have been helpful to have had the
Appendices that NZQA have.
Andrea – they are supposed to be comparable. The document was
written around the Unit Standards time. Andrea is going to have a copy
sent.
Adele – we will present a summary of the process at conference AGM on
Tuesday. Glenda was concerned that the team was widely consulting.
Adele wanted to assure NZQA that wide consultation was not taking
place. Draft matrix has been produced but will not be shared as no
permission given to do this.
Andrea – Other updates – Richard Steel was Languages NAF and now
Andrea moved to research about Key Competencies and she is back into
assessment part time as a support person. The work is so wide with NZQA
so Andrea has taken the character-based and romantic languages. It is
important for relationship to continue. Richard’s gap April-June was filled
by a part-timer. They are 3 NAFs down. Struggling with workloads. Liz
Scally then stepped in during June. She is now ‘Richard’. She has also
Drama as well as Languages. Andrea and Liz are still finding their way.
Latin’s NAF is Jude Barnes. Maori’s NAF is Johnny Waititi.
Adèle - Learning Languages should be grouped together. If a change is
made in one area they have to consult with the others
Andrea – Languages, Te Reo and Latin should be consulting each other.
Most NAFs are ex-teachers. All of them are supposed to co-ordinate out
of their own subject areas so that is purely “assessment” point of view.
Alignment – this is the opportunity to have a review. Examiners etc have
been consulted to make a change. There will be no other opportunity for
the next two years. There is not a lot to change. Do you have to have the
conversation at Level 2 and 3? At level 1 it was taken out at level 1
review. A lot of debate about the conversation standard so level 1 can be
student to student and move up through the levels.
Feedback and underlining errors. When they do the .6’s teachers can’t
get too specific with feedback. The emphasis is on the communication
which is good. It is not perfection/error free it is that you can
communicate. Underlining errors is good for teaching, but not for
assessment. You should not go beyond what you are doing. This is a
problem which will be redressed with the realignment. Should only be
highlighting groups of sentences or paragraphs is that what you are really
trying to say. Don’t underline errors. Our crafted writing is part formative
and summative and the confusion over this.
Adèle In the Massey region (with Gunhild Litwin, Languages Adviser) it
has taken 3 years to develop a process of providing feedback. You can do
the assessment from time to time. A speech every week if you want.
Query on the preparation for a speech? Is it formative or summative?
Feedback will be part way through. Once it is a summatve assessment
although it is a formative “process” it is part of the summative
assessment. It is what the student needs to look at – and it is what the
students do. No feedback in the .2s. There should be no feedback on
the .2’s or .3’s but only on the .6’s. Is it possible to have them ready by a
certain date. The date can be chosen when the student thinks they are
ready.
Why are we saying it has to be ready on the same level. Hazy with the
conversation and manageability. Conversation never natural. Portfolio of
conversation as you go as to how to assess and moderate it is another
question.
Adele – this is the most natural way of collecting evidence. The reliability
is different for every student. It wouldn’t be the same for every student.
Some selection would be made by the student. The conditions of the
assessments. Portfolios are too difficult for assessment. The idea is a
nice idea, but on a practical level it is difficult.
How often do you talk about current events in class in TL. It is
problematic for conditions of assessment. Leaders of Panel will need to
have a meeting with NZQA. How you will do it. The mechanism is coming
in June/July – the process of students selecting their work. Workload is an
issue?
Why are we not clear about .6? A need to read the National Moderator’s
report. The conflict will be leave it for a while. If there will be not Teacher
Jumbo Days these will b needed. NZALT could provide a role that would
encourage NZQA and MOE to have work days to go through this.
Annotated exemplars will be made available – not in margin etc.
If you are going to Association all teachers to go to NZQA website and
read the National Moderators’ report for every internal assessment for
each level. We could maybe have this on NZQA website. Discussion on
the amount of change that has taken place.

Even more change with externals from 2009. All questions have to have
A M E. Our writing exams are the best indicators of a students’ ability in a
language according to NZQA research. The listening and the reading
varies, but the writing sets people apart.
Why will there be changes to 2009 when the 2010 is a new change of
system.
Listening and Reading. Eg with Reading we can say read this much and
tell us in your own words what is the impact of…? It will have to involve
an excellence aspect. A bigger passage and a bigger set of questions.
The c part is the excellence. Every response has the potential provide
excellence since at this stage the Listening and Reading don’t provide
that same response.
Languages meeting in Australia – they had an exam questions. Name 4
ways that water pollution occurs? Example of a bad question. They are
researching on differentiating between questions. Out of the passage
what do you want them to tell you. It is really pie in the sky stuff. For
2009 the changes will occur over all languages. It could be 6 or 8
questions. Adele outlined the standards to Andrea after teachers reviewed
them.
People who will give honest view were asked about them.
People will be snowed under with it. Alignment will be made first of all.
Substitute “familiar” and “unfamiliar” with others. What will happen with
wordlist? We are yet to find out. Chinese, Latin, Samoan have lists for
exams. Will there be equity?
Languages can’t be squeezed into others. Teachers will choose It’s not
necessarily the teaching. The stickling point is that 24 credits is all
available. There will be no duplicating standards. QA would rather have
Achievement Standards. There may be some that stay. You don’t have
to use it. You don’t have to have all 24 credits in your programme you
choose what you want to offer.

Marking External project – French Listening and Reading and question

was can you offer a 0-8 scale? Can you go back to numbers? The answer
was 0-8 was a better scale than A M E. What that means maybe there will
be a 0-8 marking scale, whether that will improve the writing? Asking
excellence may redress that. (This was just research exercise) The
Excellence students truly got an Excellence.
PEPs – these are being assigned for this year and these have not
changed. It is not a target. If they are outside it there is a reason why –
the cohort was different etc it is trying to make it even over the board.
PEP’s will be different. Questions on PEP’s French essays were always
problematic. It was either E across the board or M or A.
There is still a perceived disparity between the two. The codes are A M E
L I C.
Why do we have PEP’s when there is a standard to be met? Good
question.

Moderation – French full-time moderator who works part-time and the

one other than French. Moderator’s roles are different to original idea.
Random sample has been produced and task can be sent for feedback. It
can only be the one NZQA has asked. Other schools are consulted by the
Moderator for accountability.
APPENDIX B

REMIT 1
MOTION: That the wording under FINANCE A in the constitution be
changed to reflect the change in the name of the base scale and the GST
status of NZALT. Currently the wording is

VIII FINANCE
A. Subscriptions: The normal subscription rate for each year shall be set
at the nearest dollar to 0.2% of Step 4 of the Basic Secondary Scale, as at
1 February of the year in which subscriptions are due.

The new wording shall now read:

A. Subscriptions: The normal subscription rate for each year shall be set
at the nearest dollar to 0.2% of Step 4 of the Base Scale of the
Secondary Collective agreement, plus Goods and Services Tax
(GST) of 12.5%, as at 1 February of the year in which subscriptions are
due.

Moved: Adele Scott

Seconded: Jane Lee

REMIT 2
MOTION: That a new section be added to X CHANGES TO THE
CONSTITUTION AND WORKING RULES to meet the requirements of the
Inland Revenue in order for the Association to be eligible for Income Tax
Exemptions. Currently the wording is:

X CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION AND WORKING RULES

A. For changes to the Constitution a two-thirds majority vote at the
Annual General Meeting shall be required, provided no change shall
be permitted which affects the Winding Up or Pecuniary Profits
rules. Notice of such changes shall be submitted to the Hon.
Secretary at least six weeks before the Annual General Meeting and
published at least one calendar month before the Annual General
Meeting.
B. For changes to the Working Rules a majority vote of the full
Executive shall be required. Such changes must remain within the
aims and rules of the Constitution.

The addition would read:

C. No addition to or alteration of the aims /objectives (clause II

AIMS), payments to members (clause VIII FINANCE J.
Application of Profits) or the winding-up clause (XI) shall be
approved without the approval of Inland Revenue. The
provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed
 from this document and shall be included and implied into
any document replacing this document.

Moved: Jane Lee

Seconded: Philippa Doig

REMIT 3
MOTION: That a new section be added to IV MEMBERSHIP B. to
acknowledge the increasing number of schools with multiple
memberships. Currently the wording is:

IV MEMBERSHIP
B. The following categories of membership and/or subscribers shall
apply:
1. Individual membership:
a. Full rate membership applicable to all full-time teachers
b. Reduced rate membership: available to students of
Colleges of Education and other Tertiary Institution, and
part-time, retired or unemployed teachers.
2. New Zealand Language Teacher subscriptions:
a. Institutions and libraries in New Zealand and overseas.
3. The NZALT may award a Life Membership of the Association to
any member or past member who is considered to have made
an especially valuable contribution to the work of NZALT.
Procedures for nomination and election of Life Members are
set out in the Working Rules of the Association

The addition would read:

4. School membership: Applicable to schools wishing to

subscribe four or more teachers. The rate for a school
membership shall be (4) times the individual rate applicable
for the school, with entitlement to four (4) copies of
periodicals and four (4) membership-rate registrations at
LangSems or Conferences. All nominated teachers from the
school would be entitled to all other benefits of membership
as outlined in the WORKING RULES

Moved: David Hall

Seconded: Adele Scott
Background to REMITS can also go on the web

REMIT 1

Background
As part of the NZALT Executive’s strategic planning process, Financial
Sustainability was identified as one of eight important goals:
Goal three: Financial Sustainability:
NZALT will become a financially sustainable entity to enable the
ongoing development and provision of relevant innovative, leading
edge products and services – which support, encourage, engage,
enhance and inspire the teaching and learning of languages.

For some time, the money going through NZALT finances each year has
been beyond the amount required for being GST registered (currently set
at $40,000). NZALT is required to become GST registered by Inland
Revenue. In order for the Association to move forward and take on
projects for its members such as this year’s Standards Alignment project
with the MoE and NZQA it is vital that the financial systems are up-to-date
and squeaky clean.

Consequences
1. Subscriptions
Any late subscriptions received after June 01, 2008 will incur GST of
12.5% on the 2008 rates. i.e. for full membership: $68 +GST of $8.50 =
$76.50 /part-time or primary individual membership: $48 + GST of $7.20
= $55.20.

Membership rates for 2009 will reflect the increase due to the Secondary
Collective agreement increase and the addition of GST as follows:
The Secondary Collective agreement 2007 –2010 shows:
(a) Base scale Step 4
Rates effective 2 July 2008 $35,118
Rates effective July 1 2009 $36,523

NZALT membership should be set for the 2009 year at $70.24

GST on this amount is $8.78. This would increase subs to $79.02 per full
time member for 2009.
A further small increase should occur in 2010 to $73.05 + GST of $9.13 =
$82.18

It is proposed that for the two-year period 2009/2010, the

subscription rate be rounded to $80.00 per year per full
membership.

2. Auditing/bookkeeping
GST will now be able to be claimed on any expenses associated with
NZALT. This does mean that the treasurer and deputy treasurer may need
extra support for bookkeeping and auditing costs.

REMIT 2
Background
As part of the NZALT Executive’s strategic planning process, Strategic
Positioning was identified as one of eight important goals:
Goal Five: Strategic Positioning:
NZALT will operate strategically and competitively within the
languages education sector, the education sector and the wider
languages environment to achieve a position of authority, influence
and strength, so that:
• NZALT products and services are unique and widely
recognised for the highest levels of expertise, innovation and
quality.
• The name NZALT is synonymous with second language
learning in schools, with key stakeholders and interest
groups.
• The NZALT profile is increased as the authority for second
language teaching and learning.
• Membership numbers increase and membership involvement
increases. (15 – 20%)
• Membership satisfaction levels increase.
• Partnership opportunities are secured more readily.

Along with begin GST registered comes the option of being registered as a
charity which would allow for sponsorships to be sought for conferences
and professional development opportunities. In the past we have been
unable to attract significant sponsorship as potential ‘donors’ would only
donate to groups which are on the register. In the long run this means
that such sponsorship would keep costs down for members.

Consequences
More opportunities for the organisers of NZALT LangSems, Conferences
and other events to make strategic links with other organizations and
bodies.

REMIT 3
Background
A number of schools with large numbers of languages teachers, some who
may be part-time, have struggled to fund the subscriptions for all. This
has meant that in some cases only one or two teachers have had their
subscriptions covered by the school. In secondary schools this has also
meant that some students have missed out on NZALT Certificates of
Excellence in some languages as it was not their teacher’s ‘turn’ to have
their subscription paid for. In primary and intermediate schools although
the subscription is already reduced, for all teachers of languages to
become members is a tall order given that there are several professional
associations they could become members of.

Consequences
Initially the income to the Association from subscriptions could drop,
however it is hoped that number of active members will increase as well
as groups of teachers within schools who are members of NZALT – the
fun and rewarding organisation to be involved with. (Strategic Plan
2008-2012)