Technology is driving rapid change and creating new ways of doing business no longer bound by borders. Our schools play a key role in setting our students up to engage in the opportunities of a connected and global economy. We are helping students to become global citizens by building their confidence to interact with other cultures and communicate in other languages, with a focus on Asian languages.
Key highlights include:
- expanding the study of culture and languages from Prep to Year 12 in state schools with a focus on Asian languages
- developing new ways of teaching languages including using technology
- marketing Queensland’s education sector internationally.
To learn more about our exciting initiatives and what we have delivered, view the
Advancing education action plan (PDF, 2.2MB) and the
Advancing education 2020 report card (PDF, 2.8MB) or
download the accessible version (DOCX, 109KB).
Our progress
We have made significant progress and built strong foundations for ongoing success by delivering:
- Expanding the study of cultures and languages from Prep to Year 12 in state schools with a focus on Asian languages
- Embedding international perspectives to learning across the curriculum
- Encouraging schools to offer immersion and bilingual programs
- Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s access to their heritage by maintaining, learning or researching their traditional cultures and languages
- Supporting quality teaching of languages through innovative delivery models including the use of technology
- Providing professional learning and targeted scholarship programs for teachers to enhance language and teaching skills
- Promoting international language assistant programs in schools
- Creating international opportunities through student and teacher exchange, sister school relationships and student scholarship programs
- Working collaboratively across education sectors and government agencies to develop products and market Queensland’s educational services
- Identifying and engaging with emerging student markets
Key: * Aligns to relevant 2017 election commitments and Minister's Charter Letter commitments.
Ideas into action
Japanese bilingual program
Queensland’s first primary Japanese bilingual program began in 2014 with 75 Year 1 students at Wellers Hill State School and extended to Year 6 in 2019.
The children are taught in English 50% of the day and in Japanese 50 % of the day, based on the philosophy of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). CLIL takes place in the normal classroom while students learn about science, history or maths, however the teacher presents the topics in a language other than English. Students can use both English and the second language to speak to the teacher, but the use of the second language is encouraged.