For Australian Language Teachers

The Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowships (ELTF), a part of the Australian Government’s broader Endeavour Awards, provide opportunities for:

• practising languages teachers in Australian schools
• trainee (pre-service) languages teachers in Australian universities

to improve their language and cultural skills through intensive short-term study programs. The study programs take place over a three-week period in January each year. Programs may be held in Asia, Europe, Latin America or the Middle East.  Destinations may vary from year to year subject to identified need and the Australian Government’s international education priorities, and taking into account the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s travel advice.

To date, 932 practising languages teachers and trainee languages teachers have benefited from these professional learning programs. Read about the experiences of previous Award recipients.

The broad objectives of the ELTF program are to:

• provide practising languages teachers and trainee languages teachers with the opportunity to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding of the languages and cultures about which they will teach

• help develop a pool of languages teachers with recent in-country experience and expertise as a resource at school, system, state/territory and national levels

• strengthen linkages between educators in Australia and in targeted countries

• promote the value of languages education in Australian schools

• strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of participating countries.

More specifically the ELTF program aims to:

• provide intensive professional learning to increase language proficiency levels of languages teachers and trainee languages teachers
  
• strengthen networking among languages teachers and trainee languages teachers nationally and in each state/territory.

Applications for the 2010 Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowships Awards are now closed.  Further information on the 2011 program will be available in early 2010.

• 2009 Study Programs
• 2008 Study Programs
• 2007 Study Programs 
• 2006 Study Programs
• 2005 Study Programs

The list of successful applicants for the 2010 ELTF Awards is expected to be announced in September 2009.

The Asia Education Foundation, contracted by DEEWR to manage the ELTF program, has developed a website to support successful applicants of the ELTF program. Study program information is available at its website.