Bilingual Education Webinar Series

In our increasingly connected world – and with some 300 languages spoken in Australia – it’s not hard to recognise the value of learning a second language from a young age. Despite our country becoming more diverse, however, only 10% of Australia’s Year 12 students in 2016 took a second language – compared to a staggering 40% in 1960.

So, as a parent, how can you impart the love for a foreign language onto your children? And how can you ensure a long-lasting proficiency and passion for that language?

In 2021, we initiated a 'Bilingual Education Webinar Series' with speakers from Australia, Italy and the US to support bilingualism and offer insights about bilingual education. If you are interested in the recordings of these Webinars, please let us know and we'll send you the relevant links.

18 August 2021 at 12.30pm Strategies and Resources for Raising Bilingual Children

Professor John Hajek, Professor of Italian Studies and a linguist in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne, spoke about key strategies and resources to successfully raise bilingual children. He is the Director of the Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-Cultural Communication (RUMACCC) which conducts research in Australian and international contexts such as:

  • the maintenance and development of bi- and multilingualism, including language demography
  • language in social context
  • bilingual education
  • second language acquisition
  • inter-cultural communication
  • language policy
  • the provision and uptake of languages study in Australia

Following his presentation Professor John Hajek answered audience questions in a lively Q&A session.