Learning and Teaching

Secondary Humanities Network - Student competitions and teacher professional learning

Please see below some opportunities to support student voice, critical thinking and active citizenship, alongside professional learning for Humanities teachers.

UN Youth Australia – The Voice Competition | Years 7–10

Voice challenges students to propose creative, practical solutions to issues affecting their communities and the wider world, then defend their ideas through questions from a judging panel.

• Years 7–8: four-minute prepared speech
• Years 9–10: five-minute prepared speech
• All participants: two minutes to respond to two questions about their proposed solution

A valuable opportunity to develop research, problem-solving and public-speaking skills. Select Victoria on the website to check local competition and registration details.

Explore the Voice Competition
 

Rule of Law Education Centre – Informed Civic Competition | Years 7–10

Students explore Australia’s democratic institutions, rights and freedoms, then create illustrated playing cards that demonstrate their understanding of civic concepts. Free factsheets, classroom activities and templates support participation.

Free to enter. Entries close at 5 pm on Friday 20 November 2026.

Access competition details and resources

Whitlam Institute – What Matters? Writing Competition

An opportunity for young Australians to express their views on the issues that matter to them through writing.

The 2026 competition has closed, but the classroom resources remain available. This is one to keep in mind when planning future opportunities for student voice and writing.

Explore What Matters? and classroom resources

Professional learning for teachers

Student Empowerment – VicSRC

Free online professional learning exploring how teachers can gather, listen and respond to student voice, strengthen student agency and support shared decision-making.

Access Student Empowerment professional learning

Connecting Civics and Citizenship – Parliament of Victoria

Free, self-paced online professional learning covering democracy, representation, democratic institutions and active citizenship, with ideas to support classroom practice.

Explore Connecting Civics and Citizenship

Please share these opportunities with relevant colleagues and students across your school.

Exciting opportunities for rich learning for Languages across the Ballarat Diocese in Term 4 

It has been a rich and rewarding term for Languages in the Diocese of Ballarat.  

In a professional learning workshop, teachers in the Warrnambool Japanese Primary Teacher Network recently explored how cognitive load theory can be applied through the Extensive Processing Instruction (EPI) approach to support language acquisition and student engagement. Participants observed and rehearsed practical teaching strategies with colleagues and took part in an immersive Japanese-language session on classroom routines and macro-skill development, facilitated by Yuichi Deguchi. The collaborative workshop provided teachers with practical ideas and approaches to implement in their own classrooms. 

Pictured are Catholic diocesan teachers from St John's Dennington, Our Lady Help of Christians, St Pius X and St Joseph's Warrnambool.  

Maria Patience from St Joseph's Primary, Penshurst attended the Indonesian Language Learning Ambassador (ILLA) Stakeholder Networking Reception on 26th October in Melbourne, on behalf of the Indonesian Catholic Primary South-West Network.  The Ballarat Diocese Catholic primary cluster was recognised as wonderful and welcoming host schools for the ILLA Ambassadors who have visited St Malachy’s Edenhope, Ss Michael and John’s Horsham, All Saints Portland, St Mary’s Hamilton, St Joseph's Penshurst, St Joseph's Coleraine and St Patrick’s, Ballarat over the past 18 months. 

Damascus College also recently welcomed an official delegation from Indonesia which included representatives from the Indonesian Government and the Australian Embassy in Jakarta to celebrate Damascus' ongoing involvement with the ILLA program (pictured below).

The ILLA program provides Australian Government-funded scholars from Indonesia with an opportunity to directly engage with Australian schools and share intercultural learning through language, culture and customs. ILLA participation across the Ballarat Diocese has been an extremely valuable experience for students and teachers alike. 

Pictured (L-R), Ian and Maria Patience (St Joseph's Penshurst), Ibu Novi Yanti (Ministry of State Secretariat of Indonesia) and Ibu Rini (current 2026 ILLA Ambassador)

Congratulations to Tim Gilbert, Teachers as Co-Learners (TCL) Language Leader at Siena Primary who recently completed his TCL Continued Pedagogical Coaching course with Mr Christopher Thomas, PWRD Leadership. Tim showcased his pedagogical coaching journey, professional growth and commitment to improving teacher practice using evidence. It was inspiring to hear the reflections, achievements and valuable insights shared throughout the presentations. Well done Tim! 

Pictured are Tim Gilbert (Siena Primary, Lucas - TCL Italian) and MACS TCL Language Leaders with Eleonor Palacio (MACS), Lauren Gould (DOBCEL) and Christopher Thomas (PWRD Leadership).   

The National Symposium on Japanese Language Education was held recently in Melbourne, hosted by the Monash University Japanese Language Education Hub and the Japan Foundation.  The two-day event is for the Australian and international primary, secondary and tertiary education Japanese teaching community to come together bi-annually. The Diocese of Ballarat was proud that two of its current Japanese teachers and one former teacher presented at the symposium.  

Nathan Lane, Deputy Primary of Learning & Teaching at St Mary Mackillop College and President of the Japanese Language Teachers' Association of Victoria, presented on research-informed strategies to support students learn Japanese across Years 7 – 10. In her workshop titled 'Empowering Educators through AI', Yoshie Burrows, Faculty Coordinator of Languages at Loreto College discussed her recent journey with the development and implementation of custom-build AI chatbots to support VCE student performance in Japanese. Former St Joseph's Primary, Warrnambool teacher, Yuichi Deguchi, led an entertaining workshop for primary teachers to highlight how different strategies, like music, can be exploited to cater for a wide variety of learners. We congratulate Nathan, Yoshie and Yuichi for sharing their knowledge with conference participants and thank them for their leadership in Japanese language education.  

Pictured are Yoshie Burrows (Loreto College), Yuichi Deguchi and Nathan Lane (St Mary MacKillop College) 

Literary Text Study Units

We have made a small change to the list of Literary Texts for which we will be developing units of study. This adjustment follows some excellent feedback regarding the Year 6 selections, particularly the inclusion of two war-based texts.

In response, we have replaced Once by Morris Gleitzman with Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll as the Year 6 Term 1 text for 2027. 

If you have any questions about this, please contact Emma: erutherford@dobcel.catholic.edu.au 

Literacy Assessment and Data - Term 4

Thank you for your work throughout what is always a busy Term 4. We know this time of year has so many moving parts!

As Literacy assessments are completed, teachers can begin entering data into the Data Tool to support end-of-year analysis and planning.

The following assessments should now be completed (end of Week 4), with results being entered into the Data Tool at anytime:

• SA Spelling

• PAT-R Adaptive

• PAT Spelling
• PAT Grammar & Punctuation

PAT Assessment Data

• When entering PAT data into the Data Tool, teachers will need to manually enter the Scale Score and Percentile Rank.
• Once these values are entered, the grey cells will automatically populate, so no further entry is required in those sections.
• For PAT-Reading (Adaptive) Teachers will need to select the appropriate Normative Descriptor from the dropdown using the continuum provided. A link is available within the Data Tool to assist with interpreting results and selecting the most suitable descriptor.

Assessments Currently Underway (Weeks 5-8)

• Year 1 Phonics Check

• DIBELS Reading

• DIBELS Encoding

• Writing Task for analysis and moderation

Please ensure that any students who were absent during the assessment period are provided with an opportunity to complete any outstanding assessments where possible.

If you have any questions about assessment administration, data entry, or interpreting results, please reach out to Belinda Chiswell or your Flare Education Officer.

Register for Term 1 -  Primary Maths Leaders' Network 2027

In 2027, the Primary Maths Leaders' Network will build the capability of middle leaders to drive evidence-informed mathematics teaching across our Diocese. Meeting across four zone locations, the network will review and operationalize DOBCEL's Primary Mathematics Position Statement, establish high-leverage teaching practices, and help shape a strongly advised instructional model grounded in the Science of Learning. Through co-designed surveys and baseline data analysis the Network will define targeted professional learning modules focused on core instructional priorities—including fluency, explicit teaching, questioning, assessment, and intervention. The network will establish shared primary numeracy targets and empower leaders to lead meaningful pedagogical change. 

Register at the location that suits you best: