Olympic Neighbourhood House (ONH) is a community-based, non-profit adult and community education provider and neighbourhood house, providing educational and community development opportunities to the adults in West Heidelberg and surrounding areas.

Beginning as a collective in the 1980s, Olympic Neighbourhood House developed a primary focus on language and literacy education for adults. It also delivers vocational and pre-vocational training as well as personal development and general adult education classes.

We are seeking a person to join our English language team who employs compassion and empathy in their work practice and builds on relation-based pedagogy.

The English as an Additional Language Teacher is responsible for delivering high-quality English language instruction to adult migrants and humanitarian entrants. The role involves creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment that fosters language development and helps students integrate into Australian society.

Key Responsibilities

Teaching and Instruction

• Deliver English language lessons tailored to the needs of adult learners with varying levels of proficiency.
• Use a variety of teaching methods and materials to engage students and enhance learning outcomes.
• Incorporate practical settlement skills into lessons, such as navigating public services, understanding Australian culture, and accessing community resources.

Curriculum and Lesson Planning

• Develop and implement lesson plans that align with the EAL Frameworks curriculum and meet the diverse needs of students.
• Adapt teaching strategies to accommodate different learning styles and skill level.
• Integrate technology and multimedia resources to support and enhance instruction.

Assessment and Reporting

• Conduct regular assessments to monitor student progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Provide constructive feedback to students and maintain accurate records of their achievements.
• Prepare and submit reports on student progress and program outcomes to the AMEP Coordinator.

Student Support and Engagement

• Create a welcoming and inclusive classroom environment that encourages student participation and engagement.
• Offer additional support to students with specific needs, such as those with low literacy or limited formal education.
• Facilitate group activities and discussions to promote language practice and social interaction.

Professional Development

• Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current with best practices in language teaching and adult education.
• Collaborate with colleagues to share resources and strategies for effective teaching.
• Attend staff meetings and contribute to program planning and evaluation.

Integrating Settlement Skills

• Teaching practical skills that help students navigate daily life in Australia, such as accessing government services, banking, and understanding Australian laws

Qualifications and Experience

Training must be undertaken by a person or persons in accordance with:

• Standard 1.4 of the AQTF: Essential Conditions and Standards for Initial/Continuing Registration and Guideline 3 of the VRQA Guidelines for VET Providers,

or

• the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 (SRTOs),

or

• the relevant standards and Guidelines for RTOs at the time of assessment.

It is a requirement of these accredited courses that training and assessment is conducted by qualified TESOL teachers.

A qualified TESOL teacher is a person who holds an appropriate qualification that includes a supervised teaching practicum in TESOL.

Appropriate qualifications include but are not limited to:

• A four-year Bachelor of Education, with TESOL as a method
• An undergraduate bachelor degree plus a postgraduate TESOL qualification at AQF8 or above, such as:

• Graduate Certificate in Education (TESOL)
• Graduate Certificate in TESOL
• Graduate Diploma in TESOL
• Graduate Diploma of Education with a TESOL method
• Master of TESOL/Master of Applied Linguistics/Master of Arts (TESOL)
• Master of Teaching with a TESOL method

The supervised teaching practicum must involve at least 60 hours of class observation and supervised classroom teaching in TESOL. This will typically be a practicum taken over 22 days with an average of 2-3 hours teaching and observation each day. However, it could be a practicum taken over a longer or shorter period / over more or fewer days. The total number of hours of supervised teaching and observation must be at least 60. The ratio of teaching to observation may vary but there should be no fewer than 25 hours of supervised teaching.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of experience teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults, preferably in a multicultural setting preferred however, past experience working within the sector will also be considered.

Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work with diverse populations, proficiency in using educational technology.

• Empathy: Understanding and sensitivity to the challenges faced by migrants and humanitarian entrants.
• Adaptability: Ability to adjust teaching methods to meet the varying needs of students.
• Patience: Patience and perseverance in helping students achieve their language learning goals.
• Cultural Awareness: Respect for and understanding of different cultural backgrounds and experiences.

Desirable

• Experience delivering TESOL under Skills First, AMEP, or other funded programs.
• Familiarity with RTO compliance requirements and VRQA standards.
• Driver’s Licence, as may be required to work across multiple sites

Conditions of Employment

• Current Working with Children Check and National Police Check.
• Ongoing commitment to professional development and maintaining vocational competency.
• Right to work in Australia.
• Employment for 1-3 days a week (dependent on specific course).

In your application, please submit a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria below:

• Appropriate post-secondary qualifications, industrial experience, a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment (TAE40110) inclusive of the TAEASS502, TAELLN401A or TAELLN411 or equivalent together with a TESOL qualification.
• Applied knowledge and understanding of the principles of adult learning.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to:
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Anti-Discrimination
  • Quality Assurance
  • Copyright Regulations
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Privacy Act and confidentiality
• Demonstrated experience in the teaching and planning of adult migrant English courses.
• Demonstrated experience in using ICT in the administration of teaching programs, which includes effective use of Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, file management and version control
• Demonstrated commitment to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and demonstrated initiative and willingness to be involved in other activities in the organisation to support successful program delivery
• Demonstrated high level communication skills that allow for cooperative and constructive team participation, and the ability and willingness to promote and contribute to a positive work environment and high-quality client service.

A position description is attached.