Welcome to the VSL blog. The Victorian School of Languages was established in 1935 by the State Government of Victoria, Australia, and remains a dynamic element of Victoria’s public school system, with some 15,000 students enrolled across Victoria.
In the 1930s, there were few opportunities to learn modern languages – if they offered any languages at all – schools generally taught Latin and French. The very first VSL classes were held at MacRobertson Girls High in South Melbourne, in Italian and Japanese.
Since then, VSL has educated generations of Victorians – immigrants, their children, and anyone else who has wanted to study a modern language not offered at their regular school. Today, VSL offers face-to-face and distance education from prep to year 12 (VCE), as well as tailored courses, in 50 languages, from Arabic to Zomi. VSL has also played an impotent role in pioneering the teaching of languages with a more recent presence in Australia, such as Chin Hakha, a language of Myanmar (Burma). To find out more, visit our homepage at http://www.vsl.vic.edu.au
This blog is a resource for students, their parents/guardians, language professionals including VSL staff and anyone interested in language learning. You can use this blog to find information and insights to support your (or your child’s) learning and to celebrate the many cultures and language groups that make up the VSL community. The internet and digital technologies such as eBooks have made many aspects of language learning vastly more accessible, so this blog will also be a platform to share online resources staff and families find useful.
We welcome your contributions. If you have a story or reflection to share, please get in touch using the contact form below.
As the VSL celebrated its 85th year in 2020, we are also keen to hear from alumni – where are you now? What impact has language learning had on your life? In particular, we would love to make contact with anyone from those first classes at MacRob.
Victorian School of Languages 