About the organisation
The Association of Community Language Schools (ACLS) champions multicultural communities across NSW by keeping heritage languages alive and kicking. With 52 member organisations teaching 28 languages, they’re the go-to crew for community language schools. From setting up and securing funding to levelling up teaching strategies through workshops and one-on-one support, ACLS is all about empowering communities to teach, share, and celebrate their culture.
The need
ACLS needed to equip passionate community language teachers with the skills to confidently engage kids aged 6–14. Though highly educated and fluent in their respective languages, they have limited teaching experience. These classrooms are anything but one-size-fits-all, with students at mixed ability levels. The solution? A mobile-friendly, self-paced course packed with practical strategies for lesson planning, classroom management, and student engagement. We also helped host the six-module course on their website, making it easy for teachers to access, learn, and put it all into practice.
The learning solution
This six-module microlearning course was developed to give community language teachers the tools (and confidence) to handle diverse, multi-level classrooms. Each bite-sized, mobile-friendly module runs for 15–20 minutes – meaning the full course can be knocked over in under two hours, anytime, anywhere. Perfect for time-poor educators who want practical strategies they can use straight away.
The course blends evidence-based teaching techniques with real-world application, covering classroom management, student engagement, and lesson planning for mixed-ability learners. To keep things sticky, we mixed in interactive videos, custom graphics, and downloadable resources.
We worked hand-in-hand with the subject matter expert from day one and co-designed a solution that truly speaks to the needs of community language schools. We didn’t just build new content, we helped refine and improve what existed, turning it into something practical, purposeful, and easy to implement.
The final product is hosted on the ACLS website, giving teachers free, ongoing access to learning that fits their lives and their classrooms.
The outcome
This project gave community language schools a powerful boost – arming educators with practical, accessible training that fits their schedules and actually works in the classroom. By removing the cost and time barriers that often hold teachers back, ACLS has made professional development more inclusive and impactful across its network.
Off the back of its success, ACLS re-engaged us to create a follow-up course: Cultural Storytelling for Language Acquisition. This next instalment dives into creative ways teachers can weave culture into language learning through storytelling, deepening engagement and connection for students.
The continued collaboration speaks volumes. ACLS trusts us to deliver learning that’s not only effective, but meaningful – and that’s exactly what we’re here to do.
Snapshot
Project Duration
3 months
Tools
• Rise 360
• Above Creative Suite
• Microsoft Office
• MS Teams
Delivery Method
Objective
To equip passionate community language teachers with the skills to confidently engage young students in the classroom.
Learning Strategies
• Scenario-based learning
• Storytelling
• Hands-on practice with downloadable templates
Deliverables
• eLearning/microlearning program
• Interactive videos
• Custom graphics
• Downloadable resources
Snapshot
Project Duration
3 months
Tools
• Rise 360
• Above Creative Suite
• Microsoft Office
• Miro
• MS Teams
Delivery Method
eLearning/microlearning
Objectives
To equip passionate community language teachers with the skills to confidently engage young students in the classroom.
Learning Strategies
• Scenario-based learning
• Storytelling
• Hands-on practice with downloadable templates
Deliverables
• eLearning program
• Interactive videos
• Custom-designed graphics
• Downloadable resources
The team
Claire: Senior Learning Designer
Anthony: LX/UX Designer
Olivia: Senior Learning Designer
Michael: Managing Partner
Case Study: Association of Community Language Schools (ACLS)
Case Study: YENOM (The FIQ Project)
