We are the Pioneers in Tamil Language Teaching in Victoria
The VTA Tamil School was started in 1979 by the Ceylon Tamil Association, under the leadership of Late Prof C.J Eliezer with only nine students. During this initial period, classes were conducted in Prahran as the central location (although it was originally started at Dr Chandrabanu’s dance school). Later, a second school at Carnegie in 1984, third school at Dandenong in 1987 and the
fourth at Mill Park in 1988, were initiated.
VTA Narre Warren Campus (VTANC) is one of the nine Tamil learning centers in Melbourne, operated under Victoria Tamil Association. VTANC was inaugurated in 2013 with just fifteen students and two teachers. As we grew larger during the past years, we have gathered much vital teaching experience as well as a strong Tamil language curriculum by grade.
As Tamil is a secondary language to all our children, we have carefully crafted our curriculum to be manageable by each student at each level of capability as well as fun filled and attractive. Our school at Narre Warren campus is a children friendly learning environment as it operates at a mainstream school (Narre Warren P-12 College). Our curriculum is also available through online
portals.
Carefully Evolved Curriculum
VTANC follows the same teaching methodologies used in most Victorian mainstream schools and its possible due to our very professional and experienced teachers.
Children are grouped into grades on their Tamil language capabilities rather than age and we maintain a 1:15 teacher student ratio at all grades.
We are continuously improving our learning environment and focused on computer-based teaching, group fun activities and online learning.
Our curriculum focuses on making “Learning Tamil” more fun filled and pleasant experience to our children which enable our students to achieve their learning goals successfully.
For students who prefer alternative learning experience we have created “Learn Tamil the FUN way”, which helps these identified students adapting to break the psychological hurdles of learning a new language. Activities include, group activities and engaging students on day to day life-skill activities with Tamil as the mode of communication.
Practical & Fun Learning
We run classes ranging from kindergarten to VCE. Our goal is to make all VTANC students have a very friendly and pleasant learning environment, while assuring each student enhances his/her Tamil reading, writing and comprehending capabilities. Our efforts are visible in the annual VCE record breaking results achieved by our students each year.
To encourage our children, annual prizes are awarded to those who attend classes regularly, who read library books and who memories “Thiruk Kurazh”
Professionally Qualified and Experienced Teachers
VTANC student’s success is built upon by our very professional and experienced teachers. Our teachers are committed and enthusiastic to serve their community.
Our teachers attend mandatory teaching seminars and professional development courses to continuously improve their skills, annually.
Our panel of teachers consists former VTA students who have learnt Tamil as their second language and excelled in the language proficiency, who have the unique experience of understanding the current young students.
In addition, our teachers are trained in first aid and they hold “Working with Children” certificate obtained by adhering to Australian education standards.
Library
We run a comprehensive computerized Tamil books Library which is the best of the Victorian Tamil schools. The library is equipped with hundreds of Tamil books. Students are encouraged to borrow a book each week. Students who read regularly are identified and awarded prizes periodically.
Due to the technology VTANC monitors each students book borrowing behaviors as well as the questionnaire answered for each book to evaluate the skills of each students.
Exhibition: “Emmaal Mudiyum”
Our school exhibition “Emmaal Mudiyum” event is unique to our school and attracts and showcases our students’ capabilities to the Tamil language and culture.
Inter-House Sports Meet
VTANC joins 4 of our co- campuses to conduct the “VTA sports meet”. There are 3 houses, where all students are encouraged to participate and showcase their physical abilities.
Kalai Vizha
VTANC conducts “Kalai Vizha” which showcases our children’s capabilities in music, art and drama. The students are trained collectively by the teachers and their parents. This is a good platform to develop our students in literacy skills of Tamil Language, the oratory skills, dramatic skills and other forms of fine arts skills.
Educational Excursions
We conduct various learning-based excursions to our students with the permission of their parents.
VTANC Parents Committee
Our VTANC parents committee is a very important contributor to our school’s development. While VTANC parents committee is an independent body from the VTA study curriculum, the parents committee contributes to all aspects of the school’s day to day activities and initiates projects to develop students learning and community development.
Community / Humanity Projects
1. Free lunch for international students affected by COVID19 lockdown – Free lunch for more than 500 international students were distributed by the VTANC parents committee with the funding of the parents and well-wishers.
2. Bush Fire Gold coin appeal – A Bush Fire Gold coin fund raising project was conducted at VTANC to collect donation
to Victorian Bush fire appeal
Students Club
Following activities are promoted within children by the student club
1. Story telling
2. Art class
3. Hand crafting
4. Drama
5. Short Quiz
Awards
Students are awarded prizes in appreciation of their efforts and also as an encouragement to move forward . In order to
imbibe punctuality and discipline in students , a prize is awarded to the students who achieve the highest attendance ,
in each class.
In recognition of the efforts taken by the students to complete the regular homework, an award is presented to the ones who are regular in completing their class homework.
Reading enhances the vocabulary and other linguistic skills of a student. The school constantly encourages its students to read more and more Tamil books by rewarding them with gifts, when they read with involvement and love. A system has been evolved to check the reading quality of the students through quizzes and various other forms ,throughout the terms.