The Association of French Teachers of Victoria was formed on the 29^th September 1983. It grew from, and replaced, an older association, the Association of French Teachers and Students. The new association agreed to incorporate the magazine “Victorix” from the A.F.T.S., and this magazine continued to accompany “Carrefours” until 1988. The founding president of our Association was Margaret Gearon, with the Vice-President being Chris Bradtke. Since then the list of committee members and officer bearers for each year of the Association’s existence reads like a “who’s who” of French teachers in Victoria.

The new association was created to help teachers specifically at a time when language teaching in general and French teaching in particular was experiencing a somewhat negative environment. Its primary aims were, (and are), to help teachers, to disseminate ideas, to assist in curriculum planning and to provide on-going and relevant in-service activities. It also accepts a role of informing and responding to Government policy decisions which affect language teachers in our state.

Since the early days of our association, the language teaching and learning environment has changed considerably, and fortunately for the better. The A.F.T.V. continues to provide its service and assistance to all teachers of French and in particular those who teach in the country. It provides an on-going programme of in-service to teachers, highlighting many aspects of the task, from conversation to curriculum planning with each new alteration to senior exams, and to students also in the form of forums, film days and the Matinée des Chats.

The Presidents of our association have been, Margaret Gearon, Adèle Howitt, Jenny Hibben, Jennie Oldfield, Veronica Swayne and, currently, Jackie Love. Every year the burden of presidency grows larger and we are grateful to all our office-bearers, past and present, for their input of time and expertise.

Thanks go to Barbara Watt for here time, dedication and researching