Supporting Your Daughter’s Language Learning

As we launch into the year, I would like to offer some practical ideas to support your daughter’s Language learning. While students will always have homework, and will regularly be engaged in preparing assessments, we try to communicate the importance of regular, sustained practice to support second language acquisition. Taking responsibility for her own learning takes many forms:

  • Vocabulary acquisition is intrinsic to language learning. Depending on the language and Year Level, you may see your daughter making flashcards, creating Quizlet word lists, rote learning vocabulary lists (look, say, cover, write, check), completing Language Perfect tasks, exploring Apps (Duolingo, Word Reference, Imiwa, Chinese Writer (TrainChinese)) or her classroom text.
  • Extension. To build comprehension and depth of Language, there are innumerable free sites offering short listening and reading texts (ThoughtCo.com, Marie S’Infiltre, 1Jour1Actu, erin.ne.jp/en/).
  • Films. You may enjoy a film in your daughter’s second language. Watching a subtitled film reinforces students’ existing knowledge, and provides cultural and linguistic insight and challenge. All three Languages have age appropriate films which we can recommend and lend to students.
  • Reading. The Language rooms and the Language office have magazines and books for students to borrow. The St Catherine’s Library, as well as your local library, will have everything from Manga to audio courses and travel guides. I can recommend Language International in East Kew, as well as China Books in Swanston Street as offering an excellent range.
  • Maximising school resources. The Portal Class Page is the first stop for students to know what is happening in their Language class. Many, but not all, languages and Year Levels have subscriptions provided by St Catherine’s to enable students to work at their own pace. Your daughter may have access to one of the following: Yabla, Language Perfect, News in Slow French.
  • Music. Music. Music. Engaging with the language in a broader cultural sense is the ideal way for students to build their understanding, interest and commitment to the second language in incidental ways.
  • A little bit, often. Your daughter’s Language teachers will communicate the value of 10 minutes per day, rather than homework once a week. I encourage my students to practise their vocabulary with the mirror, their dog or their baby sister.
  • Exchange. Consider the possibility of undertaking an exchange to one of our Sister Schools.
Ms Anna Pianezze, Head of Languages
A New Chinese Opportunity

Students of Chinese have a new opportunity to enhance their Language learning: an immersion exchange at the Olive Tree International Academy. I was fortunate to accompany our first group of students last December. Our new Sister School is purpose-built with state-of-the-art facilities. Visiting exchange students returned home with their pottery fired in the Olive Tree kiln. They also participated in individualised Chinese lessons, as well as extra-curricular activities such as rowing. Please contact your teacher of Chinese if you would like to be part of an exchange in 2019.

Miss Winnie Xie, Chinese Teacher

Reflections from Hope Kudelka’s (Year 12) Exchange to the Olive Tree International Academy, Hangzhou
Diary entry written on 21 December 2018
What a brief, yet extremely memorable experience I have had at the Olive Tree International Academy. I arrived on 13 December and will leave on 23 December. From day one here, I have been welcomed warmly by the teachers and students alike, whether it was a wave and a ‘hello’ in the hallways or in the classroom by the teachers. Despite the language barrier and my lack of fluency, if was so easy to make friends here. I have learnt that even across the world a common interest can spark a friendship.

Throughout the school week, I was buddied up with Olivia in Class 3, who was so friendly and kind. She always translated what everyone was talking about which made me feel very included. Not only do we share a love of fashion which we could easily talk about all day but we also can relate to each other in many ways. I thank her for being a great friend here at school.

Furthermore, my experience would not have been the same without my host Audrey and her amazing family who made me feel so at home and at ease when I stayed with them on the weekend. They took me to so many interesting places here in Hangzhou and made the two weekends here ones I looked forward to. I am so grateful that I got to meet and also spend time with this family, especially Audrey who came to my home and St Catherine’s in October. Audrey and I will forever be lifelong friends and I am very sad this whole exchange is over because I enjoyed every part of it. I thank everyone at the Olive Tree International Academy for hosting us at their school and really making it an incredible experience. It could not have been any better!

Hope Kudelka, Year 12
La Vie en Rose

Year 12 student Emily Sutherland provided an insightful reflection on the differences between co-ed and single sex schools, following her experience at the Cours Fenelon.
I found many differences between the typical French and Australian girl. Firstly, I think that Australian girls are more concerned with the opinions of others. French girls are not afraid to assert their identity. Being in a co-educational environment, I think communication between the genders is better. Spending time together in class, and sharing ideas, girls and boys understand each other and relationships are enriched. Girls and boys are more open and appreciative of each other’s differences. In terms of mixed classes, I think it is the boys who benefit more than the girls. We girls naturally work hard; boys, on the other hand, need to be kept on their toes.

Sport is wildly different between the two countries, and I found myself matching the boys’ goal for goal. The purpose of my exchange was for language immersion. However, I learned things that I never could have anticipated.

 

Emily Sutherland, Year 12