LANGUAGES NEWS

STAFF NEWS - WELCOME TO JOSHUA KAMENER

We are welcoming Joshua Kamener, who will teach German in Junior classes.  Josh is a young and enthusiastic teacher and we are looking forward to his contributions to the Languages at McKinnon Secondary College. 

The staff of the Language faculty is constantly improving their teaching skills.  Ms. Andrea Fowler and Mr. Pierrick Hubert completed a professional in Diploma in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) at the University of Melbourne at the end of 2013. 

In 2014, Ms. Ludmila Antal, Ms. Kellie Dickson and Mr. Nutting will undertake the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment required to teach the Certificate II in Applied Language.

INTERGENERATIONAL CONVERSATIONS AT MCKINNON – CONNECTING LANGUAGES, CULTURES AND GENERATIONS

As part of the Languages program, the Year 11 German course introduced the Intercultural Conversations in 2013.  This program engages students in conversation with senior citizens, who are native speakers, to improve their oral and aural communication skills.  At the same time, senior members of our community increase their social activities, feel connected and valued by the younger generation.  The program was introduced by Monash University and designed to foster community engagement and social cohesion in our multicultural society.  This program also fills a gap in recent trends that show a decline in voluntary work and an erosion of individual connectedness in Australia.  For further information please go to: 

www.arts.monash.edu.au/intergenerational 

We will continue the German program this year, but would also like to introduce it to the Year 11 French course.  If you are a native speaker of German or French, please contact Ms. Andrea Fowler or Mr. Pierrick Hubert on 8520 9000.

VET CERTIFICATE II IN APPLIED FRENCH AND GERMAN

We are proud to announce that 60 Year 10 students completed this national accreditation of Language learning at the end of 2013.  This year we have had another increase of enrolment in this Certificate, as students start regarding this qualification as a stepping stone to their global future.  Students will be awarded their Certificate in the next assembly.

FRENCH EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Thank you to Mr Hubert for accompanying the French exchange group to Antibes, the Centre International de Valbonne.  The students were well accommodated by the French host families and described their amazing time in France in our last school assembly.  Their stay was filled with wonderful experiences in their host families and excursions to the surrounding areas like Nice, Cannes, Grasse, Valbonne and Monaco. 

During this program, students had four weeks of school and two weeks of holidays.  Many of them were lucky enough to travel to many different places in Europe, and even the UK.  Some students went to Paris, the French Alps, London and Belgium. 

Andrea Fowler

KLA Manager Languages