Languages at Ballarat High School
Did you know that 75% of the world’s population speaks NO English at all? That means learning another language gives you access to millions of new connections, experiences and opportunities!
Here at Ballarat High School, we are passionate about languages and the amazing opportunities they bring to our students. Whether it’s opening doors to global careers, making lifelong friendships, or travelling the world, learning a language is an invaluable skill that benefits BHS students in countless ways.
10 Reasons to Learn a Language:
Make Friends & Connections – Speak with people from around the world and form lasting friendships—just ask our staff and exchange students!
Travel & Exchange Programs – Students in Years 9 & 10 have the opportunity to take part in our German and Japanese exchanges, giving them real-life experience abroad!
Stand Out for Future Jobs – Employers value multilingual candidates, giving you a competitive edge.
Boost Your Brain Power – Learning another language improves memory, problem-solving and multitasking. Speaking a second language also helps prevent cognitive ageing and dementia.
Expand Your World – Discover different cultures, perspectives and traditions AND FOOD!
Improve Your English! – One of the best (and easiest) ways to improve literacy in English is to study another language. At BHS, we put all the language “Lego” pieces together to see how it works!
Unlock More Entertainment – Enjoy films, music and books in their original language — nothing lost in translation! Experience the OG!
Enhance Academic Performance – Studies show that bilingual students perform better in school than those who speak just one language.
Strengthen Your Travel Experiences – Communicating in the local language makes travel far more rewarding (and much cheaper in our experience!).
Develop Resilience & Confidence – Mastering a new language is a challenge that builds perseverance and self-assurance. It’s not always easy…but it’s definitely worth it!
Education Perfect – Your Key to Success!
This term, our students have been brainstorming strategies to accelerate language acquisition, coming up with creative ways to develop their skills more effectively. A fantastic example is the Education Perfect (EP) platform, which every Year 7 and 8 student is required to use — now is a good time to check that this has been purchased alongside your other booklist items if you haven’t already.
All Year 7 & 8 students should be logging into EP every week to complete assigned activities, consolidate learning and track their progress.
To celebrate the brilliant efforts of our students using EP, each Friday, the top 10 EP students in the school are invited to Office 2.2 in the Sheehan Wing to claim a prize and celebrate their achievements! A shout out to our current winners: Nate Drill, Methuja Dissanayake, Charlie Convery, Kirby Robins-Fraser, Tilly Ramsey, Tom Murray, Jaxon Ladiges, Hanna Muriva and Shawn Thomas for the most questions answered in week 7. Keep up the great work!
Keep your eyes peeled for an EP competition running in week 10 for a chance to score some more prizes and most importantly points for your house!
Year 9s brainstorm of how to improve in German:
How Else Can I Improve My Language skills?
Use Online Platforms – Education Perfect (EP) → Our go-to platform because it aligns directly with class content, tracks progress and provides individual targeted support.
Try Duolingo & Quizizz → Fun and interactive ways to reinforce vocabulary in addition to EP (not instead of!). Get the app on your phone and keep up your streak! Practise at the bus stop!
Listen to Music, Podcasts, or the Radio → Find songs or podcasts in German or Japanese to improve listening skills. Even having background music or radio in another language helps!
Watch TV & Movies with Subtitles → Exposure to real conversations in different accents improves comprehension.
Top Tip! Re-watch a movie you’ve already seen in English, so your brain isn’t focused on the plot—just the language!
Label Items at Home → Stick vocabulary words on everyday objects around the house to reinforce daily learning. Maybe don’t label the dog though…
Keep a Language Journal → Write a few sentences each day in German or Japanese — even short diary entries help! Sometimes just one word in the corner of your planner is enough.
Speak Whenever You Can → Practise speaking out loud, whether it’s with friends, family or even talking to yourself in another language! Your parents won’t be able to listen in to your chats!
Travel! → If you can’t make it on a BHS overseas trip - join language-learning forums, chat groups or social media pages where people practise German or Japanese together.
Play Games in Another Language → Many video games have language settings—switch yours to German or Japanese for an immersive experience!
Change Your Phone Language → Challenge yourself to set your phone to German or Japanese. You’ll be surprised how much you pick up by seeing everyday words in context!
Check out the Schools Learn Path site for links to all the above and more - just select your year level and then your language to see what we are covering in Languages this term (and beyond).
The World is Yours — Take the First Step!
At Ballarat High School, we are committed to helping students accelerate their language learning and embrace exciting global opportunities.
🌍 Languages open doors — take every opportunity to practise, explore and embrace the world! See you on Education Perfect this week! 🚀
The Ballarat High School Languages Team