Indonesian Update

Term 2 has been another exciting and productive period for the Indonesian program at Lara Secondary College, with students across all year levels continuing to strengthen their language skills and cultural understanding.

One of the highlights of the term has been the opportunity to participate in the BRIDGE School Partnerships Program. Through funding provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Asialink Education, I will shortly be fortunate enough to travel to Flores to work alongside educators from our Indonesian partner school during the Term 2/3 holidays. During the visit, I will deliver professional learning on topics including inclusive education, supporting students with diverse learning needs, developing student support profiles, and implementing consistent whole-school teaching and behaviour practices. This collaboration is a two-way partnership, allowing both schools to share expertise and learn from one another. The knowledge gained will directly benefit Lara Secondary College students by strengthening our international connections, creating new opportunities for collaboration with Indonesian schools and authentic language use, and bringing fresh ideas and evidence-based practices back into our classrooms.

In the classroom, our Year 7 students have been focusing on communicating about their families, learning to describe family members and relationships while building confidence in everyday conversational Indonesian. It has been wonderful to see them embrace the language as they settle into secondary school life. 

Our Year 8 students recently completed their spoken assessment and performed admirably, demonstrating impressive growth in their confidence, pronunciation and ability to communicate in Indonesian. Their willingness to step outside their comfort zones has been a highlight of the semester.

In Year 9, students have been developing their interpretive communication skills by engaging with authentic Indonesian texts and cultural materials. They have also had the opportunity to go on an excursion to the Indonesian Consulate General and an Indonesian restaurant, where they used their Indonesian language and culture knowledge in authentic settings.

Meanwhile, Our Year 10 students have been exploring language related to travel while also studying the Indonesian film June and Kopi. Through this unit, students have been analysing cultural themes while expanding their vocabulary and communication skills leading into VCE. Our Year 11 students have continued to develop their proficiency through increasingly sophisticated classroom activities, extending their use of complex grammar, vocabulary and authentic communication as they prepare for senior assessments and future pathways.

Finally, preparations for our Term 3 Indonesia Study Tour are now complete, and excitement is building as departure approaches. The study tour will provide students with an unforgettable opportunity to immerse themselves in Indonesian culture, apply their language skills in real-world contexts and deepen their understanding through firsthand experiences.

Salam hangat

Pak Walker

LOTE KLA Leader