Overnewton Languages and Cultures Week

Article by Sunny Huang, College Head of Languages

Overnewton Languages and Cultures Week provided opportunities for our students to open their hearts and minds to different ways of seeing and being in the world. They were encouraged to value the contributions that various cultures and traditions bring to both our local College community and the global society in which we live today. Students from Prep to Year 12 immersed themselves in cross-cultural activities and many enjoyed a special menu of international cuisines from the canteen. 

At Junior School, students learned to sing a hello song in 16 different languages. As part of the CLIL Mandarin program, Prep students made Zodiac animal bookmarks, Year 1 students learned their Chinese names, Year 2 students experienced Kung Fu and made dragon puppets, Year 3 students practised traditional calligraphy, and Year 4 students created dragon lucky bags.

At Middle School, Year 5 students painted traditional blue and white paper porcelains, while Year 6 students explored Chinese traditional inventions through a hands-on workshop facilitated by the Museum of Chinese Australian History. Students in Years 7 and 8 researched and presented information on various Chinese cuisines, created Indonesian Topeng masks, and watched classic German films. A lunchtime Round Robin competition also took place between Houses, featuring a range of cultural puzzles and games.

Students in Year 9 enjoyed multiple incursions and decorated the atrium with over 200 national flags and posters. They enjoyed freshly baked German pretzels and joined an international line-dance party during lunchtime. Students also learned the dragon ribbon dance, played Chinese shuttlecock (Jianzi), made Indonesian handicrafts (Ketupat decorations), and composed German poems and pop songs during their scheduled language classes.

This year, we also partnered with the Haidilao international hotpot chain to bring Sichuan Opera face-changing performances to our Middle School, Year 9, and Senior School students - a dramatic and visually stunning Chinese traditional art form. This was paired with a live Chinese noodle-pulling demonstration and workshop, showcasing another mesmerising example of cultural artistry and skill.

I would like to extend a big thank you to our Languages Faculty staff for your amazing ideas, your generosity in sharing your talents, and the hard work you've put into providing Overnewton students with an exceptional learning experience. To our volunteers, and the marketing, facilities, and admin teams, thank you for your generous support during this very busy final week of term.

Danke! Terima kasih! Xie xie!