Languages

We are looking for interested students learning German in Years 8 and 9 who would like to participate in a Pen Pal Project with another PASCH School in Vietnam. Starting Term 2, we will be meeting once a fortnight to set up pen pals with students learning German in Vietnam. We will use the Box Hill High School email account to regularly write emails to students in German. During our meetings, a German teacher and our Language Assistant Barbara Uecker will assist you with drafting your emails in German. Come and join us for our first meeting! 

When: Tuesday, 3 May @ lunchtime 

Where: Room T11 

If you have questions, feel free to contact Ms Kühn in person or via email (Jana.Kuhn@education.vic.gov.au). 

Language Assistant Report

Hello, I’m Frau U, the language assistant for German.  

Since the beginning of the year I have the great pleasure of supporting students at Box Hill High and Blackburn High.  The program that makes this possible is called LNLAP or Local Native-speaker Language Assistants Program.  

The Local Native-speaker Language Assistants Program places local native-like speakers of French, German, Indonesian, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese in selected Victorian government schools to enrich their provision of language education over the course of one school year. 

The LNLAP temporarily replaces the Department’s Funded Language Assistants Program (FLAP), whereby language assistants are sourced from overseas.  It’s a great initiative - both are even though I know which acronym I find more catchy.  

The picture shows me on my first day of school in Germany. I was very proud of the traditional ‘Schultüte’ filled with sweets and treats. Students are usually very intrigued by the ‘Schultüte’ and its contents.  

My personal experience as a student was a bit of a mixed bag. My primary school teachers didn’t feel I was a very good student and my teachers in my last years of school had a slightly different opinion of my academic performance.  

Therefore I know what a supporting remark can do to a young learner.  

Especially my grades in English weren’t too flash and now I love to read books about English grammar. Very high on my list is for example ‘Semicolon: The Past, Present and Future of a Misunderstood Mark’ by Cecilia Watson. And the outcome of my early morning's wordle hold some power to the start of my day.  

Language is a fascinating thing and being able to converse in more than one is a wonderful gift.  Supporting students in their journey learning German is a rewarding experience. I have vivid memories of a discussion with one of the year 8 students who asked me why he should learn another language since he knew already 3 languages. Hopefully I  convinced him that it’s a good idea! 

Germany is one of the biggest economies in the world, speaking a bit of German might help you land an interesting job. Or imagine traveling to Berlin or Munich and being able to talk to the locals! 

Learning a language is more than learning to speak it, it opens a window to the world. 

By Barbara Uecker