Faculty News

Languages 

Buongiorno a tutti 　みなさん　おはようございます　大家 早安

The Language Faculty and students have been hard at work this first term of 2021, enjoying each other’s company and learning together the language they are so passionate about.

The Language Faculty staff have developed many diverse programs for our students and have been able to use so many remote learning skills learnt to broaden the language learning experiences this term.

Firstly, I would like to introduce Ms Mie Takamatsu who comes to us from Ivanhoe Grammar and is taking Years 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 Japanese classes. Ms Takamatsu has much experience in teaching Japanese and is full of energy and passion for learning languages. With a background in Art and a well-developed character strength of creativity, Ms Takamatsu is an asset to our department. 

Mr Denis Passalent, our Year 12 Italian teacher, has worked hard to set up a wonderful relationship with a school in Rovereto, Italy. The Year 12 students have been communicating with students from Istituto Tecnico Tecnologico, Guglielmo Marconi in various online modes. The first communications were done in Zoom breakout rooms and each group presented their city in their target language. As the boys’ confidence has grown so too has the flow of communication between the two countries.  They have now become pen pals via google docs and with the supervision and guidance of their teachers, the relationship is flourishing. 

Ms Bonica and Ms Takematsu, have continued the relationship with Meiji Gakuen University in Yokohama, Japan, by meeting our intern, Ms Komiya, via Google Meet twice a week. Our students come at lunchtime and have a twenty-minute conversation in Japanese and a twenty-minute conversation in English with Ms Komiya, who is studying International Relations and English. This activity is not only giving the students an opportunity to converse in Japanese but to also learn the skill of speaking their own language clearly so that someone with English as a second language can understand. 

Ms Mao, our Chinese teacher, has created a program in Chinese to encourage students to discuss character strengths in the target language.  The students gain vocabulary and some wise Chinese sayings which increases their knowledge, not only of the language but also their intercultural understanding. 

I take this opportunity to congratulate old boy, Mr Sam Warner, for his win of the University of Melbourne Colin McCormick Award for excellence in Italian studies. 

Old Boy, Sam Warner with Italian teachers, 

Ms Jo Noone and Ms Midori Cranston

on receipt of the University of Melbourne 

Colin McCormick Award.

Ms Yolanda Bonica 

Languages