LOTE News (Chinese & Italian)
Chinese writing to describe 'My Dog' (Year 7)
2020 Year 7CH5’s work
(My Dog- Charles) 我的狗– by Jerry Lim
我非常喜欢我的狗，它叫Charlie.
它是一个可爱白色的小狗，可是它很调皮，喜欢捣乱，乱吃东西有时会去吃纸或啃鞋子。我每一次吃饭的时候，他就坐在地上看着我，给我一个可爱的眼神，像它在等着我喂它吃的。
每天晚上它会在它的饭碗旁边等吃的。如果我忘了给它，他就会对我看着，乖乖的等着。
他不是很聪明可是它很可爱。它是一个开心的狗，每天它的尾巴都在摇摇摆摆的。我有时很孤单，它就会在旁边陪着我。 这就是我喜欢 Charlie 的原因。
我的狗是不是很可爱？你们也喜欢它吧？
Chinese writing to describe 'Autumn in my eyes' (Year 9)
2020 Year 9 CH1's work
refer to attached document for students' work
Li Lin
Chinese Coordinator
Italian Language Assistant Experience
Hello everyone! My name is Martina Battista and I am the new Italian Language Assistant at East Doncaster Secondary College. What a time to become an assistant, you may think! Actually, this year, because of its challenges, may be the one where teachers and students need to be supported the most, so I consider it a privilege to be part of this special teaching and learning process. Luckily enough, I could meet all the Italian teachers and the students of Year 11 and 12 before stage four, so we had the chance to start building our relationship in the physical world.
Currently, all the classes are experiencing remote learning, as you all know very well. I think it must not be easy for students to follow classes from home, without seeing their friends every day, playing in the courtyard during recess and lunch break, and laughing at their classmate’s jokes. The effects of isolation are particularly relevant when studying a language: indeed, the need and the will to study a language comes primarily from the interaction with other human beings. How do we keep students motivated and guarantee a smooth learning process?
My challenge for the rest of the year (or at least this term) is to take advantage of the amazing technologies offered by the 21st century to try to create interactive and fun, yet insightful activities. While Year 11 and especially Year 12 students must stay focused on their final exams, it is important to let them understand that, when studying a language, in the end they will be tested by life itself. It is thanks to language that we can dream to visit a new place and understand the culture of its inhabitants. It is thanks to language that we can make new friends, or even fall in love with someone from another culture. It is thanks to language that we can deeply understand the feelings behind a song, or a novel, and the real intentions of the author. It is thanks to language that we can feel a deep connection among human beings from every part of the world. Every time we succeed in taking one of these steps thanks to a new language, we pass our test with full marks. Languages are part of life and they will always be, whether our current lives are outdoors or indoors.
I would like to transmit my passion for languages to students, hoping this could help them realise at least one of their dreams in the future. It is thanks to English that I can live and work in this amazing country of yours, Australia! So, I hope that our students will stay strong and be able to imagine what a wonderful time may come for them in the near future.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Martina Battista
Language Assistant