Lightning Writing

The Intensive English Language Centre went to Kryal Castle. It was a fun day because…

I went to the castle , where we engaged in an intense sword fight. I was part of the red team, bravely clashing with our opponents. In addition to the sword battles, we also shot arrows, aiming carefully at our targets. Bani Alsubaie

I heard a lot of stories about medieval castles. I picked up a sword and a shield to fight with others. I also shot arrows. I was really scared of shooting someone else. Elsa Xu

I saw the Knight who looked very cool and handsome. We used battering rams to break through the defenses and open the gates. It was a fun day. We also saw the operational use of trebuchets that can throw rocks very far. There was also a scene where the executioner executed the prisoner, which was very realistic. It was a very interesting day. Chunkit Chen

We saw a catapult and battering ram. And I learnt some facts about the 15th century. Then we have a battle with sword and shield. Lastly they dressed a knight and showed us the knight’s weapons and armour. Morgan Meng

It was a long trip and I felt sleepy on the bus. It was a great day for me because I made happy memories at Kryal Castle with my friends. I even tried archery. Using a sword and shield was fun. I enjoyed fighting with other students. I achieved my childhood dream, to get lost in a big maze. Luckily, I was with my friend Sara. We actually took a long time to get out. Fatimah Alsubaie

I heard about the history of the castle. And I saw a beautiful building and a pretty view just like a fairy tale. I play archery, it’s so fun. It is something I have never tried before. Together we all saw the cosplay of the knight. Francis Li

I played swordplay with my classmates in the castle, using shields and weapons, and archery, aiming at targets with a bow. Finally, we learnt about sieges. It was a very pleasant day. Kyla Wu

The morning we went there by bus. It was too far. We got there in one and a half hours. The guides told us about castle in the medieval period. We learnt about horrific executions and we saw a cool knight. The knight wore cool armor. We did a battle using a sword and shield. We use bow and arrow to do archery. The teacher photo of all the class and we were all smiling. It was a happy day. Linford Lin

I played fencing. It was very fiercely. You had to hold a shield in your left hand and a sword in your right hand. I also played archery. Shooting an arrow into the target's bullseye is truly a technical feat. Zoe Hou

My friend and I listened to music together on the bus. And we fight together with a sword and shield. We even did archery. We visit a knight and saw the armour. Finally, the staff told us about the executioner. I feel that is very cruel. Maggie Hu

It was a sunny day, we spent about one and half hours to arrive at the castle. First we went to learn about archery, we used bow and arrows to aim the target. Then the guide told us a lot about the ancient punishment in the Medieval period. There are also some models of them that are really scary. After that we went back to the ground to use the sword and shield, we divided by two groups to battle with each other. After lunch, they show the catapult, and let us use the battering ram to knock open the door. At the end of the day they show us how to dress the knight. That is really an enriching day. Nora Tang

It was a fun day because we sat on the bus. I listen to music and looked at the scenery on the road. Then we arrived at Kryal Castle it looked like the medieval period. In this castle we learn how to use a bow and arrow. We used a sword to fight and a battering ram . We saw how the catapult was used. These were all interesting. Oliver Yang

I enjoyed being with my friends. Francis and I had a prop fight and he won. I tried shooting at the target using bow and arrow and learned archery from that. We were also taught how to use a catapult. I enjoyed the trip a lot and this was the most beautiful castle I have ever seen up close.

Rasindu Weerasingha-Arachchillage

On the bus to Kryal Castle we heard girls singing “let it go” from Frozen. I got lost with my mate Fatimah for like 20 minutes in the maze. We went inside to hear about the executioner and it was horrible. I like archery and it was my first time trying archery. Sara Leon-Giraldo

It was a fun day because the castle is amazing. We dressed a knight in armour. Other students used battering ram to siege our castle. Everyone used swords and shield. We did a battle using weapons. We went to watch the executioner's punishment. It was realistic and horrific. Shiya Lin

It was a fun day because I tried doing a sword fight. We played a battle in the castle. l sawa knight. I saw a catapult. I tried archery. Veasna Sour

It was a fun day because we participated in many activities. The first activity was a battle. We used shields and swords. There are two groups, red and blue. I am red and I need to find another person in the blue group. The two of us form a team. And start a battle. The second activity is archery. We used a bow and arrow to shoot a target. For the third activity we went to a place similar to a haunted house. It was very dark in there, but I was very scared so I didn’t go in. I regret it. Then we returned to the battle site and we did a sieg and used a battering ram here. I think that’s so crazy.

Finally we went to a room to see how Knight dressed in their armour. I was very happy and I was lucky to spend time with my classmates and teachers. Nancy Wang

It was a fun day because it’s the first time for me to hear people singing songs on the bus and not care about disturbing the public. They sang ‘let it go,’ ‘I ain’t worried’ and so on. It’s interesting but also a little annoying. Because I was sleeping on the bus and was awoken by the singing three times. When we arrived at the castle, a woman who was wearing traditional costumes told us that they used to throw food and rocks on the heads of the criminals in order to punish them.

We also used swords and shields to fight against each other. After that, we did archery with bow and arrow. My arrow nearly reached the target! We tried a battering ram and saw a catapult used during a castle siege. Yu Fu

It was a fun day because the guide explained to us how to punish people who had committed a crime. Then we were fighting with school mates using swords and shields. That was really exciting. After fighting, we did archery. At the end, the guide explained how a knight is dressed in armour. That was my favourite time. Because I am really interested in armour. It was a fascinating day. I learn a lot of things. Amberson Zhao

On Tuesday 13th May, we went to the Melbourne Museum and the IMAX theatre. It was a fun day because….

The IMAX was interesting because it is a big cinema and I have never watched 3D before. Bani Alsubaie

At the Melbourne Museum, I learnt that many people came to Melbourne because they wanted to dig for gold. I saw many cultural artefacts too. Elsa Xu

The IMAX film was very dreamy, giving people a sense of being at the Great Barrier Reef. Chunkit Chen

At the Lego Star Wars exhibition, I built my own spaceship. It was fun because I built a lightsaber and I sat in a Lego chair. Morgan Meng

1800s Melbourne’s population has grown to 5 million people. In the old wooden houses it is dark because people used candles. Francis Li

In the past people lived in small houses and travelled by horse and cart and steam train. Linford Lin

At the Star Wars exhibition I saw characters made from Lego. I also made my own art work using lego. Zoe Hou

It was fun to use the Lego lightsabers to battle each other. Maggie Hu

In the past people did not have stoves like today. People need to make a fire with wood when they cook. Nora Tang

On the Australian Coat of Arms are two animals. One is the kangaroo and the other is the emu. Oliver Yang

I saw the Star Wars spaceships and models made from Lego. When I went back home I watched the Star Wars movie. Rasindu Weerasingha-Arachchillage

The forest walk was interesting because I felt like I was in a rainforest. Sara Leon-Giraldo

The Great Barrier Reef film taught me about seahorses. A seahorse's birth is not the mother’s task. Male seahorses give birth! Shiya Lin

I was happy to see Star Wars Lego at the museum. Veasna Sour

I want to say that the Blue Whale is the marine animal’s mum. Because when a Blue Whale dies, it falls deep into the ocean and feeds a lot of animals. So a Chinese saying is “when a whale dies, everything comes to life.” Nancy Wang

One thing I learnt about Melbourne is the famous race horse called Phar Lap. In the Melbourne Story Exhibition, I saw how people lived in the past. Yu Fu

Because the IMAX screen is tremendous and I was wearing 3D glasses, I felt like I was swimming in the ocean. Amberson Zhao

The Intensive English Language Centre went to Bundoora Farm and Bowling. It was a fun day because…

We ended our excursion with bowling. The bowling ball was very heavy. I heard a lot of yelling of encouragement from my friends. Elsa Xu

On this day we had a picnic. It was a good day. Chunkit Chen

I saw cute Australian animals. I saw kangaroos, emu and joeys. The joey hid in its mother’s pouch. It was afraid of us. I feel that the wildlife in Australia is amazing. Morgan Meng

We had lunch outside. The view was very pretty. I saw a lot of cute farm animals.

Francis Li

My friends and I made scones. I mix flour and water. I cut the dough into circles. Kyla Wu

We made scones. We used a spoon to stir sugar, water and flour. Linford Lin

The guide took us for a wildlife ride. I saw emus, kangaroos and a baby joey. Zoe Hou

I was very excited when I touched the guinea pig. His hair was very soft. Maggie Hu

The guide brought an emu’s egg to show us. It was big and green. Nora Tang

I ate in the barn with my friends. We ate the scones we made and had a chat. Oliver Yang

We made scones and then we shared them amongst our friends and ate them happily.

Rasindu Weerasingha-Arachchillage

When I fed the little goats, I was so excited because they are so cute and friendly. Sara Leon-Giraldo

My guinea pig’s name was Bangbang. It looked so cute. I loved it. When I touched it, I felt excited from deep in my heart. Shiya Lin

I like the cockatoo. It said “hello cocky”. It was white with yellow feathers. It was so cute. Nancy Wang

At bowling, I felt involved and proud. I got three strikes and my score was 131. I was the champion!. Yu Fu

Abbey was our guide. She welcomed us to Bundoora Park. We did a cooking activity. We learnt how to make scones. Amberson Zhao

On Friday March the 21st, we celebrated ‘Harmony Day’ at Macleod College’.

This day was interesting because everyone wore clothes that represented their culture and country. It was amazing to see the diversity in outfits and to learn about different cultures. I learned that traditional clothing reflects the identity of people, and each country has its own unique style. I felt excited and happy to see the beautiful and colourful outfits. It was enjoyable to share this experience with my classmates. Bani Alsubaie

This day was interesting because we were all dressed in our own cultural clothes. I was wearing a black dress, with long, wide sleeves and Chinese writing on the skirt. The teachers praised us for being beautiful. My classmate Linford wore a Hong Kong Jacket with a gold badge, he was very handsome. We also took a big group photo. Everyone was smiling. My teacher Ms Karalis wore an orange t-shirt, because orange is the colour for Harmony Day. Elsa Xu

This day was interesting because today is a special day. We can wear our country’s cultural clothes. Morgan wore Tang Dynasty clothes. I think Morgan is very, very handsome. And Lingford, he wore the Hong Kong Jacket with the gold badge. He looks very confident. Bani looked great, he is from Saudi Arabia, his costume is special. We can learn about some other cultures. Cultures from many countries. We should respect each other. Today is an interesting day. Chunkit Chen

This day was interesting because everyone wore clothes from different countries. Amberson held a fan with white, red and blue. Bani and Fatimah wear Saudi Arabian clothes with blue and black. Linford wore a Hong Kong’s jacket and a gold badge. Ms Ketty wears an orange T.shirt because orange is the colour for Harmony Day. I think it is very interesting because Macleod College has many students from different countries.

Morgan Meng

I saw some students wearing their culture clothes and they were holding their country’s flag. Some of them wore their country football team like our beautiful Sara, she was wearing Colombian football. And I saw that my classmate was also wearing Chinese culture. It was amazing. I wore ‘Abaya’ that’s what girls from Saudi Arabia wear. It has many beautiful designs and many wonderful colors. I wanted to wear a Southern Saudi costume but my delivery didn’t come on time, so I just wore an abaya - I will wear it next time. It was a great day. Fatimah Alsubaie

This day was interesting because I saw many beautiful people, such as Kyla, she had a white cape with fur around the hood. In Linford’s case his costume was about Hong Kong. He had a Hong Kong jacket. Looks so handsome, but my favorite clothes are Ariel's clothes, because she draws a dragon for the white shirt. She looked very special and pretty. This days I feel very excited and I laughed a lot. However, I think it's important too, because we live in Australia but we come from different countries, we all speak English but our home language is different. Francis Li

We all wore the costumes of our own country. We took a lot of photos together and everyone’s clothes were very beautiful. Kyla Wu

This day was interesting because students wore cultural clothes. They even wore these clothes on the bus, train or walking to school in the morning. They are very proud of their home country. I wear a Hong Kong jacket with a gold badge. The name on the badge is Vent. This is the name of a Chinese cartoon. I love it so much. Ms. Ketty looked at me and said: “beautiful man!” My friends wear many clothes. Elsa wore a black and white long dress. It had wide sleeves. We took a photo. Everyone looks happy. I like this day. Linford Lin

This day was interesting because everyone was wearing their own country’s clothes on this day. We went to the library together and took a group photo. Zoe Hou

This day was interesting because many students were wearing traditional costumes. Like Shiya, she is wearing Chinese Hanfu, it is very beautiful. Like Kyla she is wearing white cape with fur around the hood. It is very special. Fatimah and Bani are wearing Saudi Arabian clothes. Everyone is wearing different clothes, everyone looks amazing. Today in Macleod I had a wonderful experience. Maggie Hu

This day was interesting because everyone wore different traditional clothes. When the teacher came into the classroom she complimented all of us and said “you look really beautiful”. Of the students in my class, there are many students that come from China, so they wore different types of Chinese traditional clothes in different periods. For example, Elsa wore a long dress with wide sleeves, or with the fan in the hand. The long flowing gown also looks very special. In The whole school, we can see many students from different countries. Some of them wear their country’s flag, some of them just wear orange, because this colour represents the ‘Harmony Day’. Nora Tang

In my class, everyone was very pretty. Elsa wore white and black gown. Morgan wore a blue top and pants and was from China. Fatima and Bani dressed in Saudi Arabian cultural clothes. Linford was cool, he wore a Hong Kong jacket with a gold badge. I had a lot of fun that day. Oliver Yang

This day was interesting because many students wear their culture costumes. Like Morgan, he wore a very beautiful blue top and pants. Ms Karalis wore an orange colour t-shirt on harmony day. Kyla is a white cape with fur around the hood. It is very beautiful. Fatimah and Bani are wearing Saudi Arabian clothes. Everyone was saying “you look wonderful”. Rasindu Weerasingha-Arachchillage

This day was interesting because I saw so many students from other countries and some with their flags. I was wearing a yellow Colombian football top. I felt that I can represent my country and my culture without any discrimination. Everyone was happy, excited and proud. My classmates looked like princesses, emperors and queens. I helped Fatimah with cultural marking on her face. I wasn’t great, but I tried my best. On this day it was Ms Ketty birthday. I would like a coat like Kyla’s, it was a white cape with fur around the hood, she looked so beautiful.

Sara Leon-Giraldo

This day was interesting because everyone can choses their traditional culture’s clothes. When I wear my special clothes, I hear many people say: ‘Oh, you are so beautiful, pretty, great, amazing’ to me. When I heard this, I feel happy and proud from my heart. In my classroom, my friends also wear special clothes. Kyla wore white cape with fur around the hood. Zoe was in a white flowing, silk gown with blue and red. And I wear white organza gown. Shiya Lin

This day was interesting because students were wearing their cultural clothes. I see Linford was wearing a Hong Kong jacket with gold badge. Everyone was saying “look at Bani’s Saudi Arabian clothes”. This made me feel happy. Next year I will wear something from Cambodia. Veasna Sour

This day was interesting because I saw many different colours, from different countries. For example, Chinese cultural clothing is a very long skirt with many different colors.

My classmate Elsa, I think she is very amazing. She wore a long black and white dress with two large white sleeves.

I like her clothes, they're so beautiful. And my classmate Kyla. Her skirt is pink and white. That’s so wonderful. She has a white cape with fur around the hood. I like it too. I’m so happy on March 21st. I feel the festival is very fun and has an important message. Nancy Wang

This day was interesting because almost everyone wore their culture’s tradtional clothes. Sara was in a yellow Colombian football shirt. Kyla wore a white cape with fur around the hood. Amberson held a fan and wore a red shawl. Linford dressed like a Hong Kong star, the jacket had a gold badge. Fatimah and Bani wore Saudi Arabian clothes, which looked cool. Shiya is dressed in an organza gown that is in white, pink and orange. Besides, I wore a white shirt with two dragons at the front and back. Also there’s Chinese words on it. When we took photos together, some students were holding their countries’ flags. Some people said “ You look nice” and so on. In addition, Ms Karalis wore an orange top, because orange is the colour for Harmony Day. Yu Fu

This day was interesting because we can wear our own country's clothes. That was really good. My country's clothes are HanFu. I wore a blue shirt, yellow skirt with a red shoe. And I hold a fan. My favourite mate’s clothes are Ariel clothes. Her clothes had a hand drawn dragon. She drew it by herself. And at her back she had a Chinese word dragon. I can see other Chinese students dress up as HanFu too. Some students from other countries wore their own country clothes too. Everyone was beautiful. Everyone was saying “you are so beautiful, pretty, wonderful, amazing” and so on. I was really excited and I was so proud of my country. Amberson Zhao

On Tuesday 3rd June the IELC class went on an excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria and the Shrine of Remembrance. It was an interesting day because……..

It was an interesting day because I saw many works of art and felt excited. At the Shrine we also saw military clothing and ancient historical objects. I learned more about the past and enjoyed the trip with my classmates.

Bani Alsubaie

It was an interesting day because at the National Gallery of Victoria, we saw a lot of fascinating art, paintings, and colorful designs. When we entered the red room there were huge paintings. At the Shrine of Remembrance, we also saw the boat that the soldiers were in as they went to Gallipoli. At the Shrine we went up to the balcony. It was hard to go up and down again with many stairs. I think my leg is getting old. But it was worth it, because the view of the city was amazing. Fatimah Alsubaie

It was an interesting day because we saw and learned a lot of new things. At the beginning, we went to the NGV art exhibition and looked at Picasso’s paintings. We took many photos there. Then, we went to the Shrine of Remembrance. It is a memorial for Anzac diggers. There were many medals on the wall and there was a wreath under the sculpture. We learned a lot of historical stories about World War I and a little about World War II. Elsa Xu

We went to the museum to look at Australian history. We can see the digger photo in the museum, which is very interesting. The guide explained WWI history. In the end, we listened about the heroism of the Anzacs. I now understand the importance of mateship, the sacrifice of the diggers. We should remember them.

Chunkit Chen

It was an interesting day because I saw many paintings and artifacts behind glass. Then we went to the Shrine of Remembrance by tram. We saw the ANZAC infantry and light horse in Gallipoli with rifles and bayonets. They march in the battlefield full of pride. Morgan Meng

We also went to the Melbourne Art Gallery and saw a Picasso painting, which really shocked me. And some ancient objects such as china and ceramics. At the Shrine of Remembrance, I saw images of many soldiers who died in the war. I was impressed by the father and son statue. The father served in World War I and the son in World War II. I saw people preparing the wreath around soldiers and many poppies on the statue. In the end, we all saw a lot of old medals, but it doesn't look very old, because these are replicas, some are incomplete and damaged. We went to the top balcony and saw the Melbourne skyline. In addition, our classmates also wore WWI nurse, light horse and navy uniforms. Francis Li

We saw many spectacular things. Such as. the Victoria Art Exhibition and World War I Memorial. We visited the Shrine of Remembrance. It is a Gallipoli soldier museum. Something that impressed me was the WWI and WWII soldiers statue. The tip of the shoes are smooth and shiny because the soldier's families are longing for them and touch the shoe. This is what the guide told us. I think this is a touching story. Linford Lin

I saw many paintings and various exhibits. The collection in the art museum is extremely rich, and I also experienced the nurses uniform and the soldiers uniform at the War Memorial Museum. I also saw rows of badges. We also received postcards about the memorial hall before leaving the museum. Zoe Hou

We saw many amazing paintings. My favorite among them is The Weeping Woman by Picasso. I also took a photo with this painting. Which is a wonderful memory for me. At the Shrine of Remembrance, I was first shocked by the architecture and then felt sad when I saw the statues of the father and son.

Because it reminds me of the horror of war, and makes me feel that peace is hard to come by. We also tried on soldiers' clothes, saw warships and many other WWI artefacts. I also saw the special periscope invented by the Anzacs used in the trenches. I saw it in the film Gallipoli as well. Maggie Hu

It was an interesting day because we saw many new things. First, we went to the National Gallery of Victoria. We saw many different colourful paintings and sculptures. The artwork that gives me the deepest impression is a mother sheep protecting her dying little lamb surrounded by crows.

Then we went to the Shrine of Remembrance by tram. The guide told us about the flags of different groups that they are precious and they would never touch them. I remember the statue is of a father and his son. They joined WWI and WWII respectively. We saw the clothes, weapons and hats of the Anzac soldiers and nurses. The guide introduced them and we could try them on. At last we also saw the whole wall of medals. Nora Tang

It was an interesting day because in the National Gallery of Victoria, I saw a painting from Picasso. It was very beautiful. The Shrine of Remembrance was built to commemorate WWI. I leant ‘Lest We Forget’ about this Anzac history. And it also lets us cherish the peace we have now. Oliver Yang

I saw many soldiers who died in the war. And I saw a lot of the insignia they wore. We had the opportunity to see more ancient statues, coins, and photographs. Fatimah wore a WWI nurse’s clothes and Morgan wore a Light Horse soldier’s uniform. Nora and I wore navy hats. Ms Ketty has a beautiful photos of me and my classmate. There is also a b

eautiful photo of Francis and Nora in our classroom. I enjoyed this class excursion a lot. Rasindu Weerasingha-Arachchillage

We saw so many paintings in the NGV and we took photos with them. In the Shrine of Remembrance I learnt about the statue of the 2 diggers, called “The father and his son”, it represents the two World wars. The father represents WWl and his son represents WWll. We dressed in authentic WWI costumes. My friend Fatimah wore the nurse dress and Morgan wore the Light Horse uniform. Sara Leon-Giraldo

I saw many paintings, uniforms from WWI, statues of diggers. And someone puts wreaths to commemorate them under the statues. It seemed as if I could hear the shouts of the soldiers charging into the battlefield. My classmates wore their uniforms and took photos to remember them. We can learn about war and understand that to gain peace it is not easy. I think everyone must ‘Lest We Forget’ and the pride of these heroes. Shiya Lin

It was an interesting day because I learned about the history of Australia. I see of soldier’s and nurse’s uniforms.

Veasna Sour

It was an interesting day because I learned about famous artists' paintings, and Anzac’s history. For example; Picasso. He painted awsome pictures! And I learned about WWI.

This world war started in 1914 and ended in 1918. I learned about the sacrifice of soldiers' and also saw many photographs. I learned that the soldier's uniform colour is khaki. They fight in adversity and show bravery. Lest we forget. I think about their heroism. I’m proud, because I can learn about that. Nancy Wang

It was an interesting day because we had a chance to know more about Melbourne’s history and culture. First, we saw a large amount of artworks such as sculptures, textiles, ceramics, ancient artefacts and contemporary paintings. My view of the exhibition is that it shows me different artworks and artefacts have diverse meanings and usages. The Shrine of Remembrance is impressive, especially the light from the roof that was glowing on the marble tombstone and illuminated the word ‘love’.

I saw a sculpture of a father and a son during World War One and World War Two, which has poppies and crosses on the bottom. People want peace, whenever and wherever. Also, when we were standing on the top of the building, we saw a human’s face on another building far away, it’s the face of William Barak, ‘the last chief of the Yarra Yarra tribe’. Yu Fu

It was an interesting day because we saw a lot of painting work. They were really amazing. Especially in the red room they have many impressive paintings. They also have Picasso’s work. After lunch we went to Shrine Remembrance which is to remember the diggers of Victoria. Before coming here, we were studying WWI and our class watched the movie called ‘Gallipoli’.

We even have a test of it. But when I saw the real thing it reminded me of how terrible war is. I hope the world will be at peace with no more war. Amberson Zhao

Intensive English Language Centre (IELC)

The Class of Semester 1 2025

Graduation

Read all about the IELC graduates semester in review:

Time flies, and the 20-week language class is coming to an end. When I first went to language class, I was full of shyness and anxiety. I was worried about facing classmates from different countries. The language barrier made me afraid to speak easily. In class, I always listened, afraid that my poor pronunciation would make classmates laugh. However, as the course progressed, with the encouragement of the teacher and classmates' help, I began to try to express my ideas in simple sentences, and every successful communication gave me more confidence. Now, I can chat with students from other countries skillfully. We can talk about everything from cultural customs to hobbies. This experience not only improved my language skills, but also broadened my views and taught me to respect and like different cultures. During this period of study, I also used my spare time to start writing a novel called 《Luna Never Sets. Since Ms Ketty taught me the 5-step writing method, I have really liked writing. I hope I can achieve new things. Amberson Zhao Yr 10

I have overcome many obstacles from term 1 to term 2. My English is too poor, which makes it difficult for my teammates to communicate with me. But I am constantly learning and improving my English. Now I can communicate with my teammates better. I am really excited about life in Melbourne because the famous Boroondara Eagles soccer club in Balwyn, invited me to join them. I love soccer and feel really excited to start this new journey. Linford Lin Yr 10

My first day at IELC class my feelings were mixed with excitement, nervousness, and wondering about what I’m going to learn With Mrs Karalis we did a lot of things that made me improve a lot such as spelling tests. I was bad at spelling. Can you believe that my mistakes were 7, 8, 10 and 6, when I started doing spelling, but 20 weeks later 0 mistakes. I’m so proud of myself that I improved a lot. I had a lot of opportunities to take specialist classes like Numeracy, Math, Literacy, Transition to life, and Art (music and media). At IELC I met a lot of friends like Sara. She's my best friend. In 20 weeks I learnt a lot, especially with Mrs Karalis. She taught us about WWI, the five steps writing process. We wrote essays. I learnt to use literary devices to make my writing better. We also did activities, we painted our country flags and we did our wanted poster. We did a lot of oral presentations. We went on a lot of excursions. My favourite was the Old Melbourne Gaol. It was fun to act in the Ned Kelly court drama. I could do better in writing an essay, but I learned from my mistakes. I want to praise my classmates in these 20 weeks. We have improved a lot and I want to thank the teachers as well.

Fatimah Alsubaie Yr 10

I was happy to study with students from other countries. Some students don't talk too much in English but they try their best. My confidence helps me to make friends really fast. I always try to help other students. Not everything is good, of course I have to improve a lot of things like reading and my pronunciation, but I know that in the future, I will be better at English than now. My family and friends help me to be confident. I will learn very fast if I am practicing my English with my classmates. In class I enjoyed learning about different cultures. I loved to learn about Indigenous cultures. I enjoyed learning aboutMaori people and their traditions, same with Aboriginal people. We watched the films Yolngu Boy and Whale Rider. They were great. Sara Leon Yr 9

I may encounter obstacles in class but my teachers always help me. I have learned many words and read many books this semester. I have improved mylearning ability and enhanced teamwork skills. I need to practice speaking more. This will make me a better student. The teacher will ask me to try answering questions in class, which is also a good opportunity for me to improve myself. Zoe Hou Yr 9

On the first day in IELC, I didn’t know anything. I was very shy and I was afraid of speaking English to my peers and teachers. When I have a task such as writing an essay in English, I’m scared. But now, although I am not very good, I can write an interesting narrative in English and I can speak some English with other people and I am not so scared and shy anymore. I was lucky enough to have excursions with my peers to memorable places during these 20 weeks. We went to Bundoora Farm, Kryal Castle, National Gallery of Victoria, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne Museum & Imax, Old Melbourne Gaol. I know I have areas for improvement. I need to read and watch more works in English and use more different and hard vocabulary in my writing and daily conversations. I will do better in building my vocabulary. Shiya Lin Yr 10

Looking back over the several months I’ve studied in IELC, on the one hand, I’ve acquired a lot from term 1 to term 2. I have learnt more in English and known more about Australian history and culture. I’ve gained my first friendship with people from other countries. Besides, I am able to discuss some international issues in English and ask teachers some questions in English.

On the other hand, I’ve encountered some obstacles, for example, I was so lonely and depressed in a period that I became less confident and I was very anxious. I thought I wasn’t good enough and I missed my friends in China so much because I haven’t got many good friends in Australia. I’ve developed several skills, such as speaking, listening, writing and reading in English.

Also, I tried to balance my emotions so that I won’t be upset. In addition, I learnt about how to use and identify figurative language. I’ve had plenty of opportunities, excursions let me to know more about Australia. Additionally, I got chances to write long essays and narratives, because in China I only need to write a 150 to 200 words article at the last page of the English test. In IELC I’ve written several essays that are more than 500 words. This helped me to make good progress on my writing skills.

I could have done better on many things, I had a goal of reading a series of Harry Potter books, but I only read part of the first book so far. I think I can make it in the future. Also I could have done better in communicating with others in English. All in all, it is a certainty that I’ll meet many challenges during my study in Australia, but I have a determination to overcome them all. Life is limited, but study is endless. Yu Fu Yr 9

When I started the IELC class, my English was very bad. I couldn’t understand what the teacher was saying. And also it was also very hard to write. But after 20 weeks of study, I can write essays by using the 5 step writing process. I also used it to write my narrative. Now I don’t need to use Google translation when I’m reading. Only when I don’t know a word will I use the translation. We also have excursions so we can study happily. My time in the IELC was is hard but it was also an interesting time.

Oliver Yang Yr 8

I really enjoyed my time at the IELC. I learned a lot about language and culture, and it really helped me grow as a person. The teachers were great and helped me improve my speaking, writing, and listening skills. I also made some really good friends from different countries, which was awesome. Bani Alsubaie Yr 9

My time at the IELC was fun and helpful. I learned to be more organised and finish my homework on time. I improved my reading skills, grammar and speaking skills. I went on fun excursions to Bundoora Farm, Melbourne Museum & IMAX, Kryal Castle and National Gallery of Victoria. I made new friends. My teachers Ms.Ketty, Ms.Wan, Ms.Wang and Ms.Griffiths and Ms Yeung taught me how to speak English every day.

Rasindu Weerasingha Yr 10

During my time at the lELC, I improved my writing skills through the five steps writing method taught by teacher Ms. Karalis. This was especially useful when writing the narrative. I also became more confident in group discussions and presentations. During this time I learned how to make PPT and posters. I also visited many places such as the famous old Melbourne gaol, the Kryal castle and the NGV. All of this makes my life more colourful. If I could improve one thing, I would try to speak more in class and ask for feedback more often. Maggie Hu Yr 9

When I was just starting the IELC class, I was afraid, I don’t know how to talk to other people. After some time, I was confident in speaking English. The IELC class was like a big family, mixing people from different countries. We have a birthday party and have a lot of tasty food. We go to many places on excursions. After IELC class I can use five step writing process to write an essay. I appreciate it everything I learnt in the IELC. Morgan Meng Yr 7

In my studies at IELC from the first to the second term I gained strengths such as motivation to speak English and ability to work well in a team. However I also faced challenges such as learning too many difficult exercises and understanding the meaning of new compley vocabulary. Through these two semesters I developed better listening reading writing skills. In addition I had the opportunity to connect with new friends and the Macleod College community. I went on many excursions, my favourite was the Old Melbourne Gaol. However, I think I can do better by practicing

and reading more English books. Veasna Sour Yr 9

Sport

Cross Country