LANGUAGES
SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL
On Friday 6 June, the Years 9 & 10 Spanish classes had the opportunity to attend the Spanish Film Festival at the Como Theatre in South Yarra. We watched a film called Wolfgang (Extraordinario).
In the morning, we headed off to McKinnon station to take the train to South Yarra. Upon arrival, we walked to the cinema and had our lunch. Then, students had the chance to buy some snacks and drinks before the movie started.
The film Wolfgang is a Spanish film released this year, originally filmed in Catalan language (one of the official languages spoken in Spain). We watched it in Spanish with English subtitles, which helped us follow along while still allowing us to hear authentic Spanish language being spoken. It was a great way to experience the language in a real-world context and understand how it is used in everyday conversation. The storyline was engaging, emotional, and at times quite funny.
This excursion was not only a fun day out, but also an educational experience. Watching a Spanish-language film helped us improve our listening skills and better appreciate the culture behind the language we study in class. It was also a great opportunity to bond with classmates and enjoy something different from the usual classroom routine.
Overall, the day was a big success and a memorable experience. Thank you to our Spanish teachers for organising such a wonderful excursion!
Olivia Takada & Eesha Sujith, Year 9
YEAR 12 FRENCH VISIT TO CAULFIELD JUNIOR COLLEGE
Two weeks ago, our Year 12 French class had the delightful opportunity to visit Caulfield Junior College, a local French English primary bilingual school.
We kicked off the day with an ice-breaker game entirely en français. Next, we moved into general conversation practice. In small groups, our Year 12 students and the primary students discussed topics ranging from family to hobbies. After recess, we tackled a series of French riddles and puzzles. Teams raced to solve word searches, crosswords and “devinettes”, working entirely in French.
Friendships were forged, language skills were strengthened, and both groups had an absolute blast practising together. We can’t wait to return soon for more fun-filled days of learning, laughter and linguistic adventure at Caulfield Junior College.
A heartfelt thank you to the staff and students for welcoming us so warmly. À bientôt!
Cedric Chamontin
French Teacher
YEAR 9 LANGUAGES EXPO
And the winners are...
Best Display:
335 people voted for the best display in the Languages Expo, and the winner of the popular vote is:
Group number: 50
Topic: Switzerland
Team Members: Samuel Hicks & Brendan Ji, Year 9
Voting was very close, as you can see from the diagram, but this team won with 12.8% of the vote.
In second place with 31 votes (9.3%) was:
Group number: 32
Topic: French desserts
Team members: Maple Barbersmith, Allegra Bartels & Elise Dong, Year 9
The winning team will receive a voucher to attend a restaurant from a selection of three (all related to the languages taught at school). The runners-up received a GIANT packet of lolly snakes.
Languages Expo Trivia Quiz:
The winner of the Languages Expo trivia quiz: Leeron Zohar, Year 9
FRENCH
Year 9 Language students have been working immensely hard to create an expo on a topic of their choice, relating to the country they learn a language from. The language expo is an unforgettable experience in the language learning process. Having the opportunity to learn through such a great project is super exciting and lightens up the mood of learning. Language teachers have worked extremely hard to prepare an incredible expo and have put in so much effort to make this experience for us students a one to remember.
We are learning French and chose to explore the topics of magazines, particularly researching Elle and Vogue Paris. In our expo we made two posters, one for each magazine, explaining the background and founder of the magazines. We also chose to create replica magazines for each brand and create one of our own. In the magazines we talked about different French luxury brands and foods that you will find in these high-class magazines.
Our expo had an extra fancy detail of having a Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbag and the one and only Christian Louboutin shoes. To make our expo a fun and interactive experience we gave out fake cocktails to people who answered questions correctly, regarding information on the magazine or poster.
Overall, this incredible experience has been a huge highlight to our Year 9 language learning. I thank all the language teachers who could make this day possible!
Ella Zin & Jiya Mehta, Year 9
GERMAN
On Wednesday 11 June at lunchtime, the hardworking German Language students created multiple stalls such as German Desserts.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte also known as the Black Forest cake was invented by Josef Keller, a renowned German pastry chef in 1915. This exquisite dessert is a chocolate sponge cake layered with rich whipped cream and adorned with tart cherries, creating a delightful contrast of flavours and textures.
Group 41s Black Forest cake was a hit during the Languages Expo. Many people came to the stall and the experience itself was wonderful. It was great to see such diversity in McKinnon.
Group 23s Berlin Wall was a significant part of Germany's history and the Cold War. Their group’s stall displayed a model of the wall along with a poster and brochures containing information about it.
Group 17s stall was about German drinks, such as German wines and German beers, and they gave free non-alcoholic alternatives away to people. The best part of the Languages Expo for them was seeing all the groups showcase something about either French, Spanish, or German and observing the effort people put into their posters and presentations.
The German train group, group 31 were fantastic during the Languages Expo. They learned about a wide variety of new things during the Expo, especially from the different countries.
Group 15s stall showcased German sausages like Bratwurst, Weisswurst, and Frankfurter, offering an engaging presentation about their history and origins. Visitors were particularly drawn in by the opportunity to taste free sausages in exchange for completing a quiz, which allowed them to learn more about the sausages while interacting with the stall's host.
Overall, attendees found the experience enjoyable, appreciating the unique and visually appealing aspects of the other stalls as well.
Nikhita Bharathy & Clementine Wilson, Year 9
SPANISH
¡Hola! The Year 9 Spanish students recently held an exciting Languages Exhibition event that was a huge success! The turnout was amazing, with students and maestros coming down during their lunch break to celebrate Spanish history and culture. The event included a variety of colourful and vibrant stalls with posters and flyers, each focusing on a different aspect of España- from the history to comida tradicional, música, famous people and so much more.
Guests enjoyed stepping into Spanish life by tasting delicious traditional Hispanic dishes like churros and nachos, while learning interesting facts about Spanish-speaking countries. There were also fun games and quizzes, with prizes awarded to those who showed their Español knowledge and interest in the topics.
My group decided to focus on the Spanish Civil War. I learned so much about the topic during preparations for the expo and truly enjoyed the various questions from the students and teachers that attended. It was a fun, educational experience that brought the spirit of Spain and the value of language learning to life!
Maestros - teachers
España - Spain
Comida - food
Tradicional - traditional
Musica - music
Español - spanish
¡Adios!
Susie Ellis, Year 9
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR MCKINNON’S LANGUAGE STUDENTS
Year 12 French visit to Artisanal Bakehouse: Monday 30 June
Year 8 Djembe incursion: Monday 30 June
Cultural Diversity week trivia competition run by Languages Society (East): Monday 30 June (room V2.3)
Year 12 German Model UN: Wednesday 23 July
Visit by the Spanish Educational advisor: Thursday 24 July
Year 12 French Model UN: Friday 25 July
Berthe Mouchette Competition for Years 11 & 12: July
AFTV Years 9 & 10 French Trivia evening: Friday 8 August (opt-in event)
Year 9 French NGV Winter Masterpieces: Monday 18 August
Year 10 French film Têtes Brûlée at ACMI: Friday 22 August
Years 11 & 12 French NGV Winter Masterpieces: Wednesday 27 August
Year 10 NGV Winter Masterpieces: Wednesday 3 September
Years 8 & 9 French Ticket pour Paris Alliance Francaise Amazing Race: Wednesday 3 September (opt-in event)
Jennifer Lynd
Languages Learning Area Manager