Language News

German Immersion Students explore the animal kingdom at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

The Year 7 German Immersion class recently enjoyed a day of discovery and adventure during their excursion to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The visit tied in closely with their science curriculum on animal classification, supported by German-language learning materials from the Goethe-Institut.

As part of the excursion, students explored the diverse animal species at the sanctuary through the lens of scientific classification, using resources provided by the Goethe-Institut. These German-language materials introduced students to key biological terms and categories such as Säugetiere (mammals), Reptilien (reptiles), and Vögel (birds), enriching their vocabulary and critical thinking.

A major highlight was getting to pat a koala and seeing a wombat out on a walk with its handler. The class also observed other animals of the phylum chordata and students gave a brief presentation about an animal from the sanctuary in German.

Adding an unexpected twist to the day, an emu took a particular interest in our science teacher Frau Dr Mertens-Walker, prompting a brief chase around the area!

Feedback from the class was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing it as one of the most enjoyable and best educational excursions they've ever had. The combination of hands-on animal encounters, language immersion and biological science made it a truly unforgettable experience.

Vielen Dank to the team at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and the Goethe-Institut for helping to create such an enriching and fun-filled day.

Celebrating Success at The Gap State High School: 2025 Education Perfect Championship

Once again, our Chinese and German language learners at The Gap State High School showcased their dedication and talent on a global stage through the Education Perfect Championship. This annual competition has long been a cornerstone of our language program, offering students a tangible measure of their progress and fostering a growth mindset towards learning.

This year, we are thrilled to announce that over 55 of our students have earned recognition for their outstanding performance in the competition. From Elite to Credit Awards, each award signifies not just proficiency, but excellence in their language skills. It's worth noting that all our award recipients rank within the top 20% globally, with our Elite, Emerald, Gold, and Silver awardees soaring into the top 5%.

Moreover, The Gap State High School has secured a commendable 39th place among the 1804 schools worldwide that participated, and achieved the 1st place for both Chinese and German in Queensland! This achievement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our students, as well as the exceptional guidance provided by our dedicated teachers.

Please join us in extending heartfelt congratulations to the following students for their remarkable achievements:

Results: 

2025 CLTAQ Chinese Speaking Competition 

In mid Term 2 2025, our Chinese students had a great opportunity to showcase their language skills through participating in the annual state-wide CLTAQ Chinese Speaking Competition organised by the Chinese Language Teachers’ Association of Queensland (CLTAQ). For many years, being part of this competition has proven to be an excellent way for students to see how far they have come in their language learning journey and encourage the development of a growth mindset. 

Prior to the CLTAQ Competition, our Chinese teachers, Ms Cham, Ms Zhang and Mr Gwon held internal competitions to select our school’s representatives for each division of Years 7-8 and 9-10. We had over 35 participants this year and all of the participants showed incredible efforts. Alice Nguyen and Chitra Prasad have been selected as a representative for our school in their respective categories of Years 7-8 and 9-10 division and we wish them all the best! 

Congratulations to our winners and to all those who competed in the 2025 Chinese Speaking Competition.