WELC & International Student Report

Message from the International Student Coordinator 

 International Students Celebrating Lunar New Year

The lunchtime festivities included a delightful red packet lucky draw and engaging trivia Kahoot activities, creating a memorable and culturally enriching experience.

The red packet lucky draw added an extra layer of excitement to the festivities. Students eagerly gathered for the draw, symbolizing good luck and prosperity in the coming year. The joyous atmosphere reflected the diverse and inclusive community that defines Westall Secondary College.

The trivia Kahoot activities proved to be both entertaining and educational. Students showcased their knowledge of Lunar New Year traditions, customs, and cultural significance. The lively competition fostered a sense of camaraderie and understanding among participants, further strengthening the bonds within our school community.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our dedicated principals, whose support and encouragement make events like these possible. Special recognition is also due to the hardworking staff members who dedicated their time and effort to organize this spectacular event. 

Wishing everyone a prosperous and joyful Lunar New Year!

Warm regards,

Summer Bao

Westall ISP coordinator

Message from the WELC Coordinator 

WELC Report

In Term 1 we have welcomed 24 new students to our Language Centre. We are currently running 5 classes and have students from 17 different countries!

This year we have welcomed a new Chinese multicultural aide – Mr Steven Dong – to our centre. Students who need help in Chinese can go and talk to him.  We welcome all parents to call or arrange a meeting with the coordinator if you want to talk about your child. We can arrange an interpreter if necessary.

In Week 4, Group 1A students went to the Westall Hub. The Westall Hub is behind Westall Secondary College and has many different facilities including a library and English course. We encourage all families to visit the Hub.

Our Group 1A students signed up to the library so they can go and borrow books and use their facilities there. Reading is a super important skill in life and reading a lot of books can help your speaking and writing abilities. We encourage all WELC students to read a lot of English books, newspapers, magazines, websites or comic books.

We also have a Reading Club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30 am – 9:00 am. This is an excellent opportunity for Group 4 students to practice reading aloud to an adult. Reading aloud helps students with pronunciation, fluency and intonation. Students can practice reading aloud at home, too, to improve their English.

This term we have focused on the 4 Care Westall Values in Sub-School assemblies. These values are Care for Yourself, Care for Others, Care for your Learning and Care for the School or Community. In Week 4 we awarded several awards to students who demonstrated these values at school and in the community. Congratulations to Abdul, Somaya, Triet, Fayyadh, Ayesha and Granaida! We encourage all students to show these Care Values every day and make Westall proud!

In Week 5, all WELC students participated in a Wellbeing workshop. We explored different problems students might experience in life – small, medium and big problems. And we looked at different people who can help us solve these problems. Students were encouraged students to identify 5 people they trust to discuss problems with when needed.

WELC students are doing an amazing thing, undertaking study in a different country in a different language and this can be difficult at times. We encourage students to reach out for help if they need it. If you have concerns about your child, please contact the school. We also have a Wellbeing team that we can refer students to if they need extra support.

On Thursday 29 February we will hold Parent Teacher interviews. This is an excellent opportunity for parents and students to hear feedback from teachers. We encourage all families to attend. In the coming weeks students should put their teacher’s suggestions into practice in order to improve their English skills. This term we have started a Revision Club to support students who will be exiting our Language Centre soon. This runs on selected Mondays and Wednesdays in Term 1. If your child would like to attend, please let me know.

Miss Debby Morgan

WELC Coordinator

Some pictures of preparing food in the kitchen for WELC lessons where students enjoying learning in a different way.