Languages 

Italian Immersion Program

We are incredibly proud of our Italian immersion program at Thornbury High School, in which we offer students from Year 8-10 the opportunity to learn content from other learning areas in Italian. 

In Year 8, the immersion class learns Performing Arts and Humanities using a CLIL (content language integrated learning) methodology. This program continues with History and Geography in Year 9, and Business & Civics for students of Year 10 Italian. As part of the program, the immersion class is encouraged to build a strong sense of community by working collaboratively, adopting an interactive learning style, and participating in extra activities including excursions and performances. 

We can’t wait to invite our current Year 7 students to join this initiative in 2025!

Alessandra Borg - Head of Languages

"8G has been an amazing experience, allowing me to learn about a different language and its customs, forge new friendships, and step beyond my comfort zone. Not only in class, either - Immersion provides me with the opportunity to embrace the culture outside of the school environment, which helps in developing a strong connection with the language."

- Kate Brockwell, 8G

"The immersion class is an amazing program that allows for a deeper, more rewarding way of learning Italian. Another amazing thing about the immersion class is that it stays the same over both Year 8 and 9 which means that everyone gets along really well and allows for an amazing environment to thrive in."

- Jaspar Conway, 9G

"As for the Italian immersion, and, speaking from a personal perspective, it at first seemed to me that it wasn’t going to be any different from normal mainstream classes. It wasn’t until I experienced my first lesson of history and then Italian that I realised how wrong that was. From unique and engaging learning techniques to an abundance of opportunities, Immersion offers classes that are enjoyable and made simple yet still with degrees of challenges and tests. These classes have made me and many others confident and engaged with reading, writing and speaking Italian. 

The classes cover not only language, but culture, history and all aspects of Italian life. Thanks to skilful and animated teaching (from Mrs Borg, Mr Tosi and Alessia specifically), classes have become communities that help us learn and thrive."

- Isabella Tirabassi, 9G

Exploring Little Italy in Carlton (Excursion)

"Last Friday, 9G went on a trip down to Lygon Street to immerse ourselves in the wonderful Italian culture here in Melbourne. On this trip we were accompanied by another Year 9 class, 9C. We went to the Italian Museum and Historical Society at Co.As.It and Brunetti. 

It was an amazing experience and added to our learning experience in the immersion class."

- Jaspar Conway, 9G

Our Italian excursion on Friday was a great day filled with culture and camaraderie. We kicked off the day at Fairfield Station, all gathering with excitement before taking the train together to Flinders Street. From there, we hopped on a tram to Lygon Street, ready to immerse ourselves in Melbourne’s vibrant Italian precinct.

When we arrived, the immersion class (9G) headed off to Brunetti, where they enjoyed some delicious Italian pastries or pizza. Meanwhile, the concept class (9C) visited an Italian museum, where we admired exhibits that displayed the rich history of Italian culture in Melbourne. We were also encouraged to try and make conversation with local Italians (in Italian of course).

Afterwards we set off in small teams for a “caccia al tesoro” (scavenger hunt). During the scavenger hunt, we were challenged to use our Italian language skills to answer questions about local businesses.

"This was part of a friendly competition organised by the teachers to bring some more excitement to the day. Points were awarded not just for completing the scavenger hunt and answering the questions correctly, but also for taking photos with specific objects from a list. The day was a really incredible blend of learning and fun, allowing us to practise our Italian in a real-world setting all while bonding with our classmates."

- Mathilda Lee, 9C

"To explore local Italian culture in Melbourne, our class and 9C went down to Lygon street for the day and completed a series of activities and tasks to better understand Italian migration and how it has shaped the lives of Italians in Australia. 

This included Italian restaurants, cafès and conversations with native Italian speakers, along with an Italian museum and a treasure hunt (that was taken very seriously) where we had to take photos in front of interesting shops, animals, Italian foods and many more. This also showed and strengthened our abilities to work as a team and communicate with one another, which was very insightful and engaging."

- Isabella Tirabassi, 9G

"The day started off with a train ride to the city, and then a fun tram ride to Carlton with our friends. When we arrived on Lygon St we visited Museo Italiano, which showcased many aspects of Italian culture. After that we went to Brunetti and had some delicious food. For the rest of the afternoon, a scavenger hunt was organised and people from both classes raced to finish it. Overall, the day was an excellent cultural and bonding experience to share with each other and everyone went home with a smile on their faces."

- Leo Devcic, 9C