LANGUAGES

France Celabrations!

France has been in the news lately with the French football team winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the celebration of Bastille Day on 14 July and the Tour de France is currently nearing the end of the three-week race.

Gold Medal Indonesia 

An Indonesian runner, Lalu Muhammad Zohri, has shocked the Athletics world by winning a gold medal at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Under-20 Championships men’s 100 metres.

Why Learn a Language?

Learning a language can help you to seize a world of opportunity that connecting with another culture can bring. It helps to develop essential areas of the brain. It helps children to think more creatively, connect ideas and solve problems. Learning another language means more than just memorising lists of words. Languages all use different 'systems'. Children automatically compare and contrast the system of the new language they are learning with English.

This gives them an insight to how English works, which accelerates their ability to read and write. Learning another language strengthens children's memory for sequences and their ability to concentrate and build connections. Learning another language is associated with excellent, long-term academic results. Studies show that in the world's highest-performing school systems, all students in all year levels learn one or more languages.

Learning another language sparks children's curiosity for other cultures. It opens their minds to different ways of living and promotes harmony and respect in the schoolyard and beyond. It is crucial to preparing children for our increasingly globalised and multilingual jobs market.

Remember, learning any language – whether it's French or Indonesian, Chinese or Portuguese – helps children to become better thinkers, better communicators and better global citizens.

Watch these testimonials from four Victorian students who share their experience of learning a language:

Leonard Krasny

http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=8fcec869-a9f5-4092-a397-dae31963549b

Zillah Hansen http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=25ee6043-dc64-4f55-b0b8-81f24db6100b

Heath Jamieson  

http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=91c391df-d769-4ec6-a7b1-5eb89e7bd875

Hannah Ekers http://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Resource/LandingPage?ObjectId=97a1a657-42b9-4ca1-8f48-6a943e394a9f

Learning a language:

• develops an understanding of how languages work which leads to improved literacy skills, including English literacy
• helps students develop critical thinking, analysis and problem solving skills
• teaches students about other peoples, their ideas and ways of thinking
• inspires interest in and respect for other cultures
• enhances employment and career prospects
• contributes to social cohesiveness through better communication and understanding
• contributes to economic, diplomatic and strategic development

Student Exchange Information Sessions

Sharon Stoyanoff

Head of Languages