Languages

Speaking Up – Preparing for the Year 12 Oral Exam

The ultimate goal of learning a language is being able to communicate in the language, to understand different types of texts in the language, and to express thoughts and ideas in speaking and writing. Most people know that conversing with complete strangers is not an easy task. Try doing it for 15 minutes in a foreign language!

Year 12 Oral Examination

This is what students who are studying a language in Units 3 & 4 must do for their final oral examination. Students must hold a 7-minute general conversation about their personal world and talk about topics like their family, spare time activities, school and future aspirations. They also need to discuss a topic of their choice for 8 minutes with two external assessors they have never met before. Sounds intimidating? It is, yet every year our Year 12 students do a fabulous job of taming their fears and hold a conversation with confidence. Whilst extroverted students who have a natural inclination to talk freely might a have a small advantage over more introverted students, the secret ingredient for success in the oral exam is not talent. It is meticulous long-term PREPARATION and PRACTICE. Musicians don’t just pick up the sheet music and play a piece at a performance. They practise for many hours before the performance.

Preparation and Practice

This long-term approach to preparation and practice is also necessary when learning a language and it cannot start two weeks before the exam. It should start at the beginning of Year 12, especially for the general conversation. Here are a few steps that can help students to structure their preparation with the goal of providing elaborate responses:

Teachers provide students with sample questions for the conversation topics.

Students prepare extended written answers to the questions. For each response students should apply the following guidelines:

State an answer
Expand on the answer by giving an example
Expand further by giving reasons or further explanations
Give an opinion
Create a link to another topic

Writing extended responses to sample questions forces students to prepare the necessary vocabulary and grammar structures for elaborate and sophisticated responses. They don’t come naturally; they have to be prepared!

Students apply their responses in conversation practice and receive teacher feedback on the quality of their responses.

Students edit their responses.
Students practise their responses in conversation and learn to respond to follow-up questions based on their responses.

The aim is to create a naturally flowing conversation. Students will be discouraged to recite responses they have learnt by heart. They will learn how to take control of the conversation and strategically steer it into a topic they would like to talk about.

It Takes Time and People Power

Following the above steps takes time and can only be achieved if students start preparing early and practise regularly. In past years, Box Hill High School has been fortunate to have several language assistants to support students with their conversation practice. We also successfully applied for a Chinese Language Assistant for 2020 but then Covid happened.

At this point due to international travel restrictions, we have no prospect of additional support from language assistants for 2021. Teachers will not be able to provide such extensive conversation practice in regular classes alone and where possible may offer additional conversation classes.

However, students should not wait for their teachers to organise conversation practice and start forming their own conversation groups. It might feel unnatural to speak in German or Chinese with classmates but bonding at a German ‘Stammtisch’ or a Chinese Debating Club might be the group of people who will support you through the pressures of your final examinations. Throw in a dash of food, board games, music or foreign movies and it becomes a social outing!

Congratulations Year 12 2020

Having taught Year 12 German in 2020, I was highly impressed by my students’ resilience and determination to overcome all obstacles that were thrown in their way this year. It was my favourite part as a teacher to speak to my students about their interests, hobbies and future aspirations. I was in awe by the insight, maturity and sophistication students demonstrated when discussing their chosen topics. Congratulations to all the fabulous students who finished Unit 3 & 4 Language studies this year!

- Jana Kühn,

Domain Leader Languages

Auf Wiedersehen to Frau Nathan

30 years is a large and formidable number, 1990 was the year I came to join Box Hill High School and my task was to further develop the German language program in this school, which was much smaller and much less equipped. The aim of the school was primarily to help students reach their potential and I got to work with that aim in mind. In an English-speaking country, learning a foreign language was not a priority, but together with all of Box Hill High School students, parents and teachers, we were able to grow to a large and successful faculty.

I have been privileged to have had in my classroom many, many fine young people, who have shown me how to teach. From them I learned true teaching is a special partnership and it only works when the teacher reaches beyond the outer image, the curriculum, and looks into the hearts and needs of the students and understands and respects what they see.

I look back with gratitude, I entered a profession dedicated to assisting young people achieve their potential and to revealing their best selves. As I leave I am taking many of you with me, you will live on in my memories. I will always remember the things we achieved together: the many successful scholarships you have won, the numerous study trips we have taken together, the competitions we have been successful in and the numerous hours of practising for the oral exam. I remember so clearly - the coercing from me to encourage you to achieve higher goals, the beautiful cards and presents, your jokes, your gratitude, your pranks, your caring remarks…

I have been fortunate to have lead a wonderfully dedicated team of language teachers and thank them for their support, friendship and exemplary teaching. I will always remember our shared laughter, our joys, as well as our struggles. The reward of our efforts can be seen, in the increase of the number of students choosing to pursue their studies of languages and by being recognised by the Goethe Institute as an international PASCH – School.

Finally yet importantly, I would like to thank the leadership at Box Hill High School and the Department, who have enabled us to reach these heights and given us the support and encouragement to make this school exceptional.

Auf Wiedersehen and all the best to all of you!

- Frau Nathan