International Students

International Student Forum 2023 Pre-forum

2023 International Student Forum aims to help student leaders with their student voice and advocacy work to promote global learning and engagement at schools.  Our school has been invited to participate in this event. Six local and international students have been selected as our school representatives. They attended a pre-forum briefing and discussion online session and here is their reflection: 

On March 15th, we had our first international student voice pre-forum briefing and discussion, with the goal of getting to know the 12 schools who also contributed to this project and giving us the opportunity to speak and ask questions. We spotted many fresh faces as soon as we entered the meeting, which makes me pleased and honoured to be able to join and work with them! The host emphasises the significance of autonomy and encourages us to get up and advocate for the school, making us eager to see them all in person!

-Christy K

Yesterday, I was privileged to attend an international student forum that brought together 12 schools, including Melbourne Girls College, Genazzano College, and Nobel Park Secondary College. The forum briefly introduced a coming event that aimed to encourage students to attend the forum, organize a competition for international students, and participate in a mentoring event.

First, the teacher who led the forum gave a rousing speech that left a lasting impression on all attendees. The teacher's words of encouragement were particularly impactful for both local and international students, who may feel uncertain or hesitant about expressing their opinions or ideas. By reminding us of the importance of our voices, the teacher instilled a sense of confidence and pride in our school community. 

The teacher leading the forum provided a clear timeline for the upcoming event, which allowed all participants to prepare and plan accordingly. The sections were well-organized, and each provided a unique opportunity for students to engage with one another, exchange ideas, and build valuable skills. 

As a participant, I found the event to be highly informative and motivating. The opportunity to attend the forum and connect with other international students was invaluable, and I appreciated the chance to share my own experiences and learn from others.

-Venus F

Build our international student’s Reading Confidence

Our reading program has always been supporting our international students who need improvement on their literacy skills. Our team often use words of encouragement to build their confidence so they would try their best to read many books and improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Now, these students can read with confidence, pronouncing words more accurately than before. 

We also use questions about the text to assess their understanding and enhance their reading comprehension. For example, we read “Go on a Voyage!” and then asked the following questions:

1. What was the weather like at Coyne Bay?
2. On which day did the family meet Captain Joy?
3. How did Taylor describe Captain Joy?
4. Why did Lloyd have to take Lucy-May and Taylor to the downstairs of the boat?
5. How would you have felt if you were aboard the Oyster?

Our aim is to improve their English efficiently.  

Ning Hong

International Student Support

2023 International Student Forum 1

On 30th March 2023, our 6 student representatives attended International Student Forum 1.  This first forum provides an opportunity to reflect on what good international student connectedness and inclusion means, and why intercultural understanding and global mindsets are important. 

Berry Eain, the Student Ambassador speaker, delivered a wonderful speech which inspired and encouraged everyone at the Forum. Her journey of becoming a student leader certainly impressed all student representatives and staff across Victorian schools.

As a team, DSC students Elly TE, Lisa CHEA, Venus FUNG, Kelly SUN and Christy KWAN actively participated in all activities of this event and brainstormed many wonderful ideas for future projects to be implemented at DSC. Here is their reflection.

At the event, I participated in two group work activities. The first activity was a mixed group discussion with other schoolmates about how to link local students and international students, and what support the school can provide to international students. During the discussion, we shared our ideas and experiences and came up with some practical suggestions, such as organizing cultural exchange activities, providing language support, and offering counselling services. Through this activity, I learned that communication and understanding are essential to building a harmonious and inclusive community, and I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other students from different backgrounds.

The second activity was a group discussion with my schoolmates about organizing an art competition. We decided to hold an art competition that would extend the art form from photography to all art forms, with the theme of "your culture and our culture". We discussed the target audience and voting method of the competition, and brainstormed ideas for promotion and prizes. Through this activity, I learned that organizing an event requires careful planning and coordination, and I enjoyed the opportunity to work with my schoolmates to create something meaningful and fun for both local students and international students.

My reflection on these activities is that they have provided me with valuable opportunities to develop my communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. I have learned that by working collaboratively with others, we can achieve more than we can on our own, and that diversity is a strength that can enrich our lives and broaden our perspectives. 

--Venus FUNG

Throughout the forum, I also make a lot of new friends in the mixed group activities, they all come from different countries, such as Vietnam, Russia, Malaysia, Germany, etc. talking with them and knowing their cultural background is a really interesting and Worthing experience, as I learn that Russia is really stressful in learning at schools just like Hong Kong, I then share our same experience and thoughts to each other, which makes me feel a sense of connectedness. 

--Christy KWAN

We brainstormed ideas about activities and initiatives we want to bring to our school community to embrace the connection of international student and local students. In a group with students from other schools, we gathered ideas based on our experiences and our insights and shared our brainstorming to everyone in the forum. As a team, we brainstormed an activity we want to implement to create a close relationship of all students from all background and to embrace the cultural diversity DSC has. From this forum, I have improved my interaction and communication skills, which is the most enjoyable part of this event.

-Lisa Chea

Giorgio, the Sporty international student 

International students at DSC are talented. Some are arty, some are academic, and some are sporty. I sat down with Giorgio, who comes from Sri Lanka, to talk about his passion on sport events.

What sporting events you participated since you started at DSC, what did you achieve? 

I took part in the DSC swimming trials, Division swimming carnival, and DSC athletic carnival, for the shot put and discus throw. After a lengthy break, it was lovely to take part in sporting events. I competed in the DSC swimming tryouts and was chosen for the Division swimming carnival, and I also competed in the shot put and discus throw events for the DSC Athletic Carnival, where I finished second in both competition as my achievements. 

Why are you interested in sporting events? 

Because I'm the only child who doesn't like to be left alone, I started playing sports when I was 6 years old. In my free time, I used to take part in a lot of sporting events and activities. Sports can be beneficial in a variety of ways, including the improvement of your overall health, the ability to forge friendships that you might not have otherwise, and the development of leadership qualities. I feel more alive and energized after engaging in sports.

DSC provide such opportunities for you to participate in, what’s your thoughts?

Students at Doncaster Secondary College are given the freedom to select the sports of their choice from a variety of chances to engage in those activities. The school organizes sporting events, such as athletics carnivals and other sporting events, to encourage students like us to showcase our talents in sports.

Student Support Services Video Competition

The International Education Division recently held a Student Support Services Video Competition. Our international students Elly Te, Lisa Chea and Venus Fung participated in this competition and all of them were winners! Their videos showed new students that accessing school support services early is a great idea to help stay on track with learning and to feel safe, happy and healthy! Well done to Elly, Lisa and Venus!

Attendance Award

International student of term 1 2023

Congratulations to those students who have achieved 100% attendance in Term1 study. You have shown us your ability of being resilient and being responsible for your own study.

Sally Huang

Director of International Student Program 

Doncaster Secondary College