LANGUAGES
EDUCATION PERFECT 2023
Over at the East Campus, students headed down to 2.3 and 2.4 to earn points for McKinnon during the course of five days. The atmosphere was absolutely wondrous. Students were determined to beat Amaroo despite having little-to-no hope. We were driven by the motivation to continue to strive and beat them, tailing closely behind them. In the end, we reached 574,588 points, placing second in the world and first in Victoria. Overall, we had spent over 2,057 hours on these championships trying our absolute best!
A huge congratulations to the nine students who achieved an Elite award and the eight students who achieved an Emerald award during the Education Perfect Language Championships. We commend your hard work and dedication in earning points strenuously for our school.
Along with this, a huge thank you to all our language teachers at McKinnon for making all of this possible. From the East Campus, a huge thank you especially goes to Madame Lynd, Madame Antal, Madame Howard, Senora Gomez and Herr Nutting for always helping students out and providing lollies. At the Main Campus, thanks go to Madame Reid, Madame Dickson, Monsieur Chamontin, Senor O’Brien, Frau Paal, Frau Fowler and Mademoiselle Mullane for helping supervise recess and lunch sessions in A Block. Another massive thank you to Monsieur Chamontin for organising the amazing launch party and for being our biggest cheerleader throughout all of the championships! We couldn’t have done it without all of you!
To Justine Pinn (Year 9), thank you for taking the time to make cookies specifically for the Education Perfect Championships at East. They were absolutely divine and everyone loved them.
We are so grateful for all the students and language teachers that attended the launch party, and the lunchtime sessions and just simply got points for our school. Thank you to all of you for making the 2023 Education Perfect Championship as magical as it was!
Maleesha Dharmadasa & Mia McMahon
Year 9 Students
INTERGENERATIONAL GERMAN CONVERSATIONS @ MCKINNON ARE BACK
After several years of interruptions to this program, we were lucky enough to welcome back some of our senior participants. Students and senior participants were enthusiastic about getting to know each other and enjoyed each other’s company.
Students were prepared in class for the first meeting and many questions and answers were communicated. After an intensive discussion, homemade Apfelstrudel and other cakes rewarded all participants for their effort. And for our senior participants, the cup of coffee that made it a traditional German ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ was only a small thank you for their voluntary participation.
Over many previous years that we ran this program, initially researched and run by Monash University, we observed the great benefits of social interaction for both younger and older generations. But also programs on ABC TV's like 'Old People's Home for Teenagers' have demonstrated the positive outcomes of intergenerational collaboration.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our returning senior German speakers who always make our conversation lessons enjoyable and interesting. We are looking forward to fortnightly sessions on Thursday afternoons throughout the year.
If you are interested in this program and would like to join, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Andrea Fowler
German Language Teacher
Please find below a senior participant's feedback after our first meeting!
How wonderful it was to be back. After three years on hold, the Year 11 Intergenerational German conversation class was held outside on a lovely Thursday afternoon. As a volunteer I was so surprised to see how these gifted students could speak German so effortlessly. After nearly two hours of being quizzed in German on every personal subject the students could think of, I was exhausted!
All of the class could, together with their English language skills, easily travel and work throughout Central Europe. I cannot describe how impressed I am by this charming group of young people.
I would like to congratulate McKinnon Secondary College and the German language department on running the Intergenerational German conversation program. The best way to learn a language is to speak it.
It is wonderful being a volunteer at McKinnon Secondary College and the very special homemade Apfelstrudel made by Andrea Fowler and the cup of coffee kindly served by the students made me smile all the way home.
Peter Wilke
Senior participant of the Intergenerational German Conversation program
ALLIANCE FRANCAISE FILM FESTIVAL
The Alliance Francaise French film festival is on at the moment (click image for more information).
Our Year 9 French classes and our Years 10/11/12 classes are attending films as part of the school showing. Reports on these excursions will be provided in upcoming newsletters.
ANOTHER NEW LANGUAGES LEADER FOR 2023
Bonjour! My name is Yeri Soung.
I am so thankful that I got this amazing opportunity to be a language leader this year. I am currently in Year 9 and I have been studying French at school since Year 7. I also learn Korean and Mandarin outside school. I knew Dutch when I was younger too. I used to live in the Netherlands for five years, I've experienced living in three countries so far and traveled to more than ten. I am aware that learning any language can help you increase your linguistic skills AND help you have a better understanding of diversity within culture, especially the contrast between the culture of Australia. This is why I am so passionate about languages. I look forward to interacting with everyone during language events. Au Revoir :)
Jenny Lynd
Languages Learning Area Manager