Languages Faculty Highlights

The importance of 'living' the language, in and outside the classroom

Lucie Dickens, Academic Dean of Languages

Experiencing a language outside the classroom can have an important impact on a language learner. 

Realising they can use their language skills in a real life situation, such as following instructions to a bus stop, understanding words, sentences, expressions in a movie, is often a very meaningful and powerful learning experience for a student, one which enhances their motivation and understanding of the culture of the language they study. 

As students rely on their listening skills while reading subtitles in English, this experience also contributes to the development of their literacy skills. 

Giving Kilvington students the opportunity to see French and Japanese movies, or to taste food, is part of our curriculum and aims to allow students to experience what the French or Japanese culture looks, sounds and tastes like.

Learning a language can then become an immersive experience, one students can emotionally connect with and remember for many years.  

Thank you to French staff for organising a range of cultural excursions in Term 1. 

Year 8 French Movie excursion

Maya Wimalasundera and Chase Harran,

Year 8

On 24 March, our three Year 8 French classes  visited the Palace Theatre in Brighton to watch Fourmi as part of the French Film Festival. 

It was an amazing experience which we all enjoyed thoroughly. First, we took a walk (directed in French of course) to the bus stop and boarded for our journey to Brighton. When we arrived, we were delighted by the aroma of fresh popcorn and the sight of a whole cinema to ourselves! 

We were then seated in the plush chairs and eagerly awaited the start of the movie. Fourmi was a heartwarming movie about a French boy who is desperate to gain a place on the Arsenal football team, so he can be with his father. 

Overall, it was a great experience that made an awesome start to the term. 

Year 9 French café excursion 

As part of the Term 1 Year 9 French curriculum, students study the food and café culture from France. An excursion to a local French café is therefore included so that students can order their food in French and, more importantly, can taste some of the famous French products. 

Thank you to the staff at Noisette for welcoming our two Year 9 French classes, and to our French teachers, Nicolas Troitzky and Sarah Paulin for giving students this experience. 

Below is a student’s reflection of the excursion.

Sophie Rudnytsky, Year 9 French 

Noisette Café, wow, what an experience! The Term 1 French Unit for Year 9s consisted of experiencing French cafés and shops from a cultural standpoint. 

Whilst our trip did not end up in France, we were provided an amazing opportunity of further diving into the French culture by spending the afternoon in a local French café, Noisette Bentleigh. 

In terms of the food, the French variety was endless! The café spoiled us with amazing modern French savouries, pastries and desserts. Delicious examples included sandwiches, croissants, pain au chocolat, tarts and eclairs. 

The taste was amazing, but so was the visual representation of the food itself. As for drinks, options included a classic hot chocolate or even Orangina, a soft drink originating from France, made from real orange juice and carbonated water. 

What we took back from this experience is the authentic way culinary life is portrayed and expressed in the culture of France. With taste buds satisfied, laughs and smiles being thrown around, our overall impression of the experience produced by the café is way past the point of incredible.

Education Perfect Languages World Championships

Congratulations to all students who participated in the Education Perfect Languages World Championships.

Kilvington placed in the top 10% for French and top 20% in Japanese in Australia and in Victoria.

A fantastic effort from all our students and, in particular, the recipients of the following certificates:

Elite 10,012 points

Emerald 5000 points

Silver   2000 – 2051 points

Bronze 1000-1265 points

Credit  500- 936 points