LANGUAGES
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Another great opportunity for students to enhance their language learning, intercultural awareness and media analysis is through the annual Melbourne International Film Festival.
This year international movies will be screened from Thursday 2 August - Sunday 19 August. A wide range of high quality film screenings for different age groups and a variety of languages, such as English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Indonesian will be shown.
Films also engage students in critical and creative thinking and support the development of ethical, personal and social capabilities.
For further information on age-suitabilty and content of each film, please visit
Enjoy a family night at the movies and enrich your student´s interest in languages!
GERMAN and FRENCH MODEL UN
At the end of June, before our semester break, a group of selected German students from Years 9 to 12 attended the GERMAN Model UN at Treasury Theatre. Students from Government, Private and Catholic schools met to discuss Europe´s and probably the world´s most burning issue `The refugee crisis´, and this all in the German language. As every year, the performance of our students was impressive. Congratulations to all participating students. I would like to thank Ms Joers (German assistant) for preparing the students for this event and for accompanying them on the day.
I would also like to congratulate all French students participating in the FRENCH Model UN and thank Mr Casey for preparing and accompanying our students on the day.
UNTERNEHMEN DEUTSCH
Looking for community members with connections to German businesses. If you are able to help, please contact Andrea Fowler, Head of Languages via email fow@mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au or by calling 8520 9000.
Andrea Fowler
Head of Languages
CUCKOO RESTAURANT EXCURSION
‘Wurst’, ‘Sauerkraut’, ‘Schweinebraten’, ‘Pommes’, ‘Kuchen’, ‘Pfannkuchen’, and more, were loaded onto students’ plates at the Cuckoo Restaurant on the annual excursion on Wednesday 1 August. A very full load of buses transported 217 McKinnon Secondary College learners of German from Years 8-12 into the Dandenongs, and by the return journey to McKinnon those students were full too. In the lead-up to the excursion students in Year 8 had come to grips with the German vocabulary for the most common German dishes that would be found at the Cuckoo, and with how to refer to the different courses of a meal in German. Teachers made use of this vocabulary in chats with table groups.
Students tried their hand at yodelling (some tried to avoid this), cow-bell-ringing in time with the direction from the Cuckoo’s lead singer/entertainer, and also at singing. All Year 12 German learners signed up for their last Cuckoo excursion and were the first onto the dance floor, getting the most out of their final nostalgic Cuckoo lunch!
Mr Nutting
Cuckoo Event Organiser
PREPARATION FOR NEW CALEDONIA TOUR
In preparation for our upcoming tour, the group of participating students met with Valentic Picvet who lived in Noumea for eight years. He talked about: New Caledonia's political structure and its links to France, tourism and the nickel industry, the indigenous groups and their languages, about the cuisine and other topics. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the country we are soon to visit.
Valentin is a student from our sister school in France, the Centre International de Valbonne and is currently staying in Melbourne to work on his English. Lily and Maya Mackey and their family (Class of 2017) are generously hosting Valentin while he is in Melbourne.
There will be another meeting for all participating students and their parents on Wednesday 15 August in the Lecture Theatre. We look forward to talking with them further to better prepare for the experience.
Kellie Dickson
French Teacher
NEW CALEDONIA PRE-DEPARTURE MEETING - WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST
As our trip to Noumea is fast approaching, we will meet as a group to go through some important information such as the itinerary, packing list and what to expect when staying with a new family. As this trip is a 'language and cultural tour' it is more than simply a tourism holiday experience. Students need to be prepared to stay in a unfamiliar home with new people and be independent, resilient young adults. They should be practising their French language skills in preparation.
The meeting will be in Lecture Theatre on at 7:00pm on Wednesday 15 August.
Kellie Dickson
French Teacher