Languages

Welcome back! Selamat datang kembali! ¡Bienvenido de nuevo! 

It's hard to believe that we're already in term two; hopefully everyone had a chance to rest and spend time with family and friends during the Easter break.

What are we learning in Languages this term?

In Spanish, Year 1, 2, and 3 students will be exploring the topic of el clima y las estaciones (weather and seasons), while Year 4 will focus on los deportes (sports). Year 5's theme is nuevos amigos (new friends), and Year 6 will be learning about la ropa, los lugares y las estaciones (clothing, places, and seasons) for Term 2.

Over in Indonesian, Year 7 students will be discussing the topic Mau ikut ke pantai? (Do you want to come to the beach?), while Year 8 will be talking about Aduh! Badan saya sakit semua! (Oh no! My whole body hurts!) and Year 9 will learn about tawar-menawar di pasar (bargaining in the market). Having just returned from a short visit to Bali, I can vouch that bargaining is a skill essential for anyone traveling throughout the Indonesian archipelago.

In Senior School Indonesian classes, the theme in Year 10  is kesenian, musik dan film Indonesia (Indonesian arts, music, and film), with Year 11 focusing on hiburan kaum remaja (youth entertainment) and Year 12 exploring teknologi dan medsos (technology and social media). Interestingly, Indonesia is one of the biggest users of social media in the world.

Sayembara Lisan

We're thrilled to announce that a group of Year 7 students are currently preparing to represent Aitken College in the upcoming Sayembara Lisan – an Indonesian speaking competition for students from different schools across the state. The competition will consist of a general conversation, reading aloud a short passage about a friend in Indonesian, and answering various unseen questions in Indonesian. The competition will take place on Friday 26 May at Overnewton Anglican Community College. 

Monash University School Holiday Indonesian Program Scholarship

The Indonesian Faculty is offering four scholarships to students from Years 9 to 11 for the Indonesian Holiday Program at Monash University's Clayton Campus on 29-30 June. The program will include activities such as a pencak silat tutorial, Indonesian cooking class, scavenger hunt, and other activities to enhance Indonesian language skills and cultural knowledge. This is also an excellent opportunity for students to gain exposure to university life at Monash University. Interested students should email srogers@aitkencollege.edu.au to apply.

Students in a recent Year 11 class learnt how to play the Indonesian bamboo instrument known as the angklung. Each angklung has a particular note which, when shaken at the appropriate time, can contribute to the production of a tune. The angklung can be seen as a metaphor for life. If everyone bergotong-royang – cooperates and works together - good things can happen.

Pak Rogers

Head of Faculty - Languages