Our students studying Languages enjoyed diverse cultural and linguistic activities throughout 2019. They engaged in several project based learning tasks and produced meaningful, real world use of French and Japanese.
Our top highlights are:
Japan Trip 2019
In September, six WBHS students went to Tokyo for a two week homestay. In the time spent there, they improved their linguistic and cultural understanding of the country as well as visiting famous sites and museums. Through the homestay program, our students gained an understanding of the differences in schooling and daily life in Japan while creating lifelong friendships. All of the Japanese host families sent WBHS students home with many gifts, wonderful memories and an invitation to go back and visit them again.
In July, 20 students from Suginami High School came to stay with Australian families and experience Warners Bay High School, Lake Macquarie, Nelson Bay and the Newcastle Foreshore area. 2019 Marked 28 years of strong friendship in our bilateral relationship with Suginami Gakuin.
Success in Senior Languages
25% of Year 12 French received a Band 5 in this subject in 2019. To support students in their French study, they attended a Year 12 Languages Day at University of Newcastle and the University of Sydney’s HSC Workshop as well as multiple holiday tutorials and a weekly Conversation Club. Several students will be continuing their French study at University and aiming to do an exchange also. This is reflective of the global citizenship they gained as a result of studying the foreign media and persuasive texts in French. This class is congratulated for their outstanding achievement and passion for Languages.
The Year 12 French class completed the International French Test (DELF) which allows them to study in a French Speaking University anywhere after school - without a HECS debt. This allows WBHS students to become real international citizens by studying in a francophone country.
Increasing elective numbers
We had a surge in Year 7 to 8 and Year 8 to 9 Japanese elective numbers this year as a result of employing new teaching strategies and the new language syllabus. Dell Sensei is to be congratulated on supporting 47 students from her three year 8 classes to continue their study in Year 9 Japanese and planning the Japan Trip 2021.
Strong academic outcomes for these students are evidence of high motivation and a commitment to reinforcing concepts at home. Quality teaching and learning is also happening in French where a hardworking class of French Continuers will be entering Year 11 in 2020.
French Film Festival & Competition
Warners Bay High School attended the French Film Festival in Kotara followed by a three course lunch at the French Restaurant, Coco Monde. We also submitted several entries to the Annual Hunter Languages Film Competition and won first place overall. Congratulations to Ellie, Casey and Georgia who received vouchers, chocolates and certificates! Well done to Grace who was also the winner of a $150 voucher. The success of our students in this competition has inspired us to continue planning and participating in this fun event in future.
Taiko Drumming Experience
In March, Kiyomi from EZ Japanese came to offer a Japanese Taiko Drumming Workshop to 275 Year 7 students, 75 Year 8 Japanese students and 50 Year 10 students. Kiyomi explained the cultural mindset behind the practice, stance and stamina of this Japanese Tradition. Students studying Japanese in Year 8 and 10 were offered the unique chance to drum on very unique, traditional drums that were imported from Japan and worked together on a multi-faceted folklore tune. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, that this was a fun and memorable learning experience.
Cultural Food Days
The local ‘Crepe Face’ market stall attended WBHS for a one day event that invited all French classes to taste the famous ‘crepe’ cooked in the true French style. Year 7 French classes finished their unit about cafe culture by sampling ‘pain au chocolat’, ‘croissant’ and ‘grenadine’. Students learn how to order food in French at the counter to prepare them for future travel experiences and Crepe Day.
In May, Year 7 Japanese students were in charge of bringing ingredients and cooking Yakisoba together (Japanese fried buckwheat noodles). Students worked well in groups, listening to safety rules and together created the delicious recipe to enjoy at lunch. In their second semester, three Year 8 Japanese classes also worked together to bring ingredients and create hand rolled ‘Temakizushi’ including soy sauce and real wasabi flavours.
The National French Competition
The Language Perfect Competition Winners at our school reached Elite level and were awarded voucher prizes for Westfield Kotara and Apple iTunes. Other prizes included were chocolates and certificates, these were presented at assemblies! Language Perfect sent official certificates for all students who participated significantly.
Linguist of the Month
A new initiative was created in 2019 to recognise the great work being done by committed students studying Languages. Eleven admirable linguists from Years 7-12 were showcased for their skills in verb conjugation, vocabulary memorisation and creating original texts using learnt grammatical topics.
Electronic Booklets for Year 7 Languages
One of the ways we are proactively reducing our environmental impact in Languages is by relying more on technology and whiteboards than photocopying. The Languages Faculty now has whiteboard tables and portable whiteboard sets for all of our classrooms. These will be used to assist students in consolidating their linguistic knowledge and for our learning games.
Professional Development of Language Staff
The Language teachers have a strong commitment to being lifelong learners and attended numerous professional learning events. Karen Poole engaged with teaching numeracy skills through Languages. Adelle Gordon attended workshops to implement the new Languages Syllabus. Rebeca Tamas was awarded the NSW Premier’s Kingold Scholarship to China. For one month she toured 8 cities and visited numerous high schools to see what best practice looked like when teaching foreigners Mandarin. The pedagogical techniques she discovered there have been shared and applied in the Language classroom at Warners Bay High School upon her return. The Languages staff are highly collaborative and engaged in leading the Languages Network Days and the Hunter Language Teachers’ Network meetings. With an awareness to constantly improve their classroom practice, it is the students who benefit directly from the latest practices.
