VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES · 2018. 9. 18. · VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES Family Staff Bulletin 25 May 2018 Last term was quite short and we had to complete many tasks in a

VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES

Family & Staff Bulletin 25 May 2018

Last term was quite short and we had to complete many tasks in a limited time.

One of the most difficult was to close some small classes in order to open new ones, especially in the growing outer suburbs. Thank you to everyone who assisted by enrolling early using the online enrolment system. We

certainly need the Department to remove the cap on our classes and increase our funding.

The focus of this Bulletin is the celebration of our VCE student success. We have brief profiles of our VCE students who obtained the top mark in Victoria for their language or who received a Premier’s Award. I trust that these profiles will inspire our secondary students, in particular, to make their best effort to excel in their language studies and achieve similar great results.

So far this year we have completed:• our Annual Report• the staff Performance and Development Plans • the development of apps in our Distance section • our Annual Implementation Plan • our Workforce Management Plan

We are currently working on:• developing Certificate courses for future teachers of Aboriginal languages – more on this in the next Bulletin • preparing a submission to build an extension to our school building as we have a serious shortage of space.• revising Year 11 courses (following the decision of the VCAA to review 12 VCE Second Languages study designs) in time for the 2019 school year• monitoring the teaching of our new distance education VCE courses (Hindi and Classical Greek) and the new VCE Vietnamese and Chinese courses• seeking an increase to our school budget so we can offer additional centre classes• seeking approval to extend our popular distance education courses to Year 6 and Year 5 levels.

The VSL has been selected by the Department to participate in the ‘Professional Learning Communities’ initiative. This forms part our commitment to contribute to the targets and goals of the Education State.

As winter is around the corner, it’s important that all students attend classes each week – missing out on one session means missing out on a week’s work.

Best wishes to students and staff on a great term and thank you to parents for your support. Frank MerlinoPrincipal

As well as its many campuses, the VSL also teaches 12 languages in its Distance Education Section where the latest technology is used. Three years ago we developed an app for the delivery of language courses and, to date,13 courses have been developed. As of 2018, 600 VSL Distance Education students now use the app to complete their course work. This app is part of a learning management system that has been designed here at the VSL to suit the specific needs of our language students. Once the app is installed, students log in to access their course work, including reading texts, voice recordings, videos, interactive tasks and more. Students have several options for submitting their own work using this app. The VSL team have also developed correction software for teachers so that their feedback can be easily viewed in the student app.The app-based courses offer many benefits over our fully print-based courses:• a seamless integration of reading and audiovisual texts for a more immersive experience • the inclusion of printed notes to complement the online course • links to useful resources on the web • a suite of self-correcting activities for students to have immediate feedback about their learning • students and teachers can see progress at a glance • quicker turnaround time for submission of work and teacher feedback.According to French teacher Namasté Gadbois, “The app makes it much easier to track student work, to change some activites very quickly, and to provide immediate feedback to students on telephone lessons. Thank you to Stuart Miller and the VSL Online Team for ‘building’ this great program.” The school will continue to develop new courses for the App.

From the Principal VSL introduces Course Apps in its Distance section

Ms Namasté Gadbois

Quality language programs since 1935

PAGE 2 FAMILY & STAFF BULLETIN 25 May 2018

At the end of last year a group of VSL students of German mainly from our Distance Education section and two teachers, Katja Schoenfelder and Rukmani Sandrasegara, left for a three week study tour to Germany and Austria. According to Ms Schoenfelder, “The aims for the students were to use German in a variety of real life context, to improve their communication skills in German and to enjoy a group learning experience given that as distance students they don’t usually have the opportunity to undertake such trips.”The first part was spent in southern Germany and Austria, exploring the cities of Munich, Saltzburg, Neuschwanstein Castle, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Nuremberg. A tour highlight was being on top of Zugspitze Mountain, the highest in Germany, from which an impressive 3600 panorama view over 400 mountains in four countries could be seen.

The visit to the medieval walled town of Rothenburg was a particular highlight with fresh snowfall on the group’s arrival transforming everything into a magic fairyland.

The group visited many places of historic and cultural significance. These included the city of Munich, the concentration camps in Dachau, the Dresden Fraukirche and the famous art collection at the Green Vault in Dresden, the NS Rally Grounds in Nuremberg, the Berlin War Memorial and the Stasi museum to name

a few. Many of these sites deeply impressed and moved our students. On the agenda for most evenings was the ordering typical Bavarian food and drink in German such as Spatzle, Rotkraut and Bratwurst. The Christmas markets at Nuremberg and Dresden also provided a wonderful experience.

The host school visit to the Hans-Carossa Gymanasium in Berlin provided the students with the opportunity to practice their German and to build new friendships. The teachers at the school offered an excellent program including the opportunity to meet with refugee children whose families were rebuilding their lives in Germany. The students also shared

photo presentations, music and a football workshop. The final week was spent in Berlin-Spandau, where the students stayed with selected host families and took part in family and school life.

The study tour proved to be a great experience for many students according to the comments by several parents. “Thank you for looking after our son…who initially suffered from anxiety leaving home…He has grown to be a confident young man and is very appreciative for the opportunity.” Another commented that the trip was “Spectacularly organised! The itinerary was so comprehensive and diverse – covered a bit of everything that Deutschland has to offer.” One student summed up the experience as follows: “Hands down, this Study tour has been the best experience I’ve had so far.

Christmas market in Munich

At the Brandenburg Gate

Welcome by host families

Explaining the mysteries of AFL football at the Hans-Carossa Gymnasium

Mixing with the students at the same Gymasium

Medieval times in Rotherburg

Student Study Tour to Germany and Austria



VCE Top Students & Premier Award Winners

Semra Makas - Bosnian Waking up early to go to class for me wasn’t the challenge, instead it was finding ways to include the use of Bosnian into my daily life, as this made me think on the spot, therefore enabling me to think faster in Bosnian. I strongly encourage all students to study their mother language as, not only does it open up a way of thinking that only

learning languages can, but it also allows you to develop a stronger emotional connection to your roots. Even though you may not yet understand how important this is and you may be struggling to continue your studies, don’t give up, because one day you will be very thankful for all the effort you put in. Once I finish high school, I plan to study here or even overseas and to hopefully go back to Bosnia one day.

Arushi Gupta – Hindi Maintaining Hindi is a passion of In-dians who have migrated to Australia. For me learning Hindi was a sociable and enjoyable experience and allowed me to watch and understand Bollywood movies and participate in the vibrant aspects of Indian youth culture. Learning a language also provides an opportunity to strength-en literacy skills in English and, by

comparing and contrasting the linguistic structures, learners can also better understand their native language. Practising in an effective manner,sound organization, understanding of the topic and efficient time management are the fundamental ele-ments of success for the VCE in general. What I am taking with me is not merely a perfect study score but also great friends, sweet memories, and an unforgettable school experience.

Magdalena Dolic – CroatianI studied Croatian initially to improve my fluency when speaking and writ-ing to my relatives overseas. As I was born here in Australia, I primar-ily speak English with my siblings and friends. The time I spent with other students and my teacher was worthwhile and we became quite a team. We had a lot of laughs and I found myself thoroughly enjoying my

studies. Pursuing a language as a subject has been one of the best decisions I have made so far! Studying the language has assisted me in achieving the ATAR I require for tertiary studies and my ability to speak and write in Croatian has dramatically improved. I’m hoping to pursue tertiary studies in radiography and medical imaging and qualify as an Ultrasound specialist.

David Dawt Bik Thang Lian - Chin HakhaI was introduced to VSL classes by one of the Chin Hakha teachers and I was delighted to study the language as I did not have this opportunity in my country of birth. The biggest challenge I faced was having to get up early on Saturdays, however it was worth the effort. Playing soccer with my friends during recess and talking

about our weekdays in our own language were very precious times. Pursuing the language has broadened my understanding of political issues, the cultures and history of the Chin people but also enhanced my speaking and writing skills. I would en-courage younger students to always try your best as ‘what you plant now, you will harvest later’. My goal is to study commerce at university and to teach younger students the language.

Wimansa Hettiarachchchi - SinhalaBy studying the Sinhala language I was able to learn many of the Sri Lankan traditions and cultural values. Writing in Sinhala was a chal-lenge as I struggled to find the cor-rect words to match what I wanted to convey. However, with the support of my teachers, fellow classmates and

lots of practice essays, I developed my writing skills. The most enjoyable aspect of studying Sinhala was learning about its history which dates back to before 2,500BC. The best advice I can give to the younger students is to not just think about the bonus marks for the ATAR but to explore your cultural identity. My aspiration is to become a medical doctor, specialising in cardio surgery and then work in Sri Lanka for 2-3 years.

Amy Caruana – Maltese I studied Maltese because I wanted to keep my family’s native language going and to help improve my ATAR. Studying another language is always beneficial as it helps one to grow as a person and develop a new understanding of different cultures and traditions.I am looking forward to studying a Bachelor of Arts (if not a double

degree), and being bilingual broadens my opportunities within my field and will also help with future employment choices.I enjoyed studying Maltese and meeting new people. I advise students to keep studying languages, to be passionate and to persevere to achieve your goals.

The following students either received the top mark in the State in their respective language or a Premier’s Award or both

Htoo Paw Nay Blute - Karen Last year was the very first time that the Karen language was part of the VCE curriculum and I was honoured to be one of the first students. I was never going to miss a very big opportunity to show how valuable my language is to me and to my community. Since we live in a multicultural country, there will be people who don’t fully understand

English and if we learn a new language, not only will it benefit us, but also the people around us. The advice I would give to the younger students is to work on their weaknesses and overcome them. For me pronunciation and spelling were a challenge, however, with the assistance of my teacher and friends, I improved and became more confident. The overall message is that practice makes perfect!

Faith Paran - FilipinoI studied Filipino to continue learning the language and stay connected to the Filipino culture. The main challenges I faced were keeping up to date with the homework. Discovering new Filipino words that I didn’t know, as well as exploring new idioms, was fun. The constant laughter and singing in class and sharing of opin-ions about politics, food, tourist desti-

nations, and the media made the whole experience fun for me as well. I would advise younger students studying a language to enjoy the whole experience. It is also important for them to stay up to date with the homework and tasks set by their teacher, as these are tools that will help them improve their language skills. In the future I would like to travel, meet people from dif-ferent cultures and learn about their values and beliefs.



Jacques De Groot - Dutch Choosing to study Dutch was not a hard decision to make. Having many Dutch relatives and having spent time on exchange in the Netherlands made me want to study the language as a VCE subject. Because I live about an hour and a half away from the school, it was challenging getting up on Saturday mornings for another day of school. Meeting new people

of the same background and having an awesome and very supportive teacher made my experience very enjoyable. The language study allows me to complete my international bac-calaureate this year, which will make it easier for me to study internationally. The advice I would give younger students is to speak, read and write in the language as much as you can and, of course, ask your teacher for assistance .

Jaskaran Singh Mann – Punjabi I have always had a passion for learning foreign languages in school and, after migrating to Australia, I have enjoyed the opportunity to study Punjabi at the VSL. As well as the enjoyable experience, the course also boosted my study score for which I got a perfect ATAR and I got into my preferred course and university.Studying Punjabi connected me with

my community and heritage. I was always encouraged by my teacher at the VSL to improve my language skills and she also assisted me to obtain a broad view of education and select an appropriate path at University and learnt many new things. All my friends and family have also supported me a lot throughout this journey.

Khatira Haidari – Persian I come from Afghanistan and I have been in Australia for two years. I actually didn’t know that I could study Persian as a VCE subject until my Year 11 English teachers told me about the VSL Persian classes. The Box Hill centre for Persian was a bit far from where I live hence the only challenge I faced was that it took me up to two hours to get there by public

transport and I had to wake up 5:30 am. The teachers were really friendly and kind and they helped me to improve my Per-sian and they assisted with my presentation for the final exams. I would not have received such a high mark in Persian without my teachers’ help. The exam skills I have learnt will definitely help me to get a good mark in my English exam as well. My goal is to become a medical doctor.

Julia Elizabeth Duncan – SpanishI studied VCE Spanish at the VSL Dis-tance section because my school did not offer it. I have only studied the language from Year 9 onwards but it has become a highlight of my school-ing. Studying Spanish and French concurrently was particularly chal-lenging. Seeking connections to the

Spanish-speaking world through acquaintances and through literature, was extremely rewarding and enjoyable. As well as providing stimulating mental exercises, knowledge of another language gives one access to ideas and experiences beyond one’s immediate circle. Through Spanish I gained entry to the work of Gabriel García Márquez and Julio Cortázar. Márquez in particular led me to learn more about the history of Colombia.

Jenny Kim - Korean SL I moved to Australia when I was 3 but I have always had an interest in the Korean language. Studying and excelling in Korean was admittedly a challenge for me as most of my peers seemed to be very diligent and there were multiple aspects of the exam to prepare for. The VSL classes gave me the opportunity to interact and build relationships with other students, to

learn about past and present Korean social issues and discover the importance of unification within the Korean peninsula. I was not the most academic student at the beginning of the year and I had to tackle the pitfall of procrastination. I encour-age younger students to adopt a consistent study routine and dedicate just as much time to language studies as you would to any other subject preparation.

Giorgia Benini - Italian I initially chose to study Italian at VSL because I feared losing fluency in the language. At the beginning, my writing and grammar was far from perfect, however being in a class with students who shared a love for the language, who strove to do well, pushed me to practise further. I began reading novels and writing in Italian at home and speaking it as

often as possible. As well as assisting with your résumes and job interviews, languages are bridges to other cultures and they challenge the way we think about multiculturalism. As someone who wishes to pursue art and humanities, I’m confident Italian has helped me do so in numerous ways, from refining the meth-ods of studying to understanding Italian history. I also plan on using my language skills for travelling and studying abroad.

Elizabeth Ciortuz – Romanian I chose to study Romanian at the Victorian School of Languages not only because it gave me the opportu-nity to use my first language as a VCE subject, but also because it enabled me to maintain a connection with my roots. The most challenging aspect of the course was going to school an extra day a week, but being able to spend time with my friends made

it more enjoyable. In my opinion, the two greatest benefits of pursuing language study are the way a language develops one’s intellect and allows one to reconnect with one’s own culture or to discover a new culture altogether. I would advise younger students to immerse themselves in the language they are studying by speaking to their family or friends and to always ask for help when they are unsure of something.

Stephanie Wiranata - Indone-sian First Language I studied VCE Indonesian at the VSL because my day school did not offer the language. I found it challenging to study two languages at a time, namely Indonesian and English, how-ever they complemented each other. The Saturday classes were always enjoyable as I could meet my friends

and take part in lively discussions. In leaning Indonesian I feel as if I know the country of Indonesia better and its different cul-tures and history. My advice to other students is to always work consistently, to always do your homework and never fall behind. In the future I plan to study science and I know that my ability to speak the Indonesian Language will be useful.



Jin Jeong - Korean FL After I came to Australia, I started to lose my Korean because I was also learning English at the same time. However, the VSL is a great place and the classes helped me to communi-cate with other Korean students and I made new friends that I could connect and relate to. The great atmosphere made my study fun and interest-ing, and influenced my good results.

Initially I found the listening tasks difficult so I started to listen to radio programs. This helped me to increase my marks and gave me personal satisfaction. I plan to be an accountant and now I have more confidence in working with both future Aus-tralian and Korean clients. I would also like to use my Korean language skills to tutor high school students and help them to improve their language skills.

Glenn Alexander – Indonesian 2nd Language Since Indonesian was not offered in my base school, I decided to study it at the VSL Brunswick Centre. I’ve had a great time studying it, learning about the ins and outs of the gram-mar with the occasional game of ‘Ka-hoot’ or two. The challenges I faced ranged from facing the early Sat-

urday morning starts to the practice exams leading up to the end-of-year examination. But all this was worth it in the end, as it sharpen our language skills, allows us to make new connec-tions with new friends and contributed to the ATAR (its pretty huge!). My plan now is to attend University. To those studying a language I say this, as clichéd as it may sound, always try your best as you never know where languages take you.

Ayano Nakamura – Japanese FL Ayano Nakamura, an International stu-dent, was enrolled at the Brentwood Centre of the Victorian School of Lan-guages during 2017 and studied Units 3 and 4 of Japanese 1st Language course. She arrived in Australia at the com-mencement of 2017 and attended Aquinas College.Her Japanese language teacher, Mr

Ota, remembers Ayano as being a well behaved and hard-working student who participated fully in classroom activities and discussions. Ayano enjoyed learning Japanese at the Brentwood VSL Centre and in turn was popular with the other students, who appreciated her company.Ayano has since returned to Japan to continue her studies at a Japanese university.

Dominika Pasztetnik – Polish I decided to study Polish as my older siblings, who had also studied it at the VSL, recommended it. At the VSL I was able to further develop my Polish skills and became more pro-ficient as a speaker, reader, listener and writer. I believe this will become very useful especially if I decide to spend an extended amount of time in Poland after Year 12. I also hope

to learn more languages in the future, and doing Polish VCE has equipped me with the required study techniques. I would advise students to expose yourself to the language as much as possible. Regularly reading novels or magazines in the lan-guage, watching movies and the news will help you expand your vocabulary and grammar...and of course speak your language as often as possible.

Trinh Bao Tran - Vietnamese SL If you take me back five years and ask me why I studied Vietnamese, I would say… “my parents”, but you subsequently come to realise its ben-efits. First of all, you can converse with your extended family members at those enormous Asian gatherings. Don’t become that kid that sits in the corner alone, with a phone as your only company. Festivities like

Tet is also a time in which you can bring out that polished Viet and show it off to your friends. In a multicultural Australia, the Vietnamese population is steadily increasing and the ability to fluently converse in two languages makes job hunting easier. Throughout my Year 12 studies, I was able to obtain a deeper understanding of my culture, its traditions and its values.

Benjamin Widmann - German A challenge for me was practicing past exams, ensuring that all pos-sible formats of text had been cov-ered and attaining a higher level of grammatical structure in my essays. The classes were very enjoyable as our teacher was particularly engag-ing. We were given opportunities to practice for the final exams in class and I especially enjoyed learning with

a motivated group of students. In an increasingly interconnect-ed world, having language skills provides us with many more opportunities to attain knowledge and pursue international ca-reers. I would like to study overseas and ,as many of the world’s largest industries are based in German-speaking countries, my German skills will give me access to a wider range of employ-ment options.

Zoja Kovacs - Hungarian In this ever-changing world it is important to maintain a connection to your heritage. Although I could arbitrarily achieve this through food or culture, the skill of being able to speak one’s mother tongue is the best skill. A highlight of my VSL journey was definitely not the 6.00am wakeups to make the 9.00am classes. However, it was all worth-

while when you saw all your similarly weary but enthusiastic classmates. I would advise younger students to hold on to your language studies at all costs. If you drop a language you’ve spent years studying you will only regret it in years to come. In the future I plan to be heavily involved with the Hungarian com-munity in my chosen area of law.

Julia Fittipaldi - Portuguese Enrolling in the VSL Portuguese course was another means to achiev-ing a well-rounded secondary educa-tion and an attempt at increasing my ATAR score. What I hadn’t expected was to gain a life-changing experience. Through VSL Portuguese, not only did I chal-

lenge myself but I was given the opportunity to learn so much about my Brazilian culture and its origins. I made great friends from a variety of different backgrounds and had a surprising amount of fun for an early Saturday morn-ing class. Looking back on the previous year and the dedication it required, the pay-off is indisputable as is the positive lesson I’ve learnt for life ... there’s nothing more rewarding than learn-ing a language.



New VCE Languages studies taught by VSL in 2018This year the Victorian School of Languages introduced three new Languages studies at the Year 12 VCE

level. In the last three years the school has introduced newly accredited VCE Languages and students have already completed their first Year 12 exam in Chin Hakha, Karen and Vietnamese First Language. Support has been provided for the teachers of these languages to further develop units of work, assessments and

resources so as to enhance the classes and opportunities for students to achieve their personal best. Below are the three new VCE studies that the VSL has introduced in 2018: Hindi (Distance Education) The VSL has been teaching Hindi since 1987, and was the first Government school to do so. However the school has been receiving requests from students in country Victoria who are unable to access classes because there are no nearby venues. Consequently last year the VSL Council funded the development of a Year 12 VCE Hindi Distance Education course and this is being taught this year.The VSL is now developing a Year 11 Distance Education VCE course to be offered as from the start of next year. This new provision is another example on how Victoria is the leading State by offering the most language choices. In Centre classes Hindi is taught from Foundation to VCE at the following centres: Berwick, Blackburn, Craigieburn, Creekside, Dandenong, Epping, Glen Waverley (Tues), Mildura (Wed), Sunshine and Shepparton.

Chinese Language, Culture and Society Similarly, local Australian students find Chinese to be a difficult language and one where they cannot compete successfully with native-born speakers. Hence the VCCA has introduced the new subject called “Chinese Language, Culture and Society”. The VSL was one of the first Government schools to offer the subject at its Box Hill centre. Area Manager Kerry Law reports, “The VCE subject embraces a new culture of Chinese language learning with powerful, down to earth class discussions on modern Chinese culture and society. The Chinese language learning contents are taught by an enthusiastic and experienced VCE Chinese teacher who grew up in Australia and encourages students to see the world with a broad perspective.”

Classical Greek One of our former Distance Education teachers, Dr Sybil Hitchman, studied Classical Greek at a British University. When she retired from the VSL she offered to develop a Classical Greek Distance Education course for secondary students. Her task was subsequently completed by Gaetana Pellegrino. This year Classical Greek is taught at the Year 12 VCE level and is suitable for students who want to obtain an understanding of the language that has contributed so much to western civilization.

For further information on the above courses please contact the relevant teachers or Area Managers or the VSL Head Office at (03) 9474 0500.

Italian - Claudia Colarossi I began studying Italian at VSL in Year 10 as I wanted to pursue French at my regular school. At the VSL I loved working with other students and be-ing able to learn from each other. I found that the Italian class gave me a welcome break from my regular study timetable. I was very aware that all the students who dedicated their Saturdays to the VSL were very

enthusiastic about learning a foreign language. The early years of studying a language may seem tedious but I would defiantly recommend sticking to it as it will increase your overall VCE score and give you a leg up. There are also really amazing op-portunities to go on exchanges, where you are fully immersed in the culture. I was lucky enough to go to Prato in Italy in Year 10 and to Paris during the summer holiday. I plan to continue with either French or Italian at University and I am sure that I will return to Italy and France to reconnect with the people I met.

Ms Bhavya Shah

Ms Kerry Law

Ms Gaetana Pellegrini

Sambath He - KhmerThe life of an international student can be a very lonely, so studying Khmer at the VSL enabled me to connect with fellow Cambodians as well as boosting my ATAR score. The challenges are many when you study the VCE and in fact I actually thought of giving up during Term 1! I found myself tired after a week at day school, and travelling to Westall was hard but with my teacher’s encouragement I stuck to it and I am

happy that I did. Studying Khmer was an opportunity to improve my language skills and gain a better perspective of Cambodian culture and history in an Australian setting.

The added bonus also improved my university entry and em-ployment options. I would advise VCE students to never give up ‘if you want to quit, don’t quit now, quit tomorrow’ because by delaying a little you will continue with your language study. My career goal is to become a NATI translator.



Japanese visit to Hokusai Exhibition at the NGV On 18 of August, 22 of our distance education Year 11 Japanese students and their teachers visited the National Gallery of Victoria. The excursion was organised to coincide with the gallery’s exhibition of Japanese woodblock print artist, Hokusai, whose famous work “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” is an iconic image recognised world-wide and the gallery owns its own copy.

Although this exhibition was enjoyed as a cultural experience in itself, it also tied in well with our Year 12 course. Our Detailed Study topic in Year 12 is “Manga and anime” and Hokusai is considered a forerunner of manga artists. Students first attended a language session, followed by an introductory talk about the exhibition by gallery staff. They then had time to do a self-guided viewing of the prints.

In the afternoon everyone enjoyed a session on manga drawing and one on creating anime with ipads- both presented by gallery staff. The teachers, Boris Grizelj and Yoko Kato, discovered that they have so many artistic students and many masterpieces were created. In fact, the work of Daniel Petty was selected to appear on the gallery’s official website!

VCE Spanish Oral preparation On 16 September, the Spanish Faculty in the VSL Distance Education section held a Spanish mock oral examination practice. Year 12 students experienced an authentic oral examination experience which not only helped them prepare and feel more confident for the upcoming event, but they were also able to see what improvements they had made and what they needed to do to reach their goals for the 2017 VCE Oral Language Assessments. This was the 2nd round of practice

exams run by the Spanish faculty in 2017. The practice oral exam was delivered by the teachers Patricia Herr and Rosa Paez, ably assisted by Maurice Gregorace who prepared the interview arrangements and greeted the students and parents. According to Ms Herr “Overall it was worth the effort. All but one of the students attended on the day (one had a family emergency). Some parents also accompanied the students and some sat in on the feedback session and, I think, they were pleased that their children had the extra practice opportunity. “Both Rose and I noted an overall improvement in students’ preparedness of their Detailed Study topics and it was obvious that they had used previous feedback given to them to work on specific areas for improvement.” As it turned out one of the students, Julia Duncan, achieved the top VCE mark in the State for Spanish! First Indonesian Model United Nations Conference On 11 August 2017 the United Nations Association of Victoria, the Department of Education and Training and the Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers Association organised the first Model United nations Conference. The topic of the Conference was “the Responsibility To Protect: Preventing mass Atrocity Crimes” and was held at the Treasury Theatre in Melbourne.

The VSL was represented by Sarah Bouquet and Rafaela Anja, both students of Year 12 Indonesian Second Language and they were given the role of representing Myanmar. They were assisted by their teacher Maria Obrowski.

According to Rafaela, “Participating in the Model UN was an amazing experience! It was interesting to not only be see how a Model UN General Assembly works, but also be involved in every step, including all the research and preparation needed to represent our country well.”

Rafaela added that “it was a challenge to justify our arguments but that’s what made it so fun - to debate with people in a language you don’t normally speak! …. Being part of Indonesian Model UN has broadened my view of Indonesian beyond the confines of the classroom and everyday situation, thus perceiving this language as globally powerful in its own right.

Thank you to our teachers for making such opportunities for students possible.”

This year thee VSL German Faculty will join the Indonesian Faculty in the 2018 Model UN Conference.

Three Class Activities - Japanese, Spanish and Indonesian

Student with Medames Paez and Herr

Sarah, Ms Obrowski and Rafaela

Participating in Anime workshop

As people who are familiar with the VSL know, there is always something happening in our classes. In the various campuses students are given the opportunity to experience a range of stimulating language

and cultural activities. The following are three examples:

School Updateswww.vsl.vic.edu.au

The Victorian School of Languages was established in 1935 with the first languages taught being Japanese and Russian. At the request of Professor A. Lodewyckx from the University of Melbourne, Dutch was introduced in 1944. In the same year, the Principal of University High School, Mr R. Garland, wrote to the Secretary of the Education Department requesting that Russian also be introduced. After a two year delay the request was agreed to and the classes commenced on 1st March 1947. One of the students who enrolled in the initial classes in 1947 and 1948 was Barry Jones, who at the time was a

student at Melbourne High School and admirer of Russian novelists such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.

Dr Jones, now 85 years old, is an extraordinary Australian, an author, a former Parliamentarian, a former Federal Science Minister, a polymath, a public intellectual and is also recognised as an Australian “National Living Treasure”. This month a documentary film was released on his incredible life. The two hour-long film is called “Barry Jones in Search of Lost Time” and focuses on his life from childhood to the present day, describing the shaping forces and key turning points of his life. Dr Jones gave a speech at the VSL annual conference in 2013 at the University High School Centre.

In reflecting on his study of Russian he admitted that he never learnt to speak the language fluently. However when he was appointed by President Gorbachev as part of an international committee of experts to advise on the restructure of Russia, he understood enough Russian to know when the official translators were not translating properly!

Key 2018 Term 2 Dates

21 April Centre classes resume. VCE Interim Reports distribution 15 May Premiers Awards, Convention Centre19 May Staff PD (No Centre classes)9 June Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend (No Centre classes)13 June VCAA VCE GAT (General Achievement Test) Exam30 June Centres Semester1Report Distribution (F-10) VCE only language classes. Please check at your Centre16 July Term 3 Resumes21 July First day of Centre classes (Saturday) for Term 3

New VSL Publications/Materials 2018 Centre Publications • Persian Primary 3 Textbook

• Turkish Primary 5 Textbook

• Urdu Primary Textbook 3

• Urdu Primary Textbook 4

• Tamil Textbook 1

• Tamil Textbook 2

• Arabic VCE – Guide to Text Types

Term 2 Professional Development 4 May MLTAV Conference5-10 May ‘Differentiation Strategies in the Language Classrooms’5 May MLTAV Conference, East Melbourne9 May Leading Teacher PD Day13 May Portuguese Teachers Workshop at VSL19 May VSL Centre staff PD – ‘Flipped Lessons & Communicative Teaching’6 June Leading Teacher PD Day31st May Centre Co-ordinators Meeting, Thornbury, 5.00pm-7.30pm7-9 June Area Manager Conference

New VSL Publications/Materials 2018 Distance Education • Japanese VCE Units 1 & 2 Online course• French VCE Units 3 & 4 Online course• Spanish VCE Units 3 & 4 Online course• Hindi VCE Units 1 & 2 Distance Education course

• Arabic 10 Distance Education course

Barry Jones - Former VSL Student of Russian

Dr Barry Jones with Frank in 2013

Dr Barry Jones, 2018

Documents

VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES · 2018. 9. 18. · VICTORIAN SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES Family Staff Bulletin 25 May 2018 Last term was quite short and we had to complete many tasks in a