Languages at De La Salle

LOTE 2011

2011 saw the reintroduction of a cultural dimension into the Year 10 Italian programme! Year 10 students spent some lesson time, learning the age-old card games of Briscola and Scopa — something that might not sound too exciting — but take a look at the cards... They concluded their studies of Italian with a celebration, immersing themselves in one of the aspects of the culture that Italians do best... taking part in a banquet! One year 10 class saw the introduction of a “Master Class”. Students took part in a lesson of meal preparation, led by Miss Ferrari. The class witnessed the preparation of an appetiser; (the famous bruschetta (pronounced “broosketta” not “brooshetta”, as often heard!!), and a main of spaghetti alla napoletana . The meal was prepared by the teacher, and then enjoyed by the students. The second Italian class ordered an already prepared banquet of antipasto, and then a dessert of tiramisu. What a delicious way of immersing themselves in what the Italians enjoy best — the sharing of a meal! Merely an introduction to the immersion programme being prepared at this very moment for 2012 — Cultural and linguistic exchanges are being negotiated with a school in Italy which will hopefully see students visiting us in March and De La taking the trip in September. The Year 9 and 10 French classes took part in the Alliance Française Poetry Competition and gained some impressive results — four of them gained the highest honour of “excellent”, winning places as finalists! This will prepare them well for the linguistic exchange being negotiated for them for 2012! From Year 7 students: “I learned heaps this year – I got to do French and Italian! We did stuff on the language and how people live in France and Italy. I think I can hold a very basic conversation in both languages”. “I loved doing two languages this year. It was hard choosing 1 for year 8! The best was learning how people live in other countries.” “I found learning two languages this year really challenging. I like that! I learned things I didn’t know before. The best thing was that we got to sing in a different language and watch DVDs about their way of life!” “It makes me feel smart if I can say something in a language that no one else can say” Ms Kath Marino LOTE Coordinator

Jean Callens and Jack Heatley

Eye-full (Eiffel) of France

It is strange to think that someone who lives more than 15,000 kilometres away, in a completely different country and with a different culture and lifestyle, would be the same in so many ways. In July/August, my family hosted Jean Callens, an exchange student from France, for eight weeks. He lives in a small town in the North of France about two hours away from Paris. On his arrival at Melbourne airport, I didn’t know what to expect — will this person be a beret-wearing, pencil-moustached, stripedshirt, baguette-wielding Frenchman, or just a normal sixteen year old from the other side of the globe? This fellow was none of the above-mentioned stereotypes (a little disappointing to be honest.) We tried to expose him to as much Australian culture as we could in two months by familiarising him with vocabulary such as ‘bogan’ (which took some time), ‘mate’, ‘g’day’, ‘ute’ and ‘Maccas’.