LOTE 2015 has been an exciting and busy year for both staff and students. Students at the main campus and Westcourt have had many diverse learning opportunities offered by the faculty. Students had the opportunity to grow and develop their appreciation of both cultures and languages through not only class work but also excursions and incursions run by both language departments. 2015 was the first time that both Year 10 Italian and Chinese students participated in the yearly LOTE camp with Sacred Heart College. Students spent 2 days practising their oral, aural, reading and writing skills of the language they study. For a second year in a row Year 10 Italian students participated in a language incursion day with St Ignatius College where cultural and language based activities were completed. LOTE students at Westcourt were also very busy. This year the ‘Italian Immersion Experience’ was introduced in year 9, students had the opportunity to participate in both cultural and language based activities both in Geelong and Melbourne over the course of three consecutive days in term 4. Some of the activities students completed included visiting two primary schools in Geelong - Christ the King and St Thomas Aquinas, students assisted the teacher and organised and ran activities for the students, they visited the COASIT Immigration museum in Carlton, Chinese and attended a language class at CIS (Centre of Italian conversation Studies) where students focused on developing lounge their aural and oral skills in Italian. Students also participated in a soccer training class run in Italian and a ‘foodie tour’ of Lygon Street.The program was a success and will be run in 2016. A group of sixteen Year 9 Chinese students had the opportunity to once again partake in ‘The Young Leaders to China Program’, an intensive 6 week language course completed in China during semester one. Students spent 3 weeks at a school in Nanjing as well as three weeks travelling around China. This group of students has returned to Westcourt motivated and enthusiastic to continue with their language Chinese conversation lounge studies in Year 9 and beyond. At the end of this year a group of 22 students (in Years 10 and 11) from St Joseph’s College and Sacred Heart College will be heading to Italy to complete a three week cultural and language immersion. Students will spend one week at an Italian school in Milan attending and participating in classes and
Year 9 Italian ‘science class’
Year 8 students participating in a Chinese “Lion Dance” workshop 82
2 weeks of travelling around Italy visiting cities such as Venice, Florence, Rome and Pompeii to name a few. The study tour of Italy is run every two years, current Year 8 and 9 students of Italian that continue with their language studies in 2017 will have the opportunity to take part in the next trip. Finally I would like to thank my colleagues of the LOTE Faculty for your continued hard work and support. Caterina Giacomazzo – LOTE Coordinator CHINESE CONVERSATION LOUNGE The Chinese Conversation Lounge takes place at Deakin University (Waterfront Campus) every Wednesday afternoon during the school term from 4pm – 5pm. The classes are run by Chinese International students attending Deakin. The Chinese Conversation Lounge is offered to all year 9-12 Chinese students that want to improve fluency and confidence. It is an invaluable opportunity for students and we hope to see the number of students taking advantage of the program grow in 2016. A big thank-you to Ms Carmel Moloney for coordinating and organising the program and Deakin student Zhe Geng for her assistance to Carmel, it is very much appreciated. Below are some comments from students that have attended the Chinese Conversation Lounge in 2015: The Chinese Conversation lounge was a great opportunity for me to practise my Chinese with native speakers. I found it a great benefit and formed a good relationship with the Chinese International students. Travelling to Deakin from school proved to be very easy, the bus left us walking distance from the Lounge. Each week we had a topic that we would prepare and then talk about in the class. Topics varied from what we did during the holidays to what music we enjoy and play. I encourage all students studying Chinese to come along to the sessions next year. Daniel Corray - Year 9 Every Wednesday from 4.00 to 5.00 o’clock boys from St. Joseph’s gather at the Deakin Waterfront Campus to take part in the Chinese Conversation Lounge. These sessions involve talking to Deakin students who are native Chinese speakers about a set topic, the topics can be anything from what you did on the holidays to what your favourite movie is. These topics appear in the school bulletin every Monday to help you prepare and come along armed to chat. The sessions really help build
