Learning Languages Newsletter May 2014

NEWSLETTER Vol. 3 | 23 May 2014

CHINESE LANGUAGE NEWS 2014 CHINESE BRIDGE SPEECH COMPETITION DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

FRENCH LANGUAGE NEWS STAGE DE NOUMÉA 2014

GERMAN LANGUAGE NEWS

YOUNG AMBASSADORS’ TRIP

NZGSE EXCHANGE—STANLEY HOLT

DELF SCOLAIRE 2014

GERMAN SCHOLARSHIPS

JAPANESE LANGUAGE NEWS

SPANISH LANGUAGE NEWS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

REX PROGRAMME TEACHER”S REPORT

SPANISH & CINEMA WORKSHOP

NZALT CONFERENCE

UPCOMING EVENTS

IMMERSION SCHOLARSHIP

ILEP INITIATIVE LIA AWARDS 2014

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Chinese Language News Chinese Bridge Speech Competition New Zealand 2014 On May 17, the Confucius Institute welcomed 29 student contestants at Victoria University of Wellington for this year’s Chinese Bridge Speech Competition. The students from schools all around New Zealand presented their skills in front of parents, teachers and principals as well as delegates from the Confucius Institutes, Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulates. They were judged by an expert panel led by the National Adviser for Chinese.

These 29 students, from:                   

Samuel Marsden Collegiate school (4), Columba College (4), Diocesan School for Girls (2), Lincoln High School (2), Westlake Boys’ High school (2), Westlake Girls’ High school (1), Christchurch Boys High(1), Christchurch Girls High(1), Mount Albert Grammar School(1), Rotorua Boys’ High, MacLean’s College (1), Kelston Girls College (1), St Peter’s College, Wellington College (1), Takapuna Normal Intermediate(1), Kristin School (1), Auckland Boys Grammar (1), St Kevin’s College (2), Tauranga Girls College(1)

Albert Grammar), Shannon Couper (Tauranga Girls’) and Ashvini Navaratnam (Samuel Marsden). Kathryn Robinson (Diocesan School for Girls) won the first prize in the intermediate category.

There were two outstanding features in the speech competition this year. One is that about 80% of contestants have been to China either for a long time stay or short time visit. This contributes to their confidence and proficiency of speaking Chinese. Another feature is that four contest29 Mandarinants come from three schools that speaking do not formally offer Chinese to students from their students.

around New Zealand participated in the New Zealand Chinese Bridge Speech

competed in the Intermediate (14 contestants) and Senior categories (15 contestants). The first prize in senior category went to Luke Butler (Mt

This year, the first prize winner is really lucky. He will not only go to China to attend the Chinese Bridge Speech Competition Finals, but also has received $500 from NZ China Council for his excellent performance.

Chinese Bridge Speech Competition is an international competition organized by Hanban, the Confucius Institute Headquarter; Chinese Embassy collaborating with Confucius Institutes cross the world.

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Upcoming National

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Advisor Workshops To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Dragon Boat Festival

端午 节

Dragon Boat Festival or duānwǔ jié 端午 节 occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. In 2014 it will take place on 2 June.

This festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC). Celebrations involve eating sticky rice dumplings (zòng zi 粽 子), drinking realgar wine (xiónghuángji 雄 黃酒)and racing dragon boats (lóng chuán 龙 船).

1 May – Labour Day

Holidays & Festivals

4 May – Youth Day 1 June – Children’s Day 2 June – Dragon Boat Festival

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French Language News Stage de Nouméa 2014 French teachers visit a little piece of France in the South Pacific to develop their language and cultural knowledge

Eleven French teachers recently participated in As part of their professional development, a three-week long immersion and study teachers observed lessons in schools, engaged experience in Nouméa led by ILEP. in an intensive intercultural programme and attended formal language classes at the Nouméa is the capital city of New Caledonia University of New Caledonia. They also and is a little piece of France in the South benefitted from cultural and language Pacific. immersion through homestays with families in The teachers came from Otago Girls’ High Nouméa.

School (Dunedin), Birkdale North School (North Shore Auckland), Wanganui High School The professional learning development (Wanganui), Sutton Park School (Mangere East, programme was a resounding success. The Auckland), Northcote College (Northcote, participants were eager to share some of their Auckland), St John’s College (Hastings), Waikato feedback on their experience of Stage de Waldorf School (Hamilton), Fergusson Nouméa.

Intermediate School (Upper Hutt, Wellington), Central Southland College (Winton), Wellington Girls’ College (Wellington), Sacred Heart Girls’ College (Hamilton).

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It was an eye-opening experience to discover a francophone culture outside France, rich in customs, traditions and history. I made the most of my ‘stage’ to learn the colloqui-

al language and idiomatic expressions typical for the island.

I used rugby as a pathway for my inquiry. I found a local team where I assisted training and coached them before a competition game.

Being able to step out of the usual tourist attractions and visit the “Province Nord” allowed us a unique insight to New

Caledonia – the lives of the people, their unique natural environment, workplaces, and industry.

The sharing of languages and culture was a very natural thing to do.

This was a wonderful cultural, language and pedagogi-

cal experience.

The Nouméa programme provided an excellent social ex-

perience with homestay families ensuring that we could widen our intercultural horizons.

3 weeks language immersion has revived my French, allowed me to extend my vocab and improve fluency.

I realised that NZ is not just a little country in the Pacific nor a

Stage de Nouméa 2015 If you are interested in participating, applications for the 2015 programme open in November 2014.

For more information on the application process, have a look at http://www.ilep.ac.nz/pldopportunities/pld-opportunitiesabroad/french-programmes/stage -de-noumea

little brother of Australia but that we are part of a large Pa-

cific family of many nations, many languages and many cultures.

This was a brilliant opportunity to investigate our views

and assumptions about another culture through our own inquiry and experiences.

I was able to put the language into context and use it

100% of the time, in fact I had no choice than to become a real language user rather than a language learner.

Students in my school in Nouméa have written to my students in NZ, this is good preparation for an exchange arrange-

ment.

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Young Ambassadors’ Trip Shared histories is about students in NZ schools partnering with students in French schools to carry out projects of remembrance for the duration of the commemoration period 2014-2018.

On 11 July 2014, the Young Ambassadors will be departing for a two-week trip to France. We wish them all the best for the trip and look forward to learning more about their experience when they return.

To follow this amazing voyage of inquiry, go to www.sharedhistories.com

DELF Scolaire 2014 A reminder to all teachers to inform students about DELF Scolaire.

Interested students must submit individual enrolment forms and fees to their teachers. The deadline for student enrolments is 12 September 2014.

For more information on DELF Scolaire, go to www.french.ac.nz

French Foreign Language Assistant Appointments – 2014 Expressions of interest are invited from schools to employ a French Language Assistant for the school year 2014. The scheme is available to all schools teaching at secondary, intermediate and primary level.

For further information and to request the application form, please contact Dmitry Mitenkov by 5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at programmes@ilep.ac.nz More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/LanguageAssistants/ ForeignLanguageAssistantAppointments.aspx

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Upcoming National Advisor

To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Workshops

Bastille Day Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale as it is known in France, is celebrated on 14 July each year.

This French National Day commemorates the start of the French Revolution with the storming of Bastille on 14 July 1789 as well as the Fête de la Fédération on the 14 July 1790. Celebrations are held all over France and include military parades and fireworks.

For more information on Bastille Day celebrations in New Zealand, go to http://www.alliance-francaise.co.nz/

Holidays & Festivals 8 May – Victory Day 29 May – Ascension Day

Attention French Teachers: Are you a member of the NZAFT listserv?

9 June – Whit Monday

If not: send a blank email, with SUBSCRIBE NZAFT in the subject line, to: sympa@lists.tki.org.nz

21 June – Fête de la Musique

And are you using www.french.ac.nz?

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German Language News NZGSE Exchange 2014 – Stanley Holt German exchange programme broadens New Zealand student’s horizons Stanley Holt embarked on a two-an-a-half month exchange programme to Germany from 2 December 2013 to 8 February 2014.

While on exchange, Stanley lived with a host family and attended school with his host brother. He was fully immersed in the culture and quickly felt that he was ‘living’ in Germany and was not just a tourist. He enjoyed walking in the forest, cycling to nearby villages, and exploring the town and nearby cities, such as Nuremberg.

He spent Christmas and New Year in Germany.

Highlights of his Christmas break included learning to play Christmas carols on the cello, attending the opera, Tosca, introducing his host family to the traditional Kiwi pavlova and a whirlwind visit around Germany.

for Stanley was the reception at the New Zealand Residence in Berlin, with H.E. Mr Peter Rider, the New Zealand Ambassador to Germany and H.E. Mr David Richie, the Australian Ambassador to Germany where he was asked to speak on his exchange experience.

Stanley thoroughly enjoyed the exchange programme and feels that it changed his life.

Through this programme, he has become more independent and has a better comprehension of people and places that exist outside his own personal sphere.

As part of Stanley’s exchange programme, he attended Wintercamp in Northeim and Berlin Camp, where he had an opportunity to meet up with other exchange students from New Zealand and Australia and be exposed to more cultural experiences. A highlight of the camp

Upcoming National To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Advisor Workshops 8

The Long Night of the Museums The Long Night of Museums, or Lange Nacht der Museen, is a cultural event where museums and cultural institutions in an area remain open late into the night. Visitors are given a common entrance pass which gives them access to all exhibits as well as complimentary public transportation within the area.

The first Long Night of Museums event took place in Berlin in 1997. This year, the event takes place on 17 May. The event has been well received in Germany and as has spread to over 100 other cities around the World, such as Argentina and the Philippines.

German Scholarships Heike Papenthin, the German National Advisor is travelling around New Zealand to conduct interviews with New Zealand Year 12 students currently studying German. There are several scholarships available to students of German every year.

The two main scholarships are awarded by The Society for New Zealand-German Student Exchange (NZGSE) and the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD). The NZGSE scholarship provides secondary school students with the opportunity to spend 10 weeks in Germany from November to February. The students in turn host their German guest student in the following year from June to August.

The PAD - Educational Exchange Service- supports international secondary student exchanges in 90 nations.

Every year three students from New Zealand receive a scholarship to spend four weeks in Germany in the German summer.

Holidays & Festivals 29 May – Ascension Day May/June—Medieval Market May/June—Knight Festival 8 –9 June – Whit Weekend

German Foreign Language Assistants Appointments – 2014 Expressions of interest are invited from schools to employ a German Language Assistant for the school year 2014. The scheme is available to all schools teaching at secondary, intermediate and primary level.

For further information and to request the application form, please contact Dmitry Mitenkov by 5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at programmes@ilep.ac.nz More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/LanguageAssistants/ ForeignLanguageAssistantAppointments.aspx

19 June – Corpus Christi Day

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Japanese Language News REX Programme Teacher’s Report Kiyokazu Hatori, is a REX programme teacher. He worked as an assistant teacher for 15 months in Whakatane area and returned to Japan at the end of March. He reflected on his experience as a REX programme teacher and shared some of the highlights of his experience with us.

I worked at three schools, Otakiri school, Edgecumbe college and Thornton school. I experienced some difficulty in my early days, but I enjoyed working there because I found they needed me and appreciated me.

At Otakiri school, I taught only Japanese. I am an English language teacher in Japan, so it was a challenging job, but all the teachers at Otakiri were always very supportive and that really helped me. I tried my best to make my Japanese lessons more interesting. Thankfully, about 90% students said they would like to continue their Japanese learning at secondary school. I am very happy to have such positive feedback toward my lessons.

At Edgecumbe college, I made some resources not only for a Japanese teacher and his students but also for the students who didn’t take Japanese lessons. I made three posters introducing Japanese greetings, food and J-pop cultures and put them on the wall of the library. Then, some students started greeting in Japanese to me. It was fantastic! I could give them the opportunities to become interested in Japanese language and cultures.

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At Thornton school, I helped the teacher, who joined the TPDL, as much as possible. I taught him Japanese after school and at his place as well. We could build a very good relationship. Before I came, Thornton school didn’t offer Japanese lessons, but now they have decided to continue Japanese lessons. That’s what I wanted and this result gave me fulfillment.

Through my staying in New Zealand, I have learned a lot of things. This programme is very good for mutual understanding for New Zealand and Japanese teachers. I’d definitely like to help New Zealanders staying in Japan so that I could pay back to what New Zealanders have done for me here.

The students at Otakiri School enjoyed their Japanese language and culture lessons with Kiyokazu Hatori and shared some of their exciting lessons.

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Upcoming National Advisor Workshops To attend, please RSVP to admin@ilep.ac.nz

Kansai Two-Week Special Programme ILEP is offering an opportunity for fully-registered current teachers of Japanese (Years 7-13) to attend a two-week programme at the Japan Foundation Centre in Kansai, Japan. Term 3 holidays 2014: 29 September 2014 - 10 October 2014 Complete the ILEP application form.

The closing date for 2014 applications is 5 pm, 6 June 2014.

Application forms are available from Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Programmes Co-ordinator programmes@ilep.ac.nz.

JAPANESE EVENTS Secondary School Speech Competition June 13 Wellington July 1 Southland

Sydney International Conference on Japanese Language Education (ICJLE) July 10-12 University of Technology, Sydney

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The NZJEP Programme Applications are now open for New Zealand Japan Exchange Grants Programme. The aim of this programme is to deepen understanding between New Zealand and Japan on a broad educational and cultural basis. International Languages Exchanges and Pathways (ILEP) administers the NZJEP programme.

Funding is available for projects that promote educational and cultural exchanges of educators, artists, crafts persons and scholars.

The closing date for 2014 applications is 31 July 2014.

Application forms are available from Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Programmes Co-ordinator programmes@ilep.ac.nz.

Marine Day Marine Day, or 海の日 Umi no Hi, is a Japanese National Holiday celebrated on the third Monday in July. In 2014 it will be held on 21 July. It is also known as "Ocean Day" or "Sea Day" and the purpose of this holiday is to observe the importance of the ocean and to give thanks to the ocean’s bounty. In Japan, many people take advantage of this holiday by taking a trip to the beach.

Source: Wikipedia

Holidays & Festivals 5 May – Children’s Day 6 May – Greenery Day 21 July – Marine Day

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Spanish Language News Spanish & Cinema Workshop On 9 and 10 May we held a very successful workshop on Spanish and Cinema at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch. The workshop was open to all levels of Spanish teachers and aimed to train teachers in the use of cinema as a pedagogical tool in the Spanish language classroom. By using cinema as a pedagogical tool, teachers can develop students’ linguistic ability their cultural awareness of Spanish-speaking cultures around the world.

film sequence analysis and a guided discussion on the major points of interest, the representation of cultural ideas and identities, and relevant historical and political issues. Workshop participants were given opportunities to prepare pedagogical exercises to enhance students’ cultural awareness and communication skills.

On Friday, 9 May the participants were provided with a general introduction to film techniques and explanation of critical vocabulary to discuss cinema in Spanish. On Saturday, 10 May, La Lengua de las Mariposas was screened and included a general presentation of the cultural and historical context of the film, followed by a group

National Debate Competition On 27 June there will be a new edition of the National Debate competition for students of Spanish that STANZA is organizing once again. The teachers of Spanish are working very hard to make sure their students are ready and several language assistants are also helping a lot.

More information go to http://www.stanza.org.nz/

Spanish Foreign Language Assistant Appointments – 2014 Expressions of interest are invited from schools to employ a Spanish Language Assistant for the school year 2014. The scheme is available to all schools teaching at secondary, intermediate and primary level.

For further information and to request the application form, please contact Dmitry Mitenkov by 5pm Monday, 4 August 2014 at programmes@ilep.ac.nz More information: http://ilep.ac.nz/ LanguageAssistants/ 14

Spanish Immersion Scholarship 2015 On 23 May we are having a pre-departure course for the eleven teachers of Spanish we have selected to take a two-week immersion course at the University of Salamanca, Spain. These 11 teachers will fly to Spain early in July. At the same time, there will be two more teachers who have also received a scholarship to take another two-week immersion course at Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (Santander), Spain. These two teachers have just been selected and will fly to Spain at the end of July.

The Spanish Immersion Scholarship aims to help participants improve their Spanish language and cultural knowledge and teaching skills through a customised pedagogical programme for New Zealand teachers. This two-week immersion programme is offered to New Zealand teachers of Spanish at the prestigious University of Salamanca, Spain.

Applications for 2015 will open in February 2015. Contact Dmitry Mitenkov, the Intercultural Programmes Co-ordinator at programmes@ilep.ac.nz

The Running of the Bulls The Running of the Bulls, encierro, is an eight-day festival that takes place in some towns and villages in Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Peru. The most famous event takes place in Pamplona, Spain.

The event involves running in front of a small group of bulls that have been let loose on a designated course on a sectioned-off subset of the streets in a town or village.

The tradition is said to have begun in the 14th century. The Running of the Bulls takes place from 6 to 14 July in 2014.

Holidays & Festivals 11 May - Feria del Caballo 17 May - Galicia Literature Day 31 May - Castie – La Mancha 9 June - Murcia/La Rioja 19 June - Corpus Christi 24 June - Festival of St John the Baptist 25 June - Feast of St James 6 – 14 July - Running of the Bulls 25 July - Feast Day of St James 28 July - Institution Day

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Professional Development

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