Welcome… Bienvenue… Selamat datang… 2025!
French and Indonesian are the two foreign languages offered here at Damascus College. Students currently learning French or Indonesian as core subjects at Years 7 and 8 will have the opportunity to continue these studies as an elective at Year 9, and beyond. Students who have chosen to further their studies have gone on to achieve great success all the way to VCE Year 12 level. We congratulate the following alumni who recently graduated VCE with languages studies in 2024:
Indonesian: James Gorman, Madison Rosenhart, Jonah Skewes-Clinton, Alex Turner and Benjamin Watt.
French (VSL): Emily Crumpler, Tara Orchard, Aidan Robb and Sienna Webb.
Looking towards the future, we especially welcome the newest cohort of students at our college, namely the Year 7s of 2025 and we acknowledge the teams who are teaching them, namely: Kirsten Phyland, Brendan Bawden and Amanda Tait (Indonesian); Lucas Groud, Andreea Szabo and Tim O’Sullivan (French).
We welcome Ms. Szabo to our college for the first time, and we welcome Margaret McIntyre back. Also, Mr. O’Sullivan and Ms. Tait, although not new to the college, have just joined the languages department in 2025; Welcome to you both!
As internationally recognised official UNESCO languages, both French and Indonesian have played significant roles in the history and development of our geographical region, namely The Asia-Pacific. In 2025, Damascus College itself takes to the international stage, with study tours for both languages taking place. Thank you to each of the families who are supporting the touring students to engage authentically with their target language ‘in-country’, and for their support of our international program. The staff have worked incredibly hard to plan these tours; so, I thank Brendan Bawden for his organising of the upcoming Indonesian study tour (July); and from the bottom of my heart, I thank Min Myers and Le Anne Smith for their immense support at the end of 2024 in helping me to organise the French study tour (March-April).
A perennial concern expressed by language learners is how to maintain language proficiency away from school. In country experiences are best, but what if you can’t be in the country? In this edition, I include some handy tips relating to this question; and with some careful planning out of class environments can present great opportunities for every language learner to continue the journey of acquisition in their target language.
Maintaining target language proficiency outside the classroom
There are a variety of exciting activities that families can enjoy together, while simultaneously enhancing language skills. These engaging activities help make language learning a fun and interactive experience, encouraging students to practise their language skills in real-life contexts. Outputs from these activities - for example, videos or scrapbooks - may also serve as useful stimulus material when students return to class.
The following activities are suggestions specially for holiday periods, and they are not intended to be onerous. It is important that students also have a break and the chance to recharge their batteries. Furthermore, these activities work whether students are travelling or staying at home. Insist on using the target language (rather than English) whenever possible:
- Explore nature with scavenger hunts
- These are a great way to engage students in hands-on learning while enjoying the great outdoors. Teachers, too can help by creating scavenger hunt word lists tailored to different language proficiency levels, incorporating vocabulary, grammar concepts or cultural references. Families can work together to find and collect items, while students can practise describing their findings and what they see in their target language.
- Cook traditional dishes
Food is a universal language that brings people together. As a family, explore the culinary traditions of the target language by cooking traditional dishes. Students can also research recipes online, watch cooking videos in the target language and visit ethnic grocery stores to gather authentic ingredients. Cooking not only provides an opportunity to practise the language but also offers a deeper understanding of the target culture’s culinary heritage.
- Create language learning scrapbooks
“Nothing” or “Not much” can be common answers when students are asked what they did for their holidays. So, why not help them to document their adventures in a language learning scrapbook. Learners can write or record descriptions of their experiences, add pictures and include mementos from their trips. As appropriate, scrapbooks may also be created in digital form using web-based platforms instead of a physical book. What’s important is the production of language. This activity not only enhances core language skills but also encourages creativity and reflection. Students can also share their scrapbooks with their classmates for peer assessment and to provide inspiration for future classroom activities.
- Movie Nights
There’s a wealth of multi-language entertainment content that’s now easily available on digital platforms such as Netflix or Spotify. Try and watch the movie or program as a family in its target language instead of the dubbed version. Hopefully everyone is able to follow the plot by reading the subtitles. Then, as a challenge or an extension activity, students may try watching the production again in its target language but this time, without subtitles.
- Virtual language activities
Students can easily connect with other language learners or native speakers from across the world through virtual language websites or language learning communities. These solutions provide opportunities for them to have video calls and exchange messages, enabling them to practise listening, speaking and writing skills in their target language. Online platforms, such as language forums and video conferencing tools, make these interactions cheap and easy to undertake. Care should, of course, be taken to ensure the student is using these sites appropriately and safely. But this activity can certainly promote intercultural understanding and open up opportunities for lifelong friendships.
- Visit cultural festivals or events when travelling
If students are visiting a country where their target language is spoken, then encourage them to make the most of their stay. Suggest that they practise their skills at every opportunity, particularly by talking with native speakers. Visiting local cultural festivals and events also offers the chance to build understanding and to practise their target language in authentic contexts.
- Use online resources
We’re sure that most students will have their mobile phone or tablet close by during the holidays, so leverage those technologies as an intentional tool for language development. Ensure that students have access to their normal language learning apps and resources. Some students might even value extension activities to brush up on key concepts, grammar or vocabulary during holidays.
Conclusion
Out of class time and holidays provide an ideal opportunity for language learners to explore their target language in a natural and immersive way, whereby students can not only strengthen their language proficiency but also develop a deeper appreciation for the language and culture they are studying. It’s vital that students and families see these activities as enjoyable educational experiences that extend their learning beyond their classrooms. So, let’s make the most of their time outside of class to embark on language learning adventures that will create lasting memories and foster language development. Learning should be a joyful and immersive experience, and by supporting these activities, we can ensure that students continue to grow and thrive in their respective journeys in language acquisition.
Finn Augustin, Learning area leader - Languages
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela