Studying Languages at SFX

In our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, individuals with a proficiency in languages are consistently leaders in their chosen fields. Learning a language not only increases our awareness of and ability to engage with difference, but it also increases student understanding of their own language, culture and learning, and calls students to reflect on and transform, how they understand and interpret their world. That is why all Australian students study languages until the end of Year 8, before they choose them as electives from Year 9.

More about studying Languages at SFX

As we welcome our new Year 7 students to SFX, we are also delighted to welcome our dynamic Spanish teacher Mrs Adriana Estrada Garcia into the Languages Teacher Team. We often are asked by families how they can best support their child to be successful in Languages study.

Here are some of the responses given by our passionate language teachers:

• Create a visual summary poster of your learning each week and stick it on the wall to help remind you of key ideas
• Make your own annotated vocabulary list, then label items in your home, or make word walls for new words so you see them often
• Explain new ideas to someone at home, or ask them to help you with flashcards
• Use apps on your phone to practise vocabulary or even characters if you study Japanese
• Load the language settings on your laptop so you can type in your language/s
• Make connections and speak up in class to share stories of how you make meaning across and between languages and cultures that make up your ‘invisible cultural backpack’
• Use the ‘look, cover, write, check’ method when practicing words and characters
• Make use of the support material and multimodal links provided by your teacher on Canvas
• Complete work from your workbook given to you by your teacher
• Make the most of your access to the online textbook on Canvas
• For our Japanese students you can also attend our Japanese Immersion Program on Wednesdays at lunchtime.

 

From Visually.