At Gippsland Grammar, studying languages is inspiring and exhilarating, challenging and stimulating, but most of all fun. The study of a language other than English is compulsory for most students until the end of Year 8, after which many students continue their study of French or Japanese.
Year 9
French
The Year 9 French course uses “Tapis Volant 1” textbook and is designed to encourage oral and aural skill development, as well as to broaden student knowledge of basic grammatical concepts. By the end of the year, students will have gained a sound knowledge of vocabulary relevant to their personal life and be ready to tackle senior French in Year 10. Students compare French and Australian timetables, talk about daily and weekly activities, ask and give directions, identify places in a French town, buy and sell items in shops. Students need to have completed Year 8 French before attempting this subject.
Japanese
The Year 9 course prepares the students to communicate with Japanese people in various types of opportunities and situations such as letter writing, video letters, live video conference and our biannual Study Tour to Japan which sees them at homestay with host families from the sister school and commute to school for a week. After developing competent speaking skills during Year 7 and 8, the students will have a textbook and workbook (currently Obento Supreme) from Year 9 to consolidate the knowledge of how the Japanese Language works through different topics;
- Yuki’s Karaoke Party – time telling and various roles of particles
- Moving House – describing houses, rooms and objects
- My School – Japanese school system and typical school in Japan
- Season – emotional connection Japanese people have with the seasons
What pathways can this lead to?
- Study Tour option for Year 9 – 11
- Summer exchange for 6-7 weeks in Year 10 or 11
- VCE Japanese
- LAP (Language Assistant Program) with the sister school in Japan – available to work as a Language Assistant at our sister school after completing Unit 3&4
- Tertiary Scholarship opportunities eg Science and Engineering, Robotics and AI, Linguistics
- Opportunities to work as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) on JET Program - CLICK HERE for the link.
- Opportunities to work for Japanese companies such as Mazda, Toyota, Nintendo, Sony, Cannon and Nikon
- Working Holiday in Japan as a young adult
What else do I need to know
- Languages are the only Year 9 elective subjects that are a requirement for enrolment in Year 10 and VCE.
- Very favourable scaling for ATAR Study Score if completing VCE
Year 10
French
The Year 10 French program is designed to instil confidence and promote a positive attitude towards language learning by developing the student's ability in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
There is a greater focus on developing writing skills with more grammar study in preparation for VCE. Students are encouraged to make use of opportunities for immersion experiences in French speaking environments such as participating in cultural tours in France or New Caledonia and French exchange program in our sister school in Caen during the Australian summer break.
Preparation for formal examinations in all four language skills’ areas is an important component of the program. Some of the topics include school life and relationships, health, and well-being as well as travel and culture in the francophone world. By the end of Year 10, students have further developed their ability to communicate in a range of settings and are able to exchange information on a broad range of social, cultural and youth-related issues.
Students need to have completed Year 9 French before applying for Year 10 French.
Japanese
Students who undertake the study of Japanese at Year 10 move from comprehending Japanese and communicating through speech and writing in a practical yet limited sphere to extend their aural and academic skills to a broader range of age-relevant topics and issues. They move beyond simple sentences about the personal world and start to express themselves in more sophisticated terms in order to function in the real Japanese speaking world. Students will continue learning to discuss everyday topics such as their leisure activities, their school life, shopping, relationships, part-time jobs, and future endeavors.
Students complete a wide range of routine and challenging tasks in class and at home based on the four communication skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading comprehension and writing. These tasks include language practice activities in the form of games, role-playing, multimedia presentations.
International cross-cultural activities may also be involved between collaborating schools overseas and ours. The course is the bridge between elementary Japanese to VCE Japanese, and therefore it will benefit the student to commit to building one's Japanese skills throughout the school year and discovering the fun in the process.
Students need to have successfully completed Year 9 Japanese before attempting this subject.
VCE
French
Areas of Study Units 1-4
- Interpersonal communication;
- interpretive communication;
- presentational communication.
Unit 1
In this unit, skill development is based around two themes: The Individual and The French-speaking communities. In this area of study students develop their skills and knowledge to establish and maintain an informal, personal, spoken interaction in French on a selected subtopic. Students locate and use information from two texts in French, chosen from a written, spoken or audiovisual format. They develop skills and knowledge to read, listen to or view texts in French effectively, to summarise content and to combine information from the texts in written responses in French and English. Students present content related to the selected subtopic in French in written form, which may include supporting visual elements. Students develop a presentation that recounts, narrates, entertains, retells or interprets information, concepts and ideas for a specific audience.
Unit 2
In this unit, skill development is based around two themes: The Individual and The French-speaking communities. In this area of study students participate in a written exchange in French. They develop skills and knowledge that enable them to read, listen to and view texts in French and to develop a suitable response in French. Students extract information from texts provided in French and respond to the texts in writing using elements of this information. They develop skills and knowledge to read, listen to or view texts in French and to use information in a new context. They will also research cultural products or practices that demonstrate an aspect of the culture studied. They develop an oral presentation in French on an aspect of the selected subtopic of interest to them.
Unit 3
In this unit, skill development is based around two themes: The French-speaking communities and The World around us.In this area of study students develop skills and knowledge to resolve a personal issue by negotiating a mutually agreeable outcome in a spoken exchange in French on a selected subtopic. Students research relevant content, language and cultural information, in particular that associated with acknowledging other speakers’ points of view, and negotiating and persuading in culturally appropriate ways. They consider the interplay between cultural perspectives and mutual understanding, and focus on language important for effective participation in spoken interactions in French. Students develop their understanding that language choices influence outcomes and impressions created in the exchange. They will also extract information from three or more texts relating to the selected subtopic, and create written responses to specific questions or instructions in French. Students synthesise information from written, spoken and visual texts. Students create an extended original piece of personal, informative or imaginative writing in French to express ideas, thoughts or responses on an aspect of the selected subtopic.
Unit 4
In this unit, skill development is based around two themes: The French-speaking communities and The World around us. In this area of study students research and present information on a cultural product or practice from a French speaking community. Students develop knowledge and skills to share observations and consider how the product or practice may reflect a specific cultural perspective or behaviour. In this area of study students analyse and present in writing information extracted from written, spoken and viewed texts in French on a selected subtopic. They will also investigate relevant content, language and cultural information to assist in persuading others of a particular position or evaluating existing positions and opinions on an issue related to the subtopic.
Japanese
Areas of Study Units 1-4
- interpersonal communication;
- interpretive communication;
- presentational communication.
Unit 1
In this unit, students develop an understanding of the language and culture/s of Japanese-speaking communities through the study of three themes; The Individual, The Japanese-Speaking community and The Changing World. Students reflect on the interplay between language and culture, and its impact on the individual’s language use in specific contexts and for specific audiences.
Unit 2
In this unit, students develop an understanding of aspects of language and culture through the study of three or more prescribed topics. Through the study of visual, spoken or written texts, students access and share useful information on the topics and subtopics through Japanese and consolidate and extend vocabulary, grammar knowledge and language skills.
Unit 3
In this unit, students investigate the way Japanese speakers interpret and express ideas, and negotiate and persuade in Japanese through the study of three or more subtopics from the prescribed themes and topics. Students consider the influence of language and culture in shaping meaning and reflect on the practices, products and perspectives of the cultures of Japanese-speaking communities.
Unit 4
In this unit, students build on their knowledge of Japanese-speaking communities, considering cultural perspectives and language and explaining personal observations. Students consolidate and extend vocabulary, grammar knowledge and language skills to investigate the topics through Japanese. Students reflect on the ways culture, place and time influence values, attitudes and behaviours. They consider how knowledge of more than one culture can influence the ways individuals relate to each other and function in the world.
