The study of Additional Languages
French and Mandarin
Red Hill School values the attribute of communicating with an intercultural understanding, so that learners will become internationally minded and global citizens. Our school prepares students to contribute to an interconnected and interdependent world, knowing that the interdependence of countries and communities requires people to negotiate experiences and meanings across languages and cultures. Students are exposed to face to face authentic learning experiences to develop their knowledge, skills, concepts and cultural understandings of the additional language being learnt. For learners to gain a coherent insight into how society functions beyond their own, language teachers make connections with the concepts or the central idea, where appropriate, to the PYP units of inquiry.
The language programme employs the communicative approach to cover the French language achievement standards, including cultural understandings by selecting meaningful language strategies to suit the year level, social maturity, interests and language background of learners. At Red Hill, we believe that learning languages:
- contributes to the strengthening of the community’s social, economic and international development capabilities
- extends literacy repertoires and the capacity to communicate
- strengthens understanding of the nature of language, of culture, and of the processes of communication
- develops intercultural capability, including understanding of and respect for diversity and difference, and an openness to different experiences and perspectives
- fosters understanding of how culture shapes and extends learners’ understanding of themselves, their own heritage, values, beliefs, culture and identity
- consolidates intellectual, analytical and reflective competencies, as well as enhances creative and critical thinking.
As a result, through a wide variety of practices to language teaching and learning, our students can achieve personal growth and develop life skills that benefit the Australian community and facilitate internationalism.
Students who speak English as an Additional Language or Dialect are a valued asset to our school, supported and encouraged to maintain their languages through the assistance of parents, teachers and the whole community. We believe that in today’s globalized world, all children benefit from a multilingual education which offers them an opportunity to become fluent in their Mother Tongues as well as in English allowing them to pursue higher education, to communicate easily in more than one language through different media and consequently able to contribute meaningfully to society. Red Hill School has a belief that ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing to’ creates a school where EAL/D families see themselves as active participants, working in partnership with teachers to share their culture and support their child’s learning. Our positive communication empowers EAL/D families and stresses the important role EAL/D families have to play in enriching the school’s life, as well as their child’s unique learning. Red Hill School involves EAL/D families in the design and implementation of a culturally responsive and respectful environment with a focus on equal access and participation in school life. The school makes the effort to create a warm and welcoming environment with parent friendly spaces that encourage interaction between the school and parents, and between all parents. Actively the school provides opportunities for EAL/D families to share their stories, cultural perspectives, food and customs such as Harmony Day.