Language Acquisition

Important notes

Language study at Telopea Park School is compulsory
All Language Acquisition classes in Year 7 are at beginner level
Students will study the language for the four years they are at Telopea Park School, no changes are permitted
Students may not study a language of which they are a heritage/background speaker but Telopea Park School encourages students to develop and maintain home languages through the ACT’s many community language schools: http://www.actclsa.wordpress.com
Make sure to complete the language choice online as soon as possible after receiving the Information Pack in October to have the best chance of enrolment in the student's preferred language class, places are limited and once classes are full that language will no longer be available for selection
Students choose from seven languages: French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish

Benefits of Learning a Language

Learning a language enhances students’ social, cognitive and intellectual potential. Research has shown that bilingual students develop higher-order problem solving skills, and demonstrate greater flexibility towards issues and ideas. Language learning contributes to general literacy and communication skills.
As well as a greater capacity for lateral thinking it enables students to communicate with other speakers of that language. It also gives direct access to another culture, develops and expands students’ cross-cultural understanding and empathy.
It provides opportunities to develop positive attitudes to diversity and offers access to employment opportunities both in the domestic and global context.
Telopea Park School students participate in a wide range of ventures beyond the classroom, including regional, national and international contests as well as international exchanges and in-country experiences.
Telopea Park School also supports all forms of language development and maintenance and encourages students to develop and maintain home languages through the ACT’s many community language schools: http://www.actclsa.wordpress.com.

Language Acquisition at Telopea Park School

The Languages/Language Acquisition curriculum is in line with the Australian Curriculum (AC) and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) curriculum framework.
Telopea Park School has a strong tradition of excellence in language learning. It is a multicultural school where diverse cultures and languages are valued, and proficiency in a foreign language is respected as an important attainment. The goal of the languages program is to provide students with a working knowledge of the language in everyday use with a basis for further development of skills for further studies or for use in the workplace.
Language study at Telopea Park School is compulsory. A language is selected by all students to be studied for four years, from Year 7 until the end of Year 10. You need to make your selection carefully as you will not be permitted to change. This four year commitment ensures enough curriculum time to achieve mastery of grammatical structures and vocabulary. It ensures that all students meet the requirements of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the International Baccalaureate.

French

French is spoken in 44 countries
French is the language of diplomacy at the United Nations, International Red Cross and Olympic Games
France is a leading nation of the European Union
Important in science, technology, medicine, agriculture, viticulture, cosmetics, fashion, gastronomy and the arts
Important business partner for Australia
31 Alliance Française cultural centres in Australia – one in Canberra
Telopea Park School is a binational school and there are many daily opportunities to practise French language

German

German has the largest number of native speakers in the European Union
The German economy ranks number 1 in Europe and number 4 word wide
German is the second most commonly used scientific language
Germans are world leaders in engineering and Germany has a remarkable history of innovators
German is the language of Goethe, Kafka, Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. Indulge in their works in their original language
From Angst to Zeitgeist, the number of cognates is immense, after all, German and English are related

Indonesian

Indonesia, one of Australia’s closest neighbours, is an emerging economic powerhouse, and a top travel destination
Indonesian language skills can open doors to a wide range of employment opportunities in areas of government, education, business, tourism, travel, translating and interpreting, the military, medicine, law, engineering and journalism
Indonesian language is closely related to Malay language and it is spoken by more than 250 million people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Thailand
Australians love Indonesia’s friendly people, their fascinating cultures, the tropical landscapes, and the rich flora and fauna

Italian

Italy is a country of unique scenic beauty and a rich cultural history spanning many centuries
A major community language in Australia
The Renaissance started in Italy
Italian is a relatively easy language to learn because of its similarity to English, both English and Italian are derived from Latin so they share a similar sentence structure
It provides access to a rich culture known throughout the world for its contribution to art, architecture, music, ballet, literature, film, fashion and of course, food

Japanese

Learning the Japanese language gives people access to the unique history, religions and cultural traditions of Japan
Japan is a major global driver of youth culture, through anime and manga
Many Japanese cultural traditions such as sumo, sushi, origami and bonsai have become household words in Australia
Japan is a world leader in information technology
Japan is a major ally to Australia in areas of trade and security
Japan offers great employment opportunities and welcomes young people on working holidays

Mandarin

Currently spoken by over 1 billion people around the world, about one fifth of the global population
Acquire artistic skills through writing Chinese characters
Learn a new outlook on life through understanding the intricate details of Mandarin language
Gives one a distinct advantage in terms of employment opportunities in Asia
Great opportunity to understand one of the world's most ancient cultures
With China's rising economic power, Mandarin will be increasingly useful in the coming years

Spanish

The second most spoken language in the world, by number of native speakers
It originated in Spain and is now spoken by over 400 million people in over 20 different countries across four continents
Apart from the famous dances of flamenco, salsa or tango, you may be familiar with Latino singers or film stars such as Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz, artists such as Picasso, Dali and Frida Kahlo, or the architect Gaudi
The rules for spelling and pronunciation are relatively simple and consistent
Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations
Spanish ranks second after English as the world’s most popular choice for people wanting to learn a second language

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