Japanese
こんにちは。Hello and welcome to Japanese at Moreton Bay College. The study of Japanese has an integral role in student's learning at Moreton Bay College and is offered from Years 6 – 12.
Students in Year 6 learn either French or Japanese for one year and the following year, study the other language. Then in Year 8 and 9 students study either Japanese or French as a compulsory core subject before choosing to continue it as an elective in Years 10-12.
Students studying Japanese have the opportunity to participate in a range of competitions and co-curricular activities including the Japanese Speech Contest of Queensland, Australian Language Certificate Tests and home stay programs, and for students in Years 10-12, a biennial trip to Japan.
Students are encouraged to use Japanese in a variety of contexts such as excursions and Immersion Days, and with Native Speakers through our involvement in Internship Programs. The integration of technology in language learning allows students the opportunity to communicate easily with other students learning Japanese and students of their own age in Japan, whilst also providing access to authentic language. Consistently high results are achieved by students in Senior Japanese at Moreton Bay College providing them with a strong foundation from which they can continue their language studies.
Throughout the course of Japanese study, students are exposed to the many facets of language acquisition including culture, history and society. For Australians who wish to participate effectively in global affairs, an understanding of the Japanese language and culture is beneficial.
French
In the words of Charlemagne (Medieval European ruler), "To have another language is to possess another soul." Bonjour et Bienvenue en français at Moreton Bay College. In Years 6 and 7, students learn either French or Japanese for the full year and would study the other language the following year. The study of either French or Japanese is compulsory in Years 8 and 9 and then as an elective in Years 10 to 12. However, it is a pre-requisite to have studied French in Years 9 and 10 to choose Senior French.
The study of Junior and Senior French Course at Moreton Bay College provides the opportunity for girls to:-
- acquire a good foundation in French from which to pursue fluency
- have a better chance of becoming bilingual in future years
- gain insights into and an appreciation of francophone cultures
- be better able to appreciate other languages, cultures, communities throughout Australia, the Asia Pacific region and around the world.
- to successfully communicate with French speakers and to undertake cultural exchanges to French-speaking countries.
The Years 6, 7 and 8 French courses use the Accelerative Integrated Method. It is based on the use of theatre, drama, games, dance and music to help students develop oral and written fluency as quickly as possible using repeatedly a range of vocabulary and structures in a variety of contexts. Specifically developed stories in the form of plays become the focus of a range of language activities to help communicative competence and confidence.
In Years 9,10,11 and 12 students develop proficiency in each language skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing) allowing them to communicate effectively with French-speaking people on familiar topics and in most real-life situations.
As the emphasis is on real language for real purposes, tasks are based on topics of interest to the girls which assists them in handling real-life situations. Technology integration and on-line learning tasks, videos and songs assist in fostering natural speaking patterns as well as a deeper understanding of French-speaking cultures.
Students studying the French language have the opportunity to participate in rich co-curricular activities associated with the language.
