Languages
The architecture of the Languages curriculum at Glenunga International High School is designed to provide student choice and to create engagement and challenges in learning a language in addition to English. The languages offered enable students to access a variety of languages and cultures such as Chinese, Japanese and French from Years 8 to 12. In Year 11 and 12 students can take these as SACE or IB Diploma subjects. In addition Glenunga has a sound partnership with the South Australian School of Languages and Ethnic Schools which provides students with greater choice of languages such as Spanish, Indonesian and Japanese.
The Languages learning area provides knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions, that together with the curriculum content and cross-curriculum priorities, will enable students to prepare for the challenges of the 21st Century by using a range of pedagogical strategies that personalise learning in our Virtual Learning Environment that extends the boundaries of the classroom. Learning languages is enhanced through the use of multimodal resources, digital environments and technologies in the target language. Accessing live target language environments and texts via digital media contributes to the development of linguistic and cultural knowledge as well as encouraging creative, divergent and imaginative thinking. These aspects support the development of the 4Cs – Communication, Collaboration, Creative and Critical Thinking which are essential 21st Century skills required for success at school and in the future. When learning another language, students are taught explicitly to acknowledge and value difference in their interactions with others and to develop respect for diverse ways of perceiving and acting in the world. Learning a new language is an enriching and cumulative process, which broadens the learner’s communication skills, provides opportunities to interact with others and to understand the values that are articulated through languages and cultures.
The Languages curriculum is based on the Australian Curriculum in the middle school and the SACE or IB Diploma in the senior school. Students commence language study at Year 8 and Year 9 as a compulsory subject followed by a strong recommendation to continue at Year 10 to possess the background knowledge and skills for senior classes.
An essential element of learning a language is to strengthen students’ understanding of International Mindedness through the intercultural studies in languages. Languages also enhance a student’s ability to communicate across borders and culture.