The Australian Curriculum: Languages is designed to enable all students to engage in learning a language in addition to English. The interrelationship of language, culture and learning provides the foundation for the Australian Curriculum: Languages.
In the Languages learning area the focus is on both language and culture, as students learn to communicate meaningfully across linguistic and cultural systems, and different contexts. This process involves reflection and analysis, as students move between the new language being learnt and their own existing language(s). It is a reciprocal and dynamic process which develops language use within intercultural dimensions of learning experiences.
Students are given the opportunity to participate in rich immersive language and cultural experiences, including in-school culture days, visits to points of interest in the community, a study tour of Brisbane and international travel. In Japanese, our students have many opportunities to develop their skills by interacting with native speakers at school, in the homestay environment, and through participation in our biennial trip to Japan
Immersion opportunities
The pinnacle of the Languages course, the Japan Tour, offers the students an unrivalled language and cultural experience in Japan. The ultimate immersion experience, students will live, breathe, and study Japanese for a 1 week block of homestay as Japanese high school students. This trip takes place in the odd years, but is subject to student interest, with the Brisbane Study tour and Sister School Homestay occurring in the even years. Rockhampton State High school has 2 sister schools, Hashimakita Senior High School and Hattori Junior High School.
Queensland Virtual Languages Academy
QVLA is a collaborative virtual learning partnership with Crescent Lagoon State School and the Darling Downs Region. Using Rockhampton State High School as the pilot site, Year 5 and 6 students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the Japanese language through an innovative online learning platform.
Ms. Sally Dee – Head of Social Science and Languages