Languages and International Exchange

In Year 7 and 8, students study two languages, selecting from French, Italian and Japanese. Students at these levels use Education Perfect, an online learning platform, to build a strong foundation of knowledge. At Year 8, they then select one language to continue at Year 9 and from Year 10 onwards, languages become an elective subject. The study of languages is complemented with a range of incursions and excursions to extend students’ cultural knowledge beyond the classroom, as well as co-curricular lunchtime language clubs. Any opportunities that arise throughout the year are considered and may be included as part of the Languages program. St Aloysius College students are fortunate to have many opportunities to visit Italy, Tokyo or Geneva on International Exchange.

VCE Language students also have the opportunity to converse with a language assistant to prepare them for the end of year oral examinations. These sessions help develop students’ speaking skills as well as confidence in handling a range of topics.

We celebrate all those who choose to take a language at the VCE level. In 2020, the Year 12 Japanese class accomplished a median study score of 36. More recently in the 2021 VCE Italian results, we saw Amelie Milazzi achieve a study score of 44 and Ruby Cleve a study score of 42, representing exceptional performance.

The Language teachers at St Aloysius College are diverse in their backgrounds and bring a wealth of expertise to the classroom. They are always seeking innovative approaches to teaching languages through implementing new digital tools or strategies gained from professional learning sessions. The majority of VCE Language teachers also have experience as a VCE oral or written examination assessor, which is invaluable insight into how VCE Language students are assessed.