LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUGES DOWN UNDER

Jasmin is a pupil at a Montessori School in Mount Coolum in Queensland, Australia, and is currently spending this term at Tranby to develop an understanding of the British education system.

Learning languages in Australia is quite similar to that of the United Kingdom in so far as most schools have the option to learn one of three major languages - German, Spanish and French although with the addition of Mandarin. This is because Australia has a significant number of migrants who come from nearby Asian countries.

In Australia pupils start learning a language other than English (LOTE) in Year 1. However, at my own particular school students start learning Mandarin in the early years classrooms which is ages 3 - 5. We then continue to learn Mandarin until we reach Year 10 when we are given the opportunity to branch off and learn other languages such as Italian, French, Spanish, German, and then only once we reach Years 11 and 12 are we able to stop learning LOTE entirely if we want to do so - which most people usually do in favour of other subjects.

In my experience I have always enjoyed Mandarin and chose to continue it when I was given the option to change languages because I felt I had built a good understanding of how the language worked and I found that the lessons we did were the most fun as we would often go and sit outside. It was also the only lesson where the entire class would be together because I go to a Montessori school which entails a lot of independent learning and to be fair I wasn’t exactly opposed to the dumplings that they brought in every now and then! Jasmin, Year 12.

Basic Mandarin Phrases

Hello: Nǐhǎo (Nee how)

Thank you: Xièxiè (Shieh-shieh)

You're welcome: Bù kèqì (Boo kuh-chi)

Good morning: Zǎo (Zhow)

Goodnight: Wǎn ān (One-un)

My name is…: Wǒ jiào... (Wuh jeow...)

I don't understand: Wǒ bù dǒng (Wuh boo dong)

Yes: Shì (Sheh) No: Bù shì (Bu-sheh)

Good: Hǎo (How)

Bad: Bù hǎo (Boo-how)

Today: Jīntiān (Jeen-tian)

Tomorrow: Míngtiān (Meeng-tian)

Yesterday: Zuótiān (Zwuh-tian)

Goodbye: Zàijiàn (Zhai-jian)

Key Stage 3 Stretch And Challenge In Languages

As part of the KS3 Stretch and Challenge programme, pupils who show a particular interest in and propensity for language learning are invited to attend an extra-curricular session on the ‘Evolution of Language’, during which we compare Chomsky’s theory of the ‘Language Acquisition Device’ with the process of actively learning a language. Briefly, Chomsky theorises that infants are born with an innate facility for acquiring language and that, unless they have a significant innate knowledge of grammar, they would be unable to learn language as quickly as they do. He further postulates that languages are infinite in terms of sequence of word forms and grammar, and that an infant selects from the infinite grammars that which is correct for the language presented; they track word patterns, find clues from language sounds and surroundings, use those patterns to gather grammatical information and that language must be acquired before speech can be produced which is also dependent upon the physical development of oral and lingual muscles brought about with the weaning process. We also compare the adaptation and exaptation theories of original language development and track patterns across world languages.

Mrs N Carrizales

Ancient Hebrew

My interest in Hebrew started in 2010 when I was offered the chance to study the language of the Old Testament as part of a Biblical Studies degree I had undertaken as a mature student. I found many aspects of the language fascinating: the different alphabet, unusual script and the counterintuitive direction of reading, right to left.

The Masoretic Text is the ancient text that forms the basis of all translations of the Old Testament. On first glance a modern reader is presented by what looks like a code. The consonants are written in large letters and form complex compound word that make up often quite short sentences. The vowels are added in above and below these letters, often in the form of a dot or a dash.

The process of learning such a different language is immensely rewarding. I found it fascinating to see how my brain would learn and recognise previously alien forms for words, showing how with just a bit of time invested languages can reveal themselves to us. As with all languages it is also very enriching to one’s own life to see how different cultures express ideas in different ways, giving us more insight into the human condition and how to live well in the world.

Below are the first 4 verses of Psalm 23.

The first line reads Mizmor ledavid which means “A Psalm of David.”

The first half of the second line reads YHWH roiy, lo ‘echsar. “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

Mr M Beardsley