International
Welcome to the International Faculty
The International Faculty at Sunshine Coast Grammar School broadly encompasses three main areas. As far as curriculum is concerned the International Faculty provides instruction in three Languages Other Than English (LOTE), namely French, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese as well as English as a Second Language (ESL). In addition, the International Faculty is responsible for our long term and short term exchange students and this faculty oversees our inbound and outbound language related study tours.
What We Teach
Languages Other Than English
At the Sunshine Coast Grammar School we are proud of the language programs we offer to our students. As one of the eight Key Learning Areas, Languages other than English (LOTE) receive considerable focus with each class being taught by experienced language specialists.
2007 marks a transition year for our language programs with the reintroduction of Mandarin Chinese commencing in Years 4 and 7. Children in Year 4 do a samplar programme, in which they study Mandarin Chinese, French and Japanese for approximately 12 weeks each. In Years 5 & 6, students have the opportunity to study either French or Japanese for the entire year. Students in Year 7 may (places permitting) select do either Mandarin Chinese, French or Japanese. It is expected that students will study their chosen language for the entire year.
Students in Year 8 in 2007 may (places permitting) select to study either Japanese or French.
Programs:
Year 4
Chinese - 12 Weeks
French - 12 Weeks
Japanese - 12 Weeks
Year 5 & 6
French - Full Year
Japanese - Full Year
Year 7
Chinese - Full Year
French - Full Year
Japanese - Full Year
Year 8
French - Full Year
Japanese - Full Year
ESL
Students for whom English is not their first language, may access tuition in English as a Second Language (ESL). For long term International students, the focus in this programme is to develop English language skills sufficiently to engage effectively in their senior programme of study and beyond.
Inbound and Outbound Study Tours
SCGS has well established sister school relationships with various schools in Japan and France. In order to develop students linguisitc skills in their chosen language, students have the opportunity to participate in either short term study tours (either inbound or outbound) or longer term exchange programmes.
Inbound:
- Students from Seijo Gakuen visit Sunshine Coast Grammar School every year in August for approximately one week. Seijo students are usually hosted by students in our Junior School.
- Students from the town of Okagaki in southern Japan also visit Sunshine Coast Grammar School every August. They spend approximately ten days at our school. As these students are junior high school students in Japan (13-15 year olds), they are usually hosted by students in our Middle School.
- Students from the region of Aurillac in France visit Sunshine Coast Grammar School every second year for approximately one month in July/ August. In 2007, we will welcome approximately 15 students from Aurillac and these students will be hosted by Middle and Senior school students.
Outbound:
- Sunshine Coast Grammar School students usually have the opportunity to visit either Japan or France on short term trips every other year. Japanese students spent two weeks travelling in Japan in September of 2006. The next planned short term trip to Japan is expected to be in September of 2008. French students did a similar trip to France in early 2006 and may travel to France again in 2008. These trips are open to students in the Middle and Senior Schools but students who study the language of the country being visited usually have priority if places become limited. There are also occasional visits by SCGS Junior School students to Seijo Gakuen in Tokyo on an ad hoc basis.
- We also try to offer more senior students (Years 10, 11 and 12) students the opportunity to study their chosen language for a more extended period of time in the Christmas break each year. We anticipate that should there be sufficient interest among students studying French, that these students can study French in Aurillac for approximately five weeks in December of 2007. Similarly, students in Years 10 or 11 studying Japanese have the oppportunity of studying Japanese for approximately eight weeks in December-January of 2007 at Meitoku Gijuku in Japan. For further details of any of these trips should directed to the Head of Faculty for International Studies.
What We Want Our Students to Know
Regardless of the language being studied, our emphasis is on developing linguistic skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking in our students. As well, our programmes are designed to instil in our students a tolerance for and curiosity about the language, culture and the people of the country that they are studying. We have numerous short term and long term exchange programmes that our older students can take advantage of to further develop their language skills. Students of French are able to spend approximately five weeks in Aurillac, France whilst Japanese students can study at our sister school in Kochi prefecture, Japan for approximately eight weeks.
