Bilingual Program
In 2018, the school trialled a Bilingual Program in Year 1. This program has now been extended to include Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 in 2021. The school is intending to offer The Bilingual Program to Year 5 in 2022. The Bilingual Program utilies CLIL pedagogical practice and offers children the opportunity to undertake subjects in Chinese. The Bilingual Program not only offers children the opportunity to become fluent in a second language but also increase their cognitive ability by developing more neural pathways. This brain development can also support learning across all other disciplines especially if it begins before the age of eight.
It is envisaged that students who begin the Bilingual Program in Year 1 will be conversationally fluent in Chinese by Year 3 and technically fluent by Year 5.
A bank of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have been developed to give more details about the Bilingual Program. These can be accessed below.
Parent Frequently Asked Questions – Bilingual Program
Bilingual Program – Information
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open for Prep students who may wish to join the Bilingual Program for Year 1 in 2022. Please see the details below.
2021 EOI Prep to Year 1 Bilingual Class
Chinese - Mandarin Program
All students learn Chinese from Prep to Year 6, which aims to build a strong foundation in Chinese language skills and intercultural understanding and aligns with the National Curriculum.
The teaching and learning approaches of the Chinese subject focus on developing the students’ four Chinese macro-skills (speaking, reading , listening and writing) and intercultural understanding, and to promote cultural appreciation in language learning. Units of work are collaboratively developed, with direction from the National Curriculum as well as the needs and interests of the students.
Chinese is recognised as an important language for young Australians to learn as Australia progresses towards a future of increased trade and engagement with Asia. Therefore, the ‘Languages and International Programs’ project has been launched at the school since March 2016 to manage future international relations with overseas sister schools and to promote the language program around the school and community.
International Programs
The school has partnered with Education Queensland International to provide opportunities for study tours, sister school exchanges and accreditation of staff.
A sister school agreement has been signed with Zhenjiang Mincheng Primary School in Jiangsu Province and the sister school will visit in 2018 and a return visit to Zhenjiang Mincheng Primary School will generally occur every second year.
The school has also hosted its first study tour where students and teachers from other countries visited the school. Study tours will continue each year.
The International Program is only in its infancy but already it has enriched the lives of our children and brought a global perspective to their learning.
More information will be available in Semester 2