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LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

Teachers in Charge:

  • Mrs S Burch (HOD)

  • Mr W Jackson (Asst. HOD)

  • Mrs H Amoamo (PR Mäori)

Subjects Offered:

  • French: Forms 3-7

  • German: Forms 3-7

  • Japanese: Forms 3-7

  • Mäori: Forms 3-7

  • Spanish: Forms 6 and 7

FRENCH

General Aim: To study and appreciate French as a leading world language, developing the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to communicate effectively in everyday situations; to study the way of life in a variety of French-speaking countries and, in doing so, develop sensitivity to other cultures and greater understanding of our own. Materials used include songs, video-tapes, listening posts and a graded reading scheme.

Form 3 French

Course Content: Emphasis is on listening and speaking skills. Students are encouraged to use French right from the start. Reading and writing activities are also introduced. Themes are: greetings, numbers, alphabet, time, school, sports, talking about yourself, your family and friends, pets, describing people, French throughout the world, and getting acquainted with France.

Assessment: Class tests, listening and speaking tests in the course book. End-of-year exam.

Form 4 French

Pre-requisite: 3rd Form French.

Course Content: The four skills begin to receive more equal attention, although emphasis is still placed on speaking activities. Dictation in French and translation into English are introduced. Students learn to talk about present, past, and future activities. New themes are: home, town and shopping, travel, interests and hobbies, expressing feelings.

Assessment: Regular tests of vocabulary and verbs; listening, reading, writing and speaking tests in the course book; end of year examination.

Form 5 French

Pre-requisite: 4th Form French

Course Content: Varied language activities encourage greater skill in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Themes are: holidays, travel, sport and leisure, health, cafes and restaurants, communications and talking about New Zealand in French. Themes from forms 3 and 4 are revised.

Assessment: Regular vocabulary, grammar and verb tests as well as testing of progress in the four main skills. School Certificate includes a 20% oral component internally assessed in 3 tests through the year, as well as a cultural knowledge section tested in English.

Form 6 French

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade C in S.C. French.

Course Content: The course is theme-oriented and covers a selection of the following: teenagers, daily life, cultural life, fashion, health, New Zealand, the French-speaking world, media and holidays. We use the language to explain our way of life and learn about French-speaking countries. French literature is introduced through short stories and poems.

Assessment: 6FC is internally assessed. Regular grammar and vocabulary tests as well as tests at the end of each unit in the various skills. End of year examination.

Form 7 French

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade 5 in SFC French

Course Content: Themes as for Form 6. Those not covered previously will be studied this year and last year's themes will be expanded. We deal with some more general material concerning history, society and culture. Students do more extended reading. This may include the study of one or more novels in French.

Assessment: Bursary French includes a 20% oral component assessed in 3 tests over the year. Also regular tests of vocabulary, verbs and grammar, as well as progress tests in the various skills. Mid-year examination.

GERMAN

General aim: To study the German language, way of life and history and to promote and encourage cultural awareness and tolerance. To gain an insight into our own culture through comparison with that of Germany. To develop the four main linguistic skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in German.

Form 3 German

Course Content: Students learn to talk about themselves, their families and interests in German. They learn to read, write and speak basic German, and understand spoken German. They will learn songs, watch videos, listen to tapes and be involved in project work.

Assessment: Two small speaking tests (1 per half year). Regular vocabulary and verb testing. End-of-year exam.

Form 4 German

Pre-requisite: Form 3 German

Course Content: Emphasis is placed on speaking German and having fun within the language. Progress is made with learning new grammar and the students will continue to learn about German life and how to talk about important everyday things.

Assessment: Regular class vocabulary and verb testing. End of unit tests covering listening, reading, writing and speaking skills, as appropriate. End-of-year exam.

Form 5 German

Pre-requisite: 4th Form German

Course Content: There are 8 prescribed thematic topics:

  1. The individual;
  2. The family and home ;
  3. School and education;
  4. Social life
  5. City and town
  6. Sport and recreation
  7. Travel and holidays
  8. Geography

Students are encouraged to increase their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills within these and enjoy the culture.

Assessment: S.C. German exam. 20% oral component requires 3 oral tests in the year. Regular vocabulary and verb testing. End of unit testing, covering reading, writing, listening skills.

Form 6 German

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade C in S.C. German.

Course Content: The course is theme-oriented i.e. job-hunting and educational systems, travel and holidays, foreigners in Germany, reunification, etc. which are compared to N.Z. The four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) are further developed. Students will be encouraged to take part in the Waikato Exchange at the end of the year.

Assessment: There will be 4 assessments plus a seminar throughout the year worth 80%. Regular vocabulary and verb testing. Six main units of work based on a theme. The exam will be worth 20%.

Form 7 German

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade 5 in SFC German.

Course Content: A continuation of theme work i.e. young people, looking at German and European society and comparing it with our own, environmental issues, etc. Seminar presentations and individual research are encouraged. Literature studies are integrated into theme work.

Assessment: University Bursary prescription. 20% oral component - requires 3 oral tests in the year. Regular vocabulary and verb testing. 5-6 units of work based on a theme with assignment work and/or a test. Revision of Form 6 work.

JAPANESE

General Aim: Through the study of a foreign language we increase our understanding of other peoples and their culture as well as our own. We emphasise communication in the target language and students learn to understand and speak as well as to read and write.

Form 3 Japanese (total beginners)

Course Content: An introduction to the Japanese writing system, life in Japan, including family and school life. Students are encouraged to use spoken Japanese as much as possible.

Assessment: Class tests. Final exam. 2 small speaking tests.

Form 3 Japanese (non-beginners)

Course Content: A further development of the Japanese writing systems and communication related to daily life and customs of Japan.

Assessment: Class tests. Final exam. 2 small speaking tests.

Form 4 Japanese

Pre-requisite: 3rd Form Japanese.

Course Content: Through themes of daily life and customs we increase our communication skills and understanding. Students continue to develop their knowledge of the Japanese writing system.

Assessment: Class tests. Final exam. 2 small speaking tests.

Form 5 Japanese

Pre-requisite: 4th Form Japanese.

Course Content: Communication skills are developed further covering several topics such as: family, travel, your town and how to get around, daily routines, leisure activities and shopping. Cultural themes include comparison between N.Z. and Japan, daily life and work. (Regular vocabulary and unit tests including writing, reading and listening skills).

Assessment: S.C. Japanese is 40% internally assessed: 20% for oral work, 20% for cultural studies each of which has 3 tests during the year.

Form 6 Japanese

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade C in S.C. Japanese.

Course Content: Thematic in its approach to enable the students to describe Japan and New Zealand. The topics covered in 6th form are family life, eating and drinking, education and leisure activities.

Assessment: 6FC (internally assessed) includes cultural assignments in English as well as tests in oral and written Japanese language skills. Final exam.

Form 7 Japanese

Pre-requisite: Minimum grade 5 in SFC Japanese

Course Content: A continuation of the themes: Land and People, Travel and Tourism, Japan at Work and Communication and the Media. Presentation in both Japanese and English and individual research are encouraged.

Assessment: University Bursary examination with 20% internally assessed oral component. 3 speaking tests. Regular vocabulary, Kanji, and unit tests including reading, writing and listening skills.

MÄORI

General Aim: To enable pupils to understand spoken Mäori, speak in Mäori, understand written Mäori, write in Mäori, and gain some insight into the culture associated with the language.

Form 3 Te Reo Mäori

There are two third form Te Reo Mäori classes. The beginners class caters for students who have nil to a little experience in Mäori language. The advanced class caters for students who have a strong background in Te Reo Mäori. Pupils coming from Kohanga Reo, bilingual and total immersion Mäori units will be placed in this class along with pupils who have had a continuous Mäori language programme prior to entering High School.

Course Content: Students are introduced to listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to Te Rangatahi I level. Workbooks used are Te Matapuna Book 1.

Assessment: A series of assignments and tests and an end of year examination.

Form 4 Te Reo Mäori

Pre-requisite: 3rd Form Mäori.

Course Content: Students develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to Te Rangatahi I level. Students also work from Te Pukaki Book 2 by I & S McCormack.

Assessment: A series of assignments and tests and an end of year exam.

Form 5 Te Reo Mäori

Pre-requisite: 3rd & 4th Form Mäori.

Course Content: Students develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to the level of Te Rangatahi II.

Assessment: Series of assignments and tests, and a mid-year and end of year examination. The final S.C. grade is decided by an external written examination at the end of the year. The oral component consists of two speaking tests through the year and a third test moderated by external assessors. This results in the final separate grade for speaking.

Form 6 Te Reo Mäori

Pre-requisite: A good grade in Form 5 Te Reo Mäori. Grade 3 is acceptable.

Course Content: Students develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to the first half of Te Reo Rangatira. Students also study the culture associated with the language in these chapters. Te Rangatahi II Book is also used.

Assessment: Series of assignments and tests on language covered and culture associated with it. End of year examination.

Form 7 Te Reo Mäori

Pre-requisite: A good grade in Form 6 Te Reo Mäori.

Course Content: Students develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to the level of the second half of Te Reo Rangatira. Te Rangatahi II Book is also used.

Assessment: Series of assignments and tests and a 2 1/2 hour written examination is held in Term 2. A 1/2 hour oral examination also takes place in Term 2 making up 40% of the total examination. An external audio, oral and written examination at the end of the year. The oral section of the examination is worth 40% of the total mark. The other 60% will come from the written paper.

SPANISH

General Aim: The general aims for learning Spanish in N.Z. are to be able to communicate through listening, speaking, reading and writing in a variety of situations with people from Spain, Latin America and other peoples comprising the 300 million Hispanic speakers of the world. Through acquiring knowledge of Hispanic contributions to the world, a better understanding of these cultures is gained.

Form 6 Spanish

Pre-requisite: Grade C in S.C. English is desirable. Good progress can be made by beginners as well as those with previous foreign language experience. Students must be committed to daily homework, learning the day's new language and revising previous work.

Course Content: Everyday situations provide basis for language study. Students are also introduced to the culture, history and geography of a range of Spanish-speaking countries and two assignments are required.

Assessment: 6FC internal assessment: speaking tests and listening/reading/writing tests 70%; final exam 30%.

Form 7 Spanish

Pre-requisite: Grade 5+ in 6FC Spanish and ability to cope with grammar and written Spanish.

Course Content: Continues from 6th Form course with increasing emphasis on culture, history and contemporary events in the Hispanic world, including two assignments.

Assessment: Mid-year exam. Regular assessment each term of verbs, grammar, speaking, listening, reading and writing. Note: UB Spanish has a 15% oral component, assessed in three tests during the year.

 
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