Week 4 of Term, 7th to 14th August, was Languages Week and this year there was great participation from students and staff in Primary, Middle and Senior School! Languages Week is about raising an awareness of the benefits of language learning, the linguistic diversity in our community and to celebrate language learning in schools.

During Languages Week the following activities took place:

  • Languages Week Family Survey
  • Languages quests in the Primary School
  • An Indonesian concert by Indonesian singer/actor Michael Jakarimilena (“Michael J”) attended by 850 students from 6 different schools
  • Becak rides in Primary and Middle School
  • A prize draw for Middle School students who used Indonesian while buying their lunch in the café
  • Languages Week quiz and prize draw
  • A prize for teachers of each sub-school who most actively and enthusiastically shared the Languages other than English they could speak.


Family Learning Survey

Here are some interesting insights that came out through the Family Languages survey:

1. Families at the School speak the following languages at home (among others):

  • Afrikaans
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Dutch
  • Filipino/Tagalog
  • ndonesian
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Punjabi
  • Arabic
  • Korean

2. After Indonesian, French is the language that most families have some experience in learning.

3. Parents cite the value of language learning for the following benefits:

  • “It teaches you a lot about your own language (structure, grammar etc) and opens up the world to afford an appreciation of different cultures.”
  • It “opens up a whole range of possibilities for the future of our children, learning about culture of another country can be both educational and help with job prospects in the future , it's a great tool for us all to have it can be fun and rewarding at the same time”
  • “Business and travel”
  • “Great for brain development”
  • “A friend who can speak two languages explained it as : 'You become two people'. I think it goes deeper than just being able to speak a second language”
  • “Being able to express yourself in ways other than just in English. English is limited in some ways.”
  • It “Opens your mind”


Competition Winners

Family Languages Survey prize draw winner ($80 Kulcha Café voucher): Mr Daryl Mather

Languages Week Quiz student prize draw winner ($20 Lakeside Joondalup prize): Daniel Long (Year 9)

Café voucher prize draw ($15 Café Voucher for Middle School students using Indonesian in the café): Trinity Adair (Year 8) and Mia Nicholson (Year 8)

Teacher Prize (most active and enthusiastic at speaking other languages, nominated by students):

  • Senior School: Ms McDiarmid
  • Middle School: Mr Schlueter
  • Primary School: Mrs Hocking

To all the families, students and teachers who got involved in Languages Week, “dankie, gracias, merci, tak, grazie, asante, terima kasih, THANK YOU!".


Language Facts

Below are some interesting facts about Languages that have been on display around the school during Languages Week. Did you know… ?

  • Research shows that people who know a second language tend to be: creative & flexible thinkers, problem solvers and have greater communicative sensitivity
  • Being able to communicate in two or more languages is expected and considered ‘normal’in MOST parts of the world
  • Approximately 120 different Indigenous Australian Languages are still used, though many are at risk of becoming extinct
  • Bahasa (Malay / Indonesia) is the 6th most widely spoken language in the world (More than 280 million people speak Bahasa!)
  • There are over 7,907 known living languages in the world today… In Indonesia alone there are more than 700 native living languages
  • Papua New Guinea has the most native languages of any one country…they have more than 800 languages!
  • Learning another language is good for brain health: It has been shown to delay issues such as dementia by up to 5 years
  • 21% of Australians speak a language other than English at home
  • Only 6% of the world speak English as a first language
  • Learning another language helps your understanding of your first language.
  • Studies show bilingualism (knowing a second language) can improve competitiveness in the job market.