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UPPER SCHOOL
MR TIM RAYNER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

WHAT WOULD BART SIMPSON HAVE SAID ABOUT LATIN ?

Bart didn ’ t appreciate the great benefits of learning another language
‘ English ? Who needs that ? I ’ m never going to England ,’ said Bart Simpson , of the animated cartoon series , The Simpsons . While the irony of not knowing that he was actually a user of the American variety of English was lost on Bart , his comment does allow us to explore attitudes to language and language learning . Mastering English can be a challenge in itself , even for those of us born into an English-speaking family , but to learn another language in addition to English can be daunting , particularly when it seems so many people across the globe already speak English .
However , providing the opportunity to learn a language is important . This year , at Scotch , we had a remarkable 97 boys , or 38 per cent of the cohort , studying a language in Year 12 , Latin included . Compared to a national average of around 10 per cent studying a language , we are doing pretty well .
We currently offer French , German , Chinese , Indonesian , and Italian at Scotch . Boys commence Year 7 learning two of these languages ; in Year 8 they continue with two or study one language . In Year 9 all boys must study at least one language . It ’ s interesting to note that in Year 10 over 50 per cent of boys choose to continue with a language . Boys can also begin to learn Latin in Year 9 , as well as pick up Indonesian . What Bart Simpson would have said of Latin , I will leave to your imagination .
Arguably , with English being used around the globe by so many people , to the point where it is seen as a lingua franca , it is easy to rationalise why there is no need to learn an additional language . So , what is the attraction of learning a language ?
The benefits of learning another language are significant . Learning a language does provide an insight into different worlds and cultures , of which there are many around the world . Estimates vary , but there around 6000 different languages spoken around the globe today , with many of the smaller languages under threat .
Communicating across cultures and stepping into the shoes of other peoples is important . Learning a language is intellectually stimulating . It aids
memory , improves the functionality of the brain , and allows students to better understand the structure of their first language . It also makes a person more employable , particularly if that person is working for an international company . Yet , studies also show that the older one gets , the more difficult it is to learn a language – not that this should put off our more senior readers .
Providing opportunities for boys to practise what they have learnt is important . Teachers regularly interview and converse with boys on a one-on-one level so oral skills can be refined . Additionally , boys are encouraged to participate in external competitions like those held by Alliance Francaise , where poetry is recited by the younger participants . Students of Chinese learn to write calligraphy , itself an art form , while other boys take the opportunity to celebrate national holidays , such as Indonesian Independence Day , by visiting the consulate .
With a fully-equipped kitchen located on the first floor of the Language and Culture Centre at Scotch , boys and staff also spend time cooking some of the traditional national dishes associated with their selected language . This is fun , vocabulary is practised , and boys get to taste what they have cooked – a win all round .
Those Scotch boys lucky enough to travel on school exchanges to France , Germany , China , Indonesia and Italy return feeling so much more confident in communicating in their chosen language , but also comment on the benefits of seeing other world views and perspectives . Many boys will have established long-term connections and friendships with the families they have met and lived with . The exchanges vary in length from three to 10 weeks and occur over the school holidays for the most part .
Scotch is fortunate to be able to offer the range of languages it does . As a result , a significant number of boys will be equipped to communicate effectively in another language when they leave school , understand and appreciate other cultural perspectives , and thereby enrich their world view . www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 13