Great Scot September 2019 Great Scot 157_September 2019_ONLINE | Page 15

LEFT TO RIGHT: EDWARD HILLS, NEIL DOSHI, MATHEW SCOULLER, GEORGE BABLIS, JAMIE CHANG, THOMAS CHERK, WILSON CRAWFORD
German Café.’), but the key to building and managing positive social
and perhaps future business relationships.
Why else would young boys commit to an early morning extension
class as well as endless hours of practice in order to gain an
internationally recognised certificate issued by the renowned Goethe
Institut? Why else would they be prepared to sit a challenging two-
hour exam, demonstrating not only their growing skills in sustaining
a basic conversation, but also being able to extract information and
write personal messages?
But no matter how well our boys perform in their test to prove
their language proficiency, they have begun their linguistic journey
with a true appreciation as well as insight into the special qualities of
that language. I enjoy listening to them; how they tune into its unique
music, and the rhythms, intonations and tones that make up its core.
I appreciate how hard they try to come to terms with how language is
organised, selecting from a range of possibilities for communication
and problem-solving. It is amazing how they engage with the culture
and history. They are so curious in gaining an insight into a world
beyond their immediate experience.
These boys have done more than learning vocabulary or trying to
master simple grammatical points: they are gaining an invaluable skill,
an ability to read, interpret and experience the world from an additional
perspective.
Everything changes when you are able to use the local language.
It is amazing how much more open people are when you speak their
mother tongue. It also demonstrates to them a great level of respect.
Our Language Captain for 2019, Jamie Chang (Year 6),
expressed it this way: ‘I struggled at first, did not have a good grasp
of the German vocabulary and was too scared to mispronounce
words. However, I persevered and eventually overcame my fears.
Subconsciously I started to tap into my hidden superhero to learn a
foreign language as well as becoming someone who can inspire, lead
by example, support and encourage others.’
It seems when you master a foreign language, you can exercise
your new superhuman power of being able to understand what
someone is saying, recall the proper vocab and grammar, put that
vocab and grammar into the proper context, and reply – all on the spot
and in a timely manner. You’ve connected. And that is what it’s all about.
CORNELIA KOEHNE-DRUBE – HEAD OF LOTE, JUNIOR SCHOOL
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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