Category Archives: All Students

Year 6 Books for Reception Students

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In Week 6 of this term our Year 7 students were on a very exciting (and very cold!) school camp to Canberra.

During this week, the Year 6 students spent time designing and creating German language books for our Reception students.

Our Reception students are actively involved in book making themselves so we decided that they would enjoy being gifted with books made by older students.

The Year 6 students chose their working groups, negotiated a topic and then split the task up so that each student had an equal share of creating to do.

Well done, Year 6 students! I’m sure the Reception children will enjoy learning with the language books you have made.

Lindau Exchange Visit

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On Wednesday of Week 10 Craigburn Primary School welcomed 11 students from the Valentin-Heider Gymnasium in Germany. The visiting secondary students are part of a long-running exchange program exisiting between Reynella East College and VHG, located on Lake Constance in Bavaria, Germany. Every two years the German students travel to Adelaide in March and the Australian students back over to Germany in December. Over their four week exchange they live with an Australian host family, experience life in an Australian school and participate in a wide range of excursions highlighting our city and country.

The exchange students were welcomed to Craigburn Primary in an assembly run by SLEG members, Holly, Sriya and Jess. As part of the assembly the German students gave a presentation to introduce themselves. They showed us where they are from, talked about the differences in school (they don’t have to wear a uniform in Germany!) and talked about their favourite German foods. They also shared their opinions with us on Australian food and Tim Tams were a favourite!

Our Junior Primary students then shared two German songs before the exchange students were presented with Craigburn mugs as a way of saying ‘thank you’ for visiting our school.

During the afternoon on Wednesday and then again on Monday of Week 11, the German visitors worked with our students and Frau Smith in the German room. They enjoyed reading to the Junior Primary students in German and chatting with our older students about life in Germany. During break times, our students took the German students into the yard and gave them a tour of our school.

These visits have been a fantastic opportunity for our students to communicate with German speakers and to see the potential in learning languages and travelling. Many have since spoken of the idea of exchange programs in high school and shared other experiences with different languages.

We wish the Lindau students a safe journey home and I would like to thank the Craigburn community for welcoming these students into our school so warmly!

Frau Smith

German Exchange Student Visits

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On Wednesday Week 10 (4th April) and Monday Week 11 (9th April) Craigburn Primary will be welcoming eleven German exchange students to our school. This will be an invaluable opportunity for our students to meet and socialise with German students and allow both the Australian students and the German students to practice second language skills in an authentic way. 
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The visiting secondary students are part of an long-running exchange program exisiting between Reynella East College and Valentin-Heider Gymnasium, located on Lake Constance in Bavaria, Germany. Every two years the German students travel to Adelaide, Australia in March. Over their four week exchange they live with an Australian host family, experience life in an Australian school and participate in a wide range of excursions highlighting our city and country. Just a couple of weeks ago they visited and explored the beauty of Kangaroo Island!
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In December a group of Australian students will be returning to Lindau, Germany, to participate in the second leg of the exchange program. Frau Smith and her family participated in the last exchange to Lindau in 2016 and will again later this year.
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We warmly welcome the students from Valentin-Heider Gymnasium to Craigburn Primary and look forward to sharing some fantastic learning together!

Why Learn a Language?

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I find it very important to start each year brainstorming with students about why it is important to learn another language.

This gives the students the chance to reflect on why they think it is important, to share ideas with others and to develop an understanding on just how many ways second language learning benefits them.

Here is some more information about language learning at Craigburn Primary:

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela

Why Learn a Language?

Learning a second language has intrinsic benefits such as developing cultural awareness and empathy and promoting self-reflection within the learner. Academically, second language learning improves first language ability, improves memory and heightens cross-curricular skills.

Languages and the Australian Curriculum:

The German language and culture taught at Craigburn Primary correlates with the three main aims of the Australian Curriculum, enabling students to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills to:

• communicate in German

• learn about cultures from around the world

• understand themselves as communicators

This gives your child the opportunity to express themselves in another language, empathise with other cultures and gain skills to be successful in all areas of their studies.

German at Craigburn:

In 2018 every class at Craigburn Primary will attend one German lesson 50 or 70 minutes in length. The program is delivered in an engaging manner which encourages students to develop their cultural awareness and language skills while working towards reaching their relevant Achievement Standards. Learning occurs in many different forms in the German classroom, from songs, stories and games to using a range of devices to demonstrate understandings. Above all, the program aims to immerse students in German language and culture in a safe, enjoyable and constructive environment. The German program is taught by Carly Smith on Monday – Thursday in A7.

Sharing Our Learning:

The Craigburn German blog is an effective platform to share our learning with not only the school and wider community but also on a global level. The blog showcases the current learning in our German classroom through written accounts, photos and videos. The blog can be found at: http:// blogs.craigburn.sa.edu.au/german/. Learning is also shared with families via the Seesaw app, if used by the classroom teacher. This gives timely updates about what is happening in our classroom and allows families to share learning together.

If you have any questions or queries concerning the German program at Craigburn Primary, please feel most welcome to come and discuss with Frau Smith.

Willkommen to 2018!

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Willkommen to all Craigburn families! German at Craigburn this year will be full of new, exciting learning and will give all students the opportunity to further their language skills.

This year the German room has moved (back) to room A7. I will be working Monday-Thursday over 2018 so please drop in if you’d like a chat about the program!

Each class will have one lesson per week (either 50 or 70 minutes long) over the whole year.

I’m looking forward to hearing about your holiday stories!

Languagenut

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This year we have subscribed to a new language learning tool called ‘Languagenut.’

Languagenut generates usernames and passwords for each student and allows them to log in and complete a variety of tasks. The tasks focus on reading, writing, speaking and writing.

The tool allows students to earn medals as they progress and complete tasks that support the language learning happening in our classroom. I can set particular tasks to ensure the current focus language is being practised through the program.

For students that bring their own iPad to school, I encourage you to download the ‘Languagenut’ app at home. This will allow your child to access the tool during German lessons as well as at home.

You can also use this program at http://www.languagenut.com/au/

I will provide login details for your child to glue into their diaries.

Vielen Dank!

Where Frau Smith stayed in Germany – Lindau!

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Over our summer I spent 5 1/2 weeks in Germany! My family and I travelled with a Year 10 school group on a school exchange, based mainly in LINDAU.

Lindau is a beautiful Bavarian town (southern Germany) and found on the edge of ‘Bodensee’ or Lake Constance. It is VERY close to other countries – Austria was a short 10 minute train ride away!

Here are some photos of Lindau Island. As we were there in the winter (and they had an unusually snowy start to January) we saw the town mainly in white.

Willkommen to 2017!

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The new Australian school year has begun! And with the new year, we have a new room. German @ Craigburn has moved into a brighter and bigger space – with a view as well!

This year the Year 3-7 students will have 80 minute German lessons during Terms 1 and 3 and the Reception – Year 2 students during Terms 2 and 4.

I’m looking forward to an exciting term, after just have spent 5 1/2 weeks in Germany! I’m back with fresh ideas, authentic resources and am excited to share my experiences with the students.

Please subscribe to our blog to keep in touch with our learning!

 

Willkommen! A New School Year

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Welcome to the 2016 school year !

We have an exciting start to our German program at Craigburn Primary, with the German classroom in a new location. See if you can spot all the fresh and colourful additions to the room when you come for your lesson!

This year the Year 3-7 students will attend German lessons during Terms 1 and 3 and the Reception-Year 2 students during Terms 2 and 4.

The question of why we should learn a language is often asked. There are many benefits to second language learning and I have attached a summary of how it can boost learning experiences of young children in our schools below. This information has been provided by the Victorian State Government and highlights the benefits language learning has for our young students.

If you would like more information, please visit http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/curriculum/Pages/languagepromotion.aspx.

I’m looking forward to hearing about the holiday stories from all of our students.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Frau Smith

 

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