Languages

La Lingua Italiana St Augustine’s embraces the culture of our Italian community with Italian lessons once a week for all students for half a semester The children from years 1-6 have participated in the Dante Alighieri poster Italian Competition. Over the years we have celebrated the success of a number of Year 1-6 students who received High Distinction certificates, Honourable Mentions and certificates of excellent achievements. We have also celebrated and embraced our 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. The children attend a ceremony at Melbourne University with family and friends presented by the Dante committee. This competition allowed the students of St Augustine’s to ‘Shine’ in the wider community! In 2016 we entered for the first time the multimedia Dante Alighieri competition which was open to year 5 to year 12 students. We received 1st place within the year 5/6 domain multimedia competition. The children received their trophy and prize for their outstanding collaborative, creative film work! Our achievements and school events have also been published in the Italian newspaper ‘IL Globo.’

The Italian program also allows the students to learn the language through other domains such as visual arts (construction work), mathematics (solving mathematical tasks in the target language.), technology, music and drama etc... The Italian program also allows the students to experience ‘hands on’ cultural aspects of Italian food whereby the students make tomato sauce fresh pasta and pizza.

The students also have an opportunity to share their language talent in the school concert whereby one class performs the Italian item for parents and friends. At the end of the year the children participate in our school christmas carols and perform a number of Italian songs to the school community.

We celebrate all our achievements by portraying the language in different ways across all year levels where the children have an opportunity display their talents.