The senior Languages subjects at Kenmore State High are:
Please click on the subject links above and refer to the Year 10 Subject Guide (PDF, 4MB) or Year 11 & 12 Subject Guide (PDF, 3.3MB) for further information on Languages subjects and prerequisites.
Contact details for the Head of Department are listed under the "Our School" tab.
German
FAQs
How does the course work for German Immersion students?
German Immersion students complete Units 1 and 2 (year 11 German) in their year 10 German Immersion class. In year 11 you will complete units 3 and 4, including the external exam in November. You will then be automatically enrolled in German Extension in year 12.
Do we get extra credit for completing an extra year of work?
Yes! By the end of Year 10 you will receive 2 QCE credits for successfully completing Unit 1 & 2 of German. You earn another 2 QCE credits for successfully completing Unit 3 & 4 in Year 11 and then another 2 QCE credits for completing German Extension in Year 12. Your results in both German and German Extension can contribute to your ATAR.
Is it true that we can get extra points for studying a language?
The ATAR adjustment is applied by universities; they do not change the ATAR itself. Students will receive their ATAR in December. Each university then adjusts the ATAR for appropriate students to derive an adjusted selection rank for a particular course at a particular institution.
What are some common career pathways that are associated with this subject?
Professions and industries that value the knowledge of an additional language including business, hospitality, law, science, technology, sociology and anthropology. A course of study in German can establish a basis for further education and employment in the fields of linguistics, translation or teaching. German is suited to students who are interested in pathways beyond school that lead to tertiary studies, vocational education, work or travel.
What sort of assessment will we have to do?
There are 4 pieces of assessment per year in Senior German:
- The IA1 tests your comprehension and ability to analyse German texts in English.
- The IA2 requires you to analyse German texts in English, write an extended response in German and speak in German.
- The IA3 asks you to analyse German texts in German through a multimodal presentation, then respond to unseen questions on the same topic.
- External Exam: At the end of the year you will have to sit the external exam, which also includes short response analysis questions and an extended response question.
What should I be good at to excel at this subject?
Students should have an interest in the German language and culture. Our students are required to work collaboratively as well as independently.
What will help me to be successful in this course?
Students should be self-motivated and have a love for learning. The students should complete the German Immersion course with an A or B overall result.
What specific skills would benefit me in this subject?
Students who participate in language learning activities such as Language Perfect, German movies, reading, etc are most successful.
Are there any excursions or any costs for this subject?
Our students can participate in some cultural activities such as the German Film Festival. Students may participate in all PASCH projects as well as the German Corporation day. Most years The Goethe Institute offers a scholarship to a high achieving student to travel to Germany to participate in a language /cultural course.
German Extension
FAQs
How does the course work for German Immersion students?
German Immersion students complete Units 1 and 2 (year 11 German) in their year 10 German Immersion class. In year 11 you will complete units 3 and 4, including the external exam in November. You will then be automatically enrolled in German Extension in year 12.
Do we get extra credit for completing an extra year of work?
Yes! By the end of Year 10 you will receive 2 QCE credits for successfully completing Unit 1 & 2 of German. You earn another 2 QCE credits for successfully completing Unit 3 & 4 in Year 11 and then another 2 QCE credits for completing German Extension in Year 12. Your results in both German and German Extension can contribute to your ATAR.
Is it true that we can get extra points for studying a language?
The ATAR adjustment is applied by universities; they do not change the ATAR itself. Students will receive their ATAR in December. Each university then adjusts the ATAR for appropriate students to derive an adjusted selection rank for a particular course at a particular institution.
What are some common career pathways that are associated with this subject?
Professions and industries that value the knowledge of an additional language including business, hospitality, law, science, technology, sociology and anthropology. A course of study in German can establish a basis for further education and employment in the fields of linguistics, translation or teaching. German is suited to students who are interested in pathways beyond school that lead to tertiary studies, vocational education, work or travel.
What sort of assessment will we have to do?
The German Extension course has 4 assessments:
- The Internal summative exam: IA1 is a combination response which tests student’s comprehension and ability to analyse German texts in German and English. The second part of this exam is a spoken response requiring students to answer unseen questions in German.
- The IA2 requires students to analyse German texts in an extended response in German.
- The IA3 is a two part investigative folio (project):
- Part A -The multimodal presentation is an analysis and evaluation of authentic German text selected by the students relating to a topic of personal interest.
- Part B is a spontaneous discussion about the same chosen topic.
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The EA External Assessment: At the end of the year students will have an external exam. This exam requires students to analyse and evaluate German text in an analytical essay.
What should I be good at to excel at this subject?
Students should have an interest in the German language and culture. Our students are required to work collaboratively as well as independently.
What will help me to be successful in this course?
Students should be self-motivated and have a love for learning. The students should complete the German Immersion course with an A or B overall result.
What specific skills would benefit me in this subject?
Students who participate in language learning activities such as Language Perfect, German movies, reading German books, German conversations, German cultural interests etc. are most successful.
Are there any excursions or any costs for this subject?
Our students can participate in some cultural activities such as the German Film Festival. Students may participate in all PASCH projects as well as the German Corporation day. Most years The Goethe Institute offers a scholarship to a high achieving student to travel to Germany to participate in a language /cultural course.
For more information about German Extension, please refer to the Year 10 Subject Guide (PDF, 4MB) or Year 11 & 12 Subject Guide (PDF, 3.3MB) or contact the Head of Department.
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Japanese
FAQs
Why should I learn a language?
Learning a language gives you the chance to communicate across cultures and experience the world in new ways. It helps you to develop a global mindset and opens doors to further study and personal and career opportunities.
What are some common career pathways that are associated with this subject?
Common career pathways include tourism & hospitality, translating & interpreting and teaching. However, many professions and industries value the knowledge of an additional language including business, law, science, technology, sociology and anthropology. Japanese is suited to students who are interested in pathways beyond school that lead to tertiary studies, vocational education, work or travel.
Can I get extra QCE credits by studying Japanese?
Yes, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) recognises the Japanese Language Proficiency Tests (JLPT) as contributing studies for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). Students can gain two QCE credits by satisfactorily passing the JLPT N4 or N5.
Is it true that we can get extra ATAR points for studying a language?
The ATAR adjustment is applied by universities; they do not change the ATAR itself. Students will receive their ATAR in December. Each university then adjusts the ATAR for appropriate students to derive an adjusted selection rank for a particular course at a particular institution.
How will I be assessed?
You have to show how well you can comprehend, analyse and evaluate Japanese stimulus texts. These texts can be written, audio, audio-visual or in the form of graphs etc. You will be required to write short responses in English, and short and long responses in Japanese. You are also required to speak in Japanese to present your work or to answer questions.
How many assessments are there?
There are four assessments each year, one per term. Assessment in year 11 is formative and mirrors the year 12 assessments. Assessment in year 12 goes towards your ATAR, with 75% being internal assessment, and 25% being external.
What will help me to be successful in this course?
Students should have an interest in the Japanese language and culture. Students are required to work collaboratively as well as independently. Students should be self-motivated and have a love for learning. Learning a language requires constant practice, therefore students who also expose themselves to the language outside the classroom are most successful. This exposure can be in the form of online language learning activities, Japanese movies, reading, etc.
What assumed knowledge or subject result is recommended from Year 10 to be successful in this subject?
It is recommended that students planning to study Japanese in years 11 and 12 have successfully passed year 10 Japanese. It is expected that students can read and write all hiragana, katakana and some kanji characters, and are able to work with the plain form of verbs.