In 2012, Gladstone Park was the first Government Secondary School in Victoria to offer CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in Italian. For more than ten years, hundreds of families of Year 7, 8 and 9 students, have witnessed the benefits of this pedagogy.
CLIL is not bilingual education as such, but a half-way point in which students take two core subjects (Humanities and Mathematics) in Italian. CLIL is highly regarded internationally and in the European Union, where 23 official Languages are spoken, and global citizenship is a priority. In Europe, it is compulsory for every student to take at least one subject through CLIL in their last year of High School.
The enormous academic benefits of CLIL for our students are clear. CLIL not only benefits our students’ Italian language learning through a more engaging and relevant process of language acquisition, but also gives them a better retention of the content taught. Within the CLIL program, students’ ability to focus improves dramatically. When they are concentrating on being able to understand what the teacher is saying in Italian, they are more focused and better able to retain information than when they are learning in English. Moreover, the higher intellectual engagement required in a CLIL class helps students to further improve their literacy skills, critical thinking, problem solving and overall academic success.
Over the years, in line with the Victorian Curriculum, our expert teachers have developed and refined original and engaging History and Geography units of work. The content is delivered through extensive use of visuals resources and ICT-based activities. Assessment is generally in Italian.
Mathematics is also taught in Italian, however students have a textbook in English to support their learning. Moreover, CLIL students are welcome to take advantage of the After School free tutoring program offered to all students, 3 times a week, with English speaking Mathematics teachers. Assessment is predominantly in English.
In addition to academic success, the CLIL program at Gladstone Park provides our students with a uniquely nurturing social experience. Unlike other students at the College, CLIL students stay together from Year 7 to the end of Year 9, a fact that past CLIL families have reported is of great value to their children. Being in the same class helps them to form strong bonds with likeminded students who work collaboratively and support each other in a unique and stimulating environment.
Language Immersion Brochure available to view Click here
TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST PLEASE Click here
Immersion Teaching Methodology video Click here
Media – Newspaper/Magazine articles:
The 2 links below will direct you to interviews and articles by SBS Radio and The Age Newspaper.
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/italian/en/article/2017/03/24/gladstone-park-we-speak-italian
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/schools-join-forces-to-rescue-languages-20120204-1qyzl.html
Monica Roccuzzo and Emilio Gokcek, two students from Gladstone Park Secondary College talked with SBS Radio about climate change, sharing their perspectives and their solutions –
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/italian/en/audiotrack/future-earth-it-hands-youngest
