St Mary’s offers four modern languages - French, German, Italian and Japanese. The Languages Department uses modern textbooks and innovative techniques to ensure that all girls enjoy and benefit from the learning of a second language.
All Year 8s study at least one language, and have the option of studying two in most combinations. In Years 8 to 10, students develop a knowledge and understanding of the culture of the country or countries in which the language they study is spoken through background studies. Students have many opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities such as excursions to restaurants, films, theatre productions, quiz afternoons and games afternoons with other schools.
In Year 9, a one-period option of Multicultural Studies is offered. Students participating in this course study, through the medium of English, the cultures and people of several countries in South America, Europe and Asia. A limited range of a variety of languages is also presented.
In Year 10 an option of Conversational Spanish is offered.
Students in Years 11 and 12 can choose to study French, German, Italian and Japanese: Second Language to TEE level or take up French for Beginners which is a Wholly School Assessed subject. A second language is an invaluable and sometimes essential skill for many careers. Classroom activities are based around developing the students' reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
Students have regular access to native speakers to gain valuable authentic experience of their chosen subject.
Students are encouraged to participate in external language competitions. These include the Alliance Française, Deutsche Australischer Sprachverein (DAS), Dante Alighieri examinations, the Japanese Language Speaking Competition, and the ACER National Language Certificate Examinations at two different levels.
St Mary's offers trips to France, Germany, Italy and Japan. These may either be groups of St Mary's students alone, or may include students from other schools in Perth.
Girls always participate in home-stay programmes and usually have an opportunity to attend school in the country they are visiting. Group visits to various places of interest usually take place during these overseas trips. We also provide an opportunity for girls to host students from overseas, although this is not a prerequisite for going on a trip. Students of Italian and Japanese are selected upon application to participate in an exchange to these countries.
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