Kindergarten - Year 6
- English
- Italian
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Human Society and its Environment
- Creative and Practical Arts
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
In the Primary School approximately one half of the timetable is devoted to teaching through Italian and the other half through English, thereby providing a balanced exposure to the two languages. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of literacy skills in both English and Italian. Unlike any other school in Australia, the Italian Bilingual School offers all of the above through two languages, English and Italian.
English, Maths and PD, H, P.E are taught in English; all other Key Learning Areas are taught in Italian with an equitable balance to be maintained throughout the various levels of schooling.
New students are not expected to have prior knowledge of Italian. The teachers are highly competent and skilled in the process of second language acquisition and are therefore able to assist the children through the different learning phases.
The Italian Bilingual School offers a microcosm where learning the Italian
language complements the development of skills in the English language.
Hence, the students, whose majority language is English, are given as many
opportunities to communicate in Italian as possible both through formal
learning and informal contexts.
The content of the curriculum, to be delivered in English and in Italian,
reflects both the Australian and Italian cultures, thus giving students a
bilingual and bicultural education. Encouraging students towards an
understanding and appreciation of the wealth of cultures which comprise the
Australian landscape, is an inherent aspect of the School's curriculum.
Through this model children will gain social, cultural, historical and
geographical knowledge of Australia and Italy. The Italian Bilingual School
empowers students through the added benefits of a broader education by
offering a curriculum that is consistently of the highest standard.
The teachers of the Italian Bilingual School are qualified, experienced
and highly skilled professionals with native proficiency in the Italian
language. Similarly, teachers of English and Mathematics are equally
skilled and qualified, with native proficiency in the English language. In
order to facilitate the development of the two languages and to avoid
confusion, each teacher speaks to the students either in English or
Italian, according to their area of specialisation. Students thus associate
a particular person with a specific language, thereby maintaining the
distinction between languages.
At the Italian Bilingual School care is taken to foster the development of
each individual child in the firm belief that, through nurture and
continual encouragement, children are able to achieve to their full
potential. Consistent with this philosophy, class sizes do not exceed 20
students. Moreover, parental involvement is viewed as an integral component
of a child's educational development and is therefore strongly encouraged.
In addition to the intellectual development of the students, the school
also places strong emphasis on physical well-being.
Students participate in a variety of activities and games aimed at
promoting physical fitness and personal development. These range from gross
motor activities to ball games, gymnastics and swimming lessons from Year
1.
HOMEWORK
Homework forms an integral part of learning at the Italian Bilingual School; its role is to strengthen newly learnt skills and to foster good study habits which will become invaluable in later years.
Homework is set by the teachers at a rate and level suited to the students'needs. Whilst it is important that good study habits are established early in your child's school experience, it should not prove to be either stressful or negative; on the contrary, it more often than not provides opportunities for your child to share what he/she has learnt in the course of the day. Moreover, consistency is important; should difficulties present themselves please approach your child's teacher and discuss these. It is however an expectation that homework which is set by the teacher will be completed as required.