Languages Centre

Narrabundah is very proud of its Languages program. Narrabundah College offers the following courses:

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Hindi
• Indonesian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Spanish
• Translating and Interpreting Skills

International Baccalaureate courses are available in some of the languages offered. Students will be advised of the appropriate level they should select for the IB. Special arrangements can also be made for IB students to be examined in any other major language.

Français which is part of the French Baccalaureate is based on courses developed by the French Ministry of Education. Students eligible to enter this course will be offered units taught in French.

Translating and Interpreting Skills is a course in interpreting and translating and aims to give students with a native language other than English, the opportunity to improve their language skills through interpreter/translator techniques. Further, this is an opportunity to develop adult literacy in a community language. Thus the home language of a student can be more readily offered as a skill to an employer.

The language teachers are fluent speakers of their languages. Many are native speakers, others are expert scholars of their language with considerable experience in country. Some teachers have backgrounds in professional translating or interpreting.

Students can enter courses at different levels depending upon their previous language learning background. Students can continue studying a language learned at high school and also take up a new language from scratch. Many Narrabundah students study two or more languages.

• Beginning Courses are designed for students with no prior knowledge of a language.
• Continuing Courses are for students who have completed three or four years of a language at high school or have some skills in a language spoken at home
• Advanced Courses are for native speakers or other students with considerable skills in the chosen language. Students who have spent time in the country where the language is spoken usually enrol in the advanced course where they can further improve on their skills. Literature is also studied in most of these courses.

Language students participate in a range of extra-curricular activities:

• An annual UN Day theatre event
• Dinners and lunches
• Performances of plays
• Dance and music studies
• Speech and essay contests

Special Programs:

• International Private Students (IPS): Students involved in these programs enhance the language programs at our college.