Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to pay special tribute to the great work being done in one of my local schools, the Lakes College at North Lakes, particularly in the field of languages. The Lakes College, or TLC, first opened in 2005 with only students from prep to year 3. Since 2005, TLC has expanded to cater for students up to grade 11, and next year will mark TLC's full development as a prep to year 12 college.

At TLC, Chinese is a compulsory subject from prep through to year 8. Adding to the diversity of its language program, the college also offers students the opportunity to learn Japanese, French and Spanish through the Brisbane School of Distance Education. TLC offers its comprehensive language program not only to accelerate the skills of its own student body but also for students from other local schools working in close partnerships. TLC recognises, as we in this chamber recognise, the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly global world and the importance of connecting with our Asian neighbours. The language program at TLC employs a philosophy that students need an authentic language-learning experience complete with real-life scenarios to instil in students an intercultural understanding and an awareness of other cultures. To help achieve this, in 2008 TLC established a sister school relationship with the I-Shou International School in Taiwan.

The sister school relationship endeavours to build an appreciation of languages and cultures and develop mutual understanding. Each year, I-Shou students visit TLC in July, and TLC students go to southern Taiwan in September. Through the student exchange program, students are integrated as much as possible into classroom learning and they experience a different home and school life. The visits strengthen the bonds between the two schools. At the end of 2011, TLC signed another memorandum to continue the commitment with I-Shou International School.

I was delighted recently to join the Lakes College in welcoming 10 young I-Shou students, accompanied by teacher Amanda, for the 2012 visit. The success of TLC's language learning was evident as we heard the prep students sing The Rain is Coming in Chinese, year 4 students recited a Chinese poem and two senior students officially welcomed our Taiwanese guests in fluent Chinese.

I was pleased to return to the Lakes College to farewell the I-Shou students and present them with gifts as mementos of their visit to Australia. We heard the I-Shou students practice their English—which I must say was excellent—by telling stories in assembly of their time with host families, at the Lakes College and on their travels throughout their stay. It was touching to hear the students talk about the new friends they had made—friendships that in many cases, I am sure, will last a lifetime.

Nine students, one parent and one staff member from TLC will soon depart Australia as part of their 2012 Asia tour. The group will leave on 16 September, visiting Hong Kong and the I-Shou International School in Taiwan, before returning home on 6 October.

In the past few years the Lakes College has received a number of language grants through the Australian government's National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Programs, and I am proud to say it is because of our grants, along with financial assistance from the Independent Schools Queensland language program, that the Lakes College is excelling in this area.

Last year, the college was one of 116 schools nationwide that were successful in round 3 of the Becoming Asia Literate: Grants to Schools program, receiving a further $20,000 from the federal government. These funds have significantly supported the teaching and learning of Chinese culture and language at TLC and enabled the purchase of cutting-edge technology in classrooms, such as online language learning programs, teaching resources and iPads.

I was excited to learn this month that the Lakes College has just established an additional sister school arrangement in China, signing an MOU with Beijing Primary School. That student exchange program will commence in March 2013 and the college already has plans to expand this program to include parents from both schools and a six-month reciprocal teacher exchange.

I know that each year the college also nominates students to participate in the regional Chinese speaking and writing competitions; celebrates Chinese Cultural Day with a wide variety of Chinese cultural activities such as calligraphy writing, brush painting, fan dancing, Chinese kung-fu and Chinese food tasting; and facilitates regular interaction between students and Chinese business people from the local community.

I would like to congratulate the Lakes College Principal, Simon Armstrong; Head of Primary, Sharon Lollback; Simone Harvey, the Chinese teacher and student exchange program coordinator; and all teachers, parents and students who open their minds, hearts and homes to these language programs and deliver them brilliantly. I commend the college on their innovation and dedication in building and nurturing partnerships, here at home and abroad, to make the language program such a success, to the great benefit of TLC students.

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