This Orientation Module is for Year 9 and Year 10 100 hours students studying a language

at NSW School of Languages.

Year 9 and Year 10 100 hours Orientation Module:

Module 0 – Welcome to your Canvas course!
Module Overview
Let's get started!
When you learn a new language, you discover a new culture.
You learn to see things from a different point of view.
It also means learning more about yourself.
As you study the language and culture you will learn about:
• your own culture and identity
• the cultures of the first people to live on the land we inhabit

• how to be a successful language learner.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 1

Module 0.1 Where am I in the world?
Today it is becoming easier to connect with others across the world. According to Oxfam, 'a
global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world - and their place
in it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet
more equal, fair and sustainable.'

It is important for us to get a sense of where we are in the world.

Look at the world map. Where do you belong?

Discussion: Share what being a global citizen means to you?

In English write about what it means to you to be a global citizen.

Post your comment in this Discussion activity when you have logged in to
Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 2

Module 0.2 You and Aboriginal country

As Australians, it is important for us to acknowledge Aboriginal Australia. We need to get a

sense of the Aboriginal country on which we live.

For thousands of years, the original inhabitants of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples, occupied Australia. The boundaries were very different to those created
by European settlers. They centred on intimate cultural relationships with the land and sea.

“It’s my fathers land, my grandfather’s land, my grandmother's land. And I’m related to it, which
also gives me my identity.”

Father Dave Passi, Plaintiff in Mabo Case

Go to the following website and click on the map and find the Aboriginal country you live
on: https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 3

 Discussion: What do you know about the Aboriginal nations?
In English write about what it means to you to be a global citizen. As distance
education students, we will find ourselves on many different Aboriginal nations.
Have a look at the AIATSIS map

1. What is the name of the traditional Aboriginal people where you live?
2. What is the name of the Aboriginal nation where you live?
3. Is there anything else you know about the Aboriginal people where you live?
Share what you learn.

If you have no knowledge yet, ask someone around you - at home, at school or in
the community.

Post your comment in this Discussion activity when you have logged in to
Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 4

Module 0.3 Why learn another language?
Let's start your language learning journey! Language is the philosophy of human nature.

Watch Lindsay's video and find out her reasons.

Note: In the video Lindsay mentions the course she studied after school. TEFL. = teaching
English as a foreign language.

Activity 1: What do you know about the language you are about to learn?
What do you already know about the culture of countries where French is spoken?

We all bring with us different levels of experience. For some this may be the first language
other than English that you are learning. Some of you may well have had a taster of another
language at school. And then some of you may already be speaking a different language at
home.

It is also important for us to remember, that here in Australia many different languages
were spoken before colonisation and many of these languages disappeared over time.

Choose 3 images that you think represent the culture of the language and country/countries
of the language you are studying. Explain what each image represents to you.

Save the images to your computer and upload for your teacher to see in the
Activity 1 submission quiz when you have logged in to Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 5

 Discussion: Share information about languages

We all bring with us different levels of experience. For some this may be the first language
other than English that you are learning. Some of you may well have had a taster of another
language at school. And then some of you may already be speaking a different language at
home. Let's share what we already know.

How many languages do you speak? Which ones?

Where did you learn the language(s) and for how long?

It is also important for us to remember, that here in Australia many different languages
were spoken before colonisation and many of these languages disappeared over time.

What do you know of the revitalisation of Aboriginal languages?

If you have no knowledge yet, ask someone around you, whether at home, at school or in
the community.

Post your comment in this Discussion activity when you have logged in to
Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 6

Module 0.4 Aspects of your language
Research the language you are studying at NSW School of Languages.

How many countries speak this language around the world?

National mottos

A national motto gives us insight into some important aspects of the national identity of a
country.
What is the national motto of the country or countries where the language is spoken?
Tell your teacher during your first speaking lesson.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 7

Module 0.5 Your intracultural identity
Your cultural identity will influence your learning of the language.

“We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.”

Anais Nin, a French-American writer

We often see the world through our own ideas, values and beliefs. These have been created
by our culture.

So, it is important to be aware of your intracultural identity so you can learn about and
connect with others. Everything about you makes up your intracultural identity:

• where you were born

• where you live

• where your parents were born

• the languages you speak

• your religion

• where you go to school.

Much of what we know about a culture are the things we can easily observe - what clothes
people wear, what they eat and how they act. Then there are the less obvious, deeper
aspects of a culture - ideas, values and beliefs.

Discussion: Share information about languages

Remember, everything about you makes up your

intracultural identity – the language(s) you speak,
where you were born, where you live now, the
nationality of your family, your religion, who your
friends are and where you go to school.

Some people see their nationality as the most

important part of their identity. For others, their family
or religion is most important.

What would you choose as the most important aspects

of your identity? Share your thoughts with your class.
Now reflect. Is there anything you would change?

Post your thoughts in this Discussion activity when you have logged in to
Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 8

Module 0.6 Australia and its culture
Think about Australia and what we identify as the culture in which we share.

Which photos best represent Australia to you?

Why did you choose these images?

Discussion: Share information about Australia and its culture

1. What do people wear? How do they speak and act? What do they eat?
2. What are the ideas, values and beliefs inherent to Australian culture?

Post your thoughts in this Discussion activity when you have logged in to Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 9

Module 0.7 Becoming an intercultural language learner
Learning another language is important as it opens your mind to other ways of seeing the
world. It breaks us out of the bubble in which we live. It also helps you learn more about
yourself and your own language and culture.
By speaking a language and interacting with people who speak that language, you will begin
to learn about their culture at a deeper level. The more you learn, the better you will be
able to communicate in the language. Being a successful learner of a language is not only
about what you can say, but also about the way you act and how others interpret what you
say and do.
Did you know that language only counts for 7% of communication?
What else allows you to feel connected to those around you?
Would you answer body language such as smiles, laughter, eye contact, hugs, kisses, hand
gestures and head shakes. All of these vary in different cultures. As you take on your
language studies, keep an open mind and reflect on the differences and similarities between
cultures.
As well as looking at the world through your own eyes, you will begin to see it through the
eyes of other speakers of the language you are learning. You will become an intercultural
communicator!

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 10

Module 0.8 Becoming a successful language learnt
Studying a language, especially via distance education can be a challenge. You will need to
spend your allocated time on the course work and ensure you maintain contact with your
teacher. You will need to develop good time-management skills.

Do you ever find that you spend a long time doing little fiddly things then find that you have
no time left for the larger tasks you need to get done?

Try to visualise this experiment. Take a jar, some rocks, some

pebbles and sand. What happens if you put the sand in first
then the pebbles? The rocks won’t fit. But if you do it the other
way, put the rocks in first, then pop in the pebbles around the
sides of the rocks, then sprinkle in the sand it all fits in no
problem at all.

What does this mean? It is an analogy for how to make the most of blocks of time. If you do
the big tasks first (the rocks), you will find time for the smaller tasks (the pebbles) and you’ll
easily sprinkle in the sand (the little fiddly things). So if you deal with the rocks first you’ll
actually still find time for the other tasks to fit around it.

But it doesn’t work the other way. If you deal first with the small things, you end up giving
short shrift to the more important tasks and deplete your energy on these little things. And
the little things will expand to fill the time available.

If you find this technique too challenging, you can set yourself a strict half hour or so to
knock over as many of the little things as possible before you start. Once time is up, you
then use the block of time to work on the big important tasks. So draw up a table with 3
columns and put all your work into these columns.

ROCKS are the important and urgent tasks.

PEBBLES are the tasks that may also be important but are not as urgent.

SAND are the little fiddly tasks that you can slot in anywhere.

Do the rocks first, then the pebbles, then the sand.

Another approach you might like to try is the Rule of Three.

Rule of Three Technique

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 11

First write a list of everything you need to do.

• Circle the top 3 tasks that need to be done. What is most important and most urgent?

• Put them in order from 1 to 3.

• Start at the first task and complete it before moving onto the second.

• Once all three tasks are completed, look through your list again to choose the new top 3
tasks.

• Don’t cheat yourself – you have to fully complete the first task before moving to the
second.

There are many different methods of prioritising. You need to try different ones and see
what works for you to help you stay organised and meet the course schedule.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 12

Module 0.9 NSL Digital technologies agreement & Student Questionnaire

All students are required to read and sign the NSL acceptable use of digital
technologies agreement and complete their Student Questionnaire.

1. Download, read and sign your NSL acceptable use of digital technologies agreement.

2. Fill in your Student Questionnaire.

Before you begin Module 1, please upload your NSL acceptable use of digital
technologies agreement and Student Questionnaire when you have logged in
to Canvas.

Year 9 & Year 10 100 hours Canvas Student Orientation 13