Fourthly, our teachers have attended professional learning
activities and put together a resource bank to make sure
that the continuity of the different programmes is
maintained. Dr Ren has completed his research on the girls’
perception of a good Chinese Second Language teacher.
His findings will help to improve teaching qualities and
teacher-training.
‘All Australian students will have the opportunity, and be
encouraged, to undertake a continuous course of study in
an Asian language throughout their years of schooling.’
2
We not only endeavour to provide various opportunities for
the students to be exposed to the target language and
culture, but also work to achieve high standards in teaching
and learning.
Mrs Danyang McAuliffe,
Dean of Chinese
French
2013 has been a year of challenge, growth and engagement
in the French Department, with students and teachers
alike involved in a range of learning opportunities. All staff
participated in a LOTE review, as well as taking part in
professional learning in Formative Assessment,
Differentiation, the Use of Technology in LOTE and a range
of special interest areas, such as Focused Observation,
Brain-based Learning and Visible Thinking.
Twenty-one girls have completed an outstanding year’s
work in Units 3-4 French. It has been wonderful to watch
students with a range of abilities strive for their best
throughout the year and make such pleasing progress.
Every year the Detailed Study provides students with an
experience much like the writing of a research thesis.
Within the context of Multicultural France, a discussion
question is decided upon and texts are selected to support
the question. Many of this year’s students developed a keen
passion for their chosen topic and an impressive ability
to speak and write about it in French.
Alliance Française competition results were outstanding,
with many finalists and virtually all our entrants receiving
Bien
(Credit) or above. Many students from Years 4 to 12
participated in either oral, written or both sections.We
were delighted to send 11 girls from Years 4-8 to finals in the
Poetry section, and many received awards. Year 12 results in
the Oral Examination were particularly pleasing, with four
students selected as finalists, and 16 of the 20 receiving
Excellent, Très Bien
or
Bien.
Every second year, Ruyton students in Years 9–11 have the
opportunity of participating in the French tour in the
September school holidays. Under the capable supervision
of Madame Grant and Ms Casey, girls visited Nice, Avignon,
Paris, Bayeux and Aix-en-Provence, where the girls attended
the Lycée Georges Duby. Highlights included a day trip to
Fontaine de Vaucluse, the Bayeux tapestry and
bien sûr,
climbing the Eiffel Tower. Madame Grant was delighted to
report exemplary behaviour from the girls.
A tradition begun last year, French CelebrationWeek, took
place again in the first week of Term 2, to extend the mood
created by Bastille Day on 14 July. Once again it was a week
of entertaining learning and cultural enrichment for all.
A highlight in the Junior School was the performance of
Cinderella
from Carrousel Bilingual Puppet Theatre. In the
Senior School, a delightful addition to the programme was
a lively lesson in African drumming provided by Senegalese
drummers Lamine Sonko, Culture Keeper, and friends.
The end of another School year is upon us, but the
wonderful thing about teaching is that a fresh new start
will follow not long afterwards.
Ms Shona Mancev,
Acting Dean of French
Maths
The mean-scaled study scores for Ruyton’s 2012 VCE
mathematics students were 47.7 out of 50 in Specialist
Mathematics Units 3 and 4, 39.7 out of 50 in Mathematical
Methods CAS Units 3 and 4, and 37.5 out of 50 in Further
Mathematics Units 3 and 4. A highlight from last year’s
results was the five perfect scores of 50, which were
obtained by four of our Further Mathematics students and
one Mathematical Methods CAS student. Two students
were rewarded with Premier’s Awards. During 2013 we have
had one Specialist Mathematics, two Mathematical
Methods CAS and two Further Mathematics classes.
The average NAPLAN numeracy scores for Ruyton’s 2012
students were 431 in Year 3, 536 in Year 5, 599 in Year 7 and
640 in Year 9. The all-Australian average scores were 396,
489, 538 and 584 respectively. 2013 was the sixth year of
NAPLAN and this year’s numeracy results will be reported in
next year’s Speech Night Report.
The University of Melbourne School Mathematics
Competition is the most difficult of all Mathematics
competitions which are available to Victorian students.
It is done under examination conditions. In the long and
distinguished history of this School, there have been only
2.
Australia in the Asia Century,
October 2012
Annual Report 2013
13
