2022 School Magazine

FRENCH F rench at Girls Grammar is a fantastic way to spice up the traditional ‘textbook’ learning at School while giving students a taste of another culture. It’s a very hands-on and engaging experience that encourages us all to participate—through various modes of learning—as there is something that suits every individual. Grammar provides a unique opportunity to collaborate and converse with professional native speakers who, under their proactive guidance, have transformed us from shy students who could only say ‘bonjour’ and ‘oui’ into those who can confidently keep up a conversation in another language. The French classroom is an environment filled with an energetic bunch of students who—thanks to the small class size—have grown into a tight-knit community, regularly bonding over our favourite French foods and films. There’s so much more to France than just croissants and the Eiffel Tower—it’s a fascinating culture that has opened our eyes to the world outside the classroom. Caitlin Brough (12W), Mink Godfrey-Asseraf (12M) and Eva Woodward (12L)

GERMAN A fter learning German for nearly six years, we are sad to almost be at the end of our journey. From speaking simple phrases to dressing up and reciting German poems, we immersed ourselves in all things ‘Deutsch’ as we first began our journey at BGGS. As we ventured into Year 8, we began to learn the grammar that helped us understand different texts and stimuli. In Years 9 and 10, we discovered past tense and relative clauses, allowing us to confidently transition in our Senior years, all while gaining insight into the unique German culture. For our Senior years, we have been lucky to be with the same group of girls and teacher, allowing us to have a strong relationship as we progressed our German skills. We have enjoyed our weekly speaking sessions with Frau Todd, where we further developed our grammar and speaking skills in smaller groups. As we begin our next chapter, we have no doubt that the valuable lessons we have learned will help guide us, and we hope to put our skills into use in Germany in the future! Sophie Lennon (12L) and Bronte Stathis (12L)

076 | BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2022

LATIN A t the close of six years of intense cultural immersion and study, Latin students have gained an invaluable appreciation not only for the language, but for the culture it represents. This begins in junior years, where we act as culture detectives as well as scholars, translating a range of inscriptions from political propaganda to memorials. This focus on small texts builds over time, until senior studies, where we engage with classics such as Virgil’s Aeneid and Cicero’s First Oration Against Catiline . We are grateful for the unique experience to explore and engage with Roman culture through our study of Roman values—many of which are still applicable today. For example, translating Cicero in Catilinam helped format our own persuasive orals, focusing on his powerful use of rhetorical devices, tone, and verbal irony. Undoubtedly, the timeless morals of Virgil’s and Cicero’s works present an unprecedented wisdom not only to the class of 2022, but for all those who come after us. Katie Ward (12G)