Amanda Warton investigated learning styles of students in Year Four at Westgrove Primary School to better understand their perceptions of language and culture and provide targeted learning strategies. She administered a Multiple Intelligence test and developed a language survey focusing on language, culture, and beliefs. The results showed that only 60% of students identified as Australian despite 81% being born in Australia, and most students felt remembering words was hardest about learning Italian with few understanding concepts of culture and language.

2. Amanda Warton School: Westgrove Primary School Language: Italian Year Level: Four

3. Context Investigate learning styles to provide children with relevant and targeted learning strategies. Better understanding of the children’s perceptions of language, culture and their own beliefs.

4. What did you do? Administered Multiple Intelligence test Developed a LOTE Survey with questions focusing on Language, Culture and Beliefs Asked the question “Are you Australian?”

5. What did you learn? Children confuse ethnic origin with nationality. Only 60% called themselves Australian yet 81% are Australian born Children felt remembering the words was the hardest thing about learning Italian. Only 0.5% children understood the concepts of culture and language

6. Showcase Presentation Instructions Please bring this Powerpoint to Day 4 saved on a USB stick If possible, please bring your own laptop Customise the pages to reflect your investigation – maybe try some photos from www.flickrcc.bluemountains.net The presentation only needs to be 5 minutes long to allow 5 minutes for questions