The annual VCE Workshop for upcoming Year 12 exams was held last Sunday by the Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria (MGTAV), with an aim to inform and prepare the students for VCE examinations, how to deal with difficulties and anxiety they carry.
The speakers of the conference also referred to different ways to prepare and study for better performance in Greek language.
This year’s workshop, held at Rydges Bell City Hotel, Melbourne exceeded all expectations, the organisers said, with many students and teachers taking part.
The workshop was opened by Yiannis Milides, principal of the Greek Language Schools of the GOCMV and vice-president of the MGTAV, followed by the president of the Association Constantinos Dimaras.
The speakers briefly referred to the importance of the enrolment for VCE Greek, with numbers dwindling each year, but congratulated current students for selecting Greek amongst other VCE subjects. They pointed out that students who enrol in Greek consistently achieve high grades from year to year and become valuable members of the Greek Australian community.
Understating Greek history and culture helps them continue the Greek tradition in Australia.
They congratulated parents and teachers for their work and the time they devote to the Greek language.
Secondary teacher Manthos Kokkinakis covered the oral examination part of the subject, and talked about study guides, how to manage anxiety, and making sure students arrive early to their exams. There were plenty of practise exams available and teachers took the time to go through helpful tips on how to best answer questions.
Over the duration of the workshop, the prize and a certificate of excellence were given to Greek VCE student Artemis Sfendourakis, who achieved the only perfect score (50) for 2012, while studying in year 11.
Last year, a study compiled by Yiannis Milides revealed the gradual decline in enrolments for VCE Greek, reaching a shocking 48.2 per cent decrease on student numbers between 2001 and 2011, despite students studying Greek consistently achieving high marks each year.