Language College Conferences European Industry Day Intensive Spanish Day Languages Awards Evening

Language College Conferences

A key feature since gaining language college status has been the Language College Conference programme.

A conference is held each term on various themes relevant to current language teaching. Staff from school in the area and further afield are invited to attend.

Topics covered so far include:

The use of interactive whiteboard in the teaching of modern foreign languages

Incorporating published software into language schemes of work

"The Flying Start" primary programme

Using Vektor language software

Sanako Tandberg Digital Language Lab software

The conferences have been a tremendous success and an effective method of sharing and dissemination of good practice.

Dates and themes of future conferences will be posted here on the website. Please contact the MFL department at Frederick Gough School if you would like to be involved.

European Industry Day took place in February. This highly successful day for year 10 combines increasing European awareness and highlighting common misconceptions with an experience of car production led by Peugeot.

Students also produced a newspaper by the end of the day and some were given training in serving lunch at a local hotel.

Mentors from local industry, business and commerce worked with small teams of students in their tasks. The day is an exceptional combination of international, cross-curricular and P.S.E work.

There were many favourable comments with regard to the day:

"It is important to listen to everybody and take other people's opinions into account."

(Year 10 student's evaluation sheet)

"Congratulations to your team and students on presenting an impressive day."

(National Westminster Bank)

Intensive Spanish Day

At the very end of each summer term all Year 9 students are involved in a whole day of activities introducing them to the world of Spain and Spanish.

The day begins with an assembly involving an introuction to Spain. Pupils then complete a Spanish quiz to start them thinking along the right lines for the day's activities. These are:

An introduction to Spanish culture from a representative from the Spanish Embassy

Games and activities to appreciate and understand the scope of the Spanish speaking world

An introduction to learning and speaking Spanish

A introduction to Samba music

A Flamenco dancing session

Pupils worked hard and there was a very positive feel to the day with some brave volunteers!. All these students go on to study Business Spanish in Year 10 and will hopefully take some Spanish knowledge from the day with them.

In June Languages Awards Evening is held to celebrate the success of our students. The awards are as follows:

Primary 'Flying Start' awards.

Speaking awards in French, German and Russian.

Information Communication Technology awards.

Vocational Spanish awards.

International Ambassador awards.

Adult Learner award.

The Modern Foreign Language Department is grateful to its sponsors for the awards. These include:

McDonalds, Hexadex, Murco, Burger King, NST

The event has been very successful and encapsulates the essence of our progress as a Specialist Language College