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Welcome to the Modern Foreign Languages Department.
 
The study of a modern foreign language encourages young people to broaden their horizons, as they explore & make connections with different peoples, cultures and traditions. In addition, it allows pupils to develop their communication and literacy skills in both English and the foreign language studied.
 
 
Why study a Modern Foreign Language?
 
"I speak English, so I don't have to learn a foreign language...." Wrong
 
To speak only one language is to stunt your educational development, to restrict your communication and thinking abilities, and to deny yourself the ability to fully appreciate and understand the world in which you live. Learning another language opens up new opportunities and gives you perspectives that you might never have encountered otherwise. Personal, professional, social, and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages. Still not convinced?
 
Here are 10 very good reasons why you should be learning a foreign language:
 
  • You don’t just learn the subject; you fall in love with it.
  • English is not enough! The world has become a much smaller place. It's really important that you learn to speak and understand other people no matter where they are from.
  • You can travel all over the world and feel like a true local.
  • Languages are the perfect way to meet new people, immerse yourself in new cultures and make a difference to who you are.
  • Speaking another language really makes you stand out from the crowd and you’ll be able to work anywhere in the world.
  • Learning a foreign language can help you understand your own language.
  • You develop 4 key skills that are vital for any learning; listening, reading, speaking and writing.
  • You have lots of fun learning about a wide range of topics from shopping, to sport, to food and entertainment.
  • They’re good for you! Speaking more than one language increases your brain capacity and you develop a better memory too.
  • It’s an impressive achievement to speak a foreign language but one your friends and family will envy and employers will love!
Top tips for studying languages
  1. Practice makes perfect! You can’t expect just to wake up one day and be fluent; you have to put in the effort.
  1. Revise vocabulary on a regular basis. If you learn new words one day you are unlikely to remember them unless you revise.
  1. Learn your verbs! Learning verbs might seem pointless and boring, but once you know them you will save yourself lots of time raking through dictionaries in your exam.
  1. Don’t be afraid to speak. The best part of learning a language is being able to communicate with people from other cultures, so don’t be scared to have a go.
  1. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s better to have a go and get it wrong than not to say anything at all. Think about when foreigners speak English-they don’t always get everything right, but we can still understand them.
  1. Learn from your mistakes. If you find out you have got something wrong, take a note of it and make sure it’s correct the next time.
  1. Try to listen to the language-there are lots of great foreign language films, or why not put on a French song? The more you hear it, the more you understand.
  1. Check, check and check again!! It’s easy to make silly mistakes, especially when writing in another language. You can probably spot half of them yourself-provided you check!
  1. Take a note of new vocab. If you write it down you are more likely to remember it: you could even start your own vocab book. A good idea is to use an old A-Z address book and you can build up your vocab over the years.
  1. Make the most of any opportunities you might have to go to the country. There are lots of ways to practice the language, but nothing beats being in the country and experiencing the language first hand.