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Languages in Focus
At Deer Park we celebrate diversity and encourage all pupils to appreciate and respect other languages and cultures.
This week is an important week for Languages as Monday 26 September is the European Day of Languages, an initiative from the Council of Europe which promotes the wide variety of languages spoken across Europe. The European Council represents 800 million people across 47 member states. The Council aims to encourage people to learn more languages, at any age. They are convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in our rich European heritage.
Events are held across Europe to mark this day in schools and in the media. Here at Cirencester Deer Park School, pupils were greeted in lessons across the school in different languages and there was a European flavour to the food in the canteen.
In assemblies this week pupils have been thinking about the importance of learning languages to help boost confidence, to increase choice in the job market, to improve understanding of other cultures, to help understand our own language better and to keep our brains and minds fit and active.
Year 7 had a Sing-Off in assembly, with the tutor groups who learn French competing against those learning Spanish. All groups sang about the same topic (birthdays) and this year the Spanish groups were the winners - well done 7LI, 7NI and 7FR.
A group of our Year 9 and Year 10 pupils returned this week from a week in Cádiz, southern Spain, on our Spanish Exchange. Look out for a report coming soon on our website.
Languages Quiz
This year’s Quiz focuses on literacy and translation skills. Quotes from six popular books (all available in the PLC) have been translated into French, German or Spanish. The pupils' task is to translate the quote back into English and identify the book. There will be prizes for each language. Entries must be in by Monday 3 October.
Pendant que grand-père les observait, le garçon a ouvert la porte de la cabine téléphonique rouge qui se trouvait à l’extérieur du commissariat de police. Naturellement, Jack n’avait aucune idée du numéro de téléphone du Chef d’Etat-Major de l’Armée de l’Air, mais il a triché son grand-père en appelant l’Horloge Parlante. C’était un numéro facile à se rappeler. Un deux trois.
Je m’appelle Katniss Everdeen. J’ai dix-sept ans. Mon foyer est District 12. J’ai fait partie des jeux de la faim. Je me suis évadée. Le Capitol me déteste. Peeta a été pris prisonnier.
Cuando Ruby tenía cuatro años, se dio cuenta algo imperceptible mientras que estaba leyendo la contracara del paquete de Choco Puffle.
Camino nervioso en nuestra celda en la oficina central de Erudite, sus palabras resonando en mi cabeza: Mi nombre será Edith Prior, y hay tantas cosas que estoy feliz a olvidar.
Sie sprangen durch das gebrochene Fenster. Der Cleaver drehte sich um und Ghastly krachte gegen ihn, “Lass den Wagen” schrie er.
Die ersten Eisenbahnwagen waren schon voll mit Studenten, einige hingen aus dem Fenster, um mit ihren Familien zu sprechen, einige stritten sich üben Sitzplätzen. Harry schob seinen Gepäckwagen den Bahnsteig entlang, um einen Sitzplatz zu finden. Er ging einem Junge mit einem rundem Gesicht vorbei, und der Junge sagte ,,Oma, ich habe meine Kröte noch einmal verloren’’.
Open Evening
During our Open Evening on Wednesday 28 September 2016, 6.30-8.30pm, we welcomed prospective pupils and their parents to Deer Park. They were able to join us in our pop-up Languages Café in the Languages Faculty. These were some of the useful phrases:
Bonjour
Je voudrais… I would like
Une crêpe
avec du nutella
avec du sucre et du citron
Une gaufre
avec du nutella
avec du sucre et du citron
De la charcuterie avec un biscuit salé
Guten Tag
Ich möchte… I would like
Einen Pfannkuchen
mit Nutella
mit Zitrone und Zucker
Eine Waffel
mit Nutella
mit Zitrone und Zucker
Aufschnitt mit Knäckebrot
¡Hola!
Me gustaría… I would like
Una tortita
con Nutella
con azúcar y limón
Un gofre
con Nutella
con azúcar y limón
Chorizo con galletas saladas
Did you know...
- Over 75% of the world's population speak no English at all
- Nearly three quarters of the British public think everyone should speak a foreign language, but only one third do so
- The UK exports more to France than to the entire Commonwealth and more to Germany than to the USA. Language skills are important for business
- There are about 225 indigenous languages in Europe and over 6000 living languages in the world.
We would encourage everyone to learn another language, whether you are a pupil or a parent. Because language is complex, speaking or learning a foreign language gives your brain a good workout. Good brain exercise makes the brain stronger. Millions of people across the world acquire their second language later than in early childhood: in school, university, or work, or through migration or marriage.
Research suggests that people who speak more than one language fluently have better memories and are said to be more cognitively creative and mentally flexible than monolinguals. It has been suggested that bilingualism can not only improve brain functioning but also keep age-related neural disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at bay. It is never too late to learn.