European Week of Languages 2021

During the week of 27th September – 1st October 2021 we celebrated our European Languages in school. In tutor groups we took part in assemblies and in an Escape Room using our knowledge of language Learning. Here is the link! Will you be able to escape?

Presdales teachers greeted their classes in a different language every day. By lesson 6 they were quite proficient!

At lunchtime, students could buy ice creams but they had to be ordered in another language or no ice cream! The students were excellent at ordering what they wanted and enjoyed posing in the photo booth.

In class we celebrated with research and creating bookmarks or posters with the information gathered. Students in Year 7-9 in both of their languages were given a theme or topic to focus on and have produced some excellent creations which you can view here.

French

The French Department has been very busy during the European Week of Languages considering various aspects of French culture and the French speaking world, to help students design and create a bookmark or a poster.

Year 7 researched attractions (buildings, sites, tourist spots) from the French speaking world. In Year 8, pupils researched celebrities who speak a second language and Year 9 focused their attention on Food, Dishes and Recipes. The students were very original with their designs and created some fantastic bookmarks and posters on those topics, earning themselves plenty of rewards and prizes.

German

In German Year 7 researched facts about the first day at school, Year 8 information about the River Rhine and Year 9 were thinking ahead to future jobs and researched famous people and what languages they speak.

Spanish

Key Stage 3 Spanish classes enjoyed their cultural lessons for the European Week of Languages. Year 7 researched a Spanish singer or group and produced some wonderful book marks about Shakira, Camila Cabello and many more. In Year 8, students learned about some important and varied landmarks and tourist attractions in the Spanish-speaking world and completed activities and a Kahoot quiz in class before choosing a landmark to research for their book mark. Again, some very impressive work was produced on a wide range of attractions, including the Sagrada Familia, Easter Island and Lake Titicaca. Year 9 students chose a famous Spanish-speaking person to research and made some fabulous fact-files on people as varied as Salvador Dalí, Camila Cabello, Gorka Márquez and Penélope Cruz. Many reward points were awarded to all year groups!

Italian

Year 7 Italian students researched a place in Italy to produce a themed bookmark. For some, this was a town linked to family or friends, somewhere they had been on holiday or simply an Italian spot they had heard about. Popular choices were Monterosso (the inspiration behind the town of Portorosso in Disney’s Luca),

Year 8 Italianists decorated their bookmarks with information about and pictures of Italian brands. These included Gucci, Prada and of course, Ferrero, the company that produces Nutella, as well as Vespa, one of the stars of the recent animated film, Luca.

In Year 9 we researched famous Italians. Students found out more about Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Gianni Versace, Gino D’Acampo and 2021 Eurovision winners, Måneskin.

Russian

Year 7 Russian students researched Russia and the Cyrillic alphabet to produce a themed bookmark. Students found out the names of cities, rivers, attractions. Other students found facts about the population. There was mention of popular hobbies including of course the ballet.

Year 8 Russianists decorated their bookmarks in the style of Kandinsky using it as an opportunity to practice the colours they have been learning recently.

In Year 9 we researched multilingual Russians or Russianists. Students found out more about Putin, Pavlova, and Kunis to name but a few.