Modern Languages

Head of Department: Mr P.J. Lewins

New: Modern Languages Trips and Exchanges, 2007-2008

The Modern Languages Department teaches French, German and Spanish throughout the School. In addition Mandarin and Cantonese are available as options for some pupils.

The Department is housed in the Gascoigne Building where accommodation comprises eight full-size classrooms, six smaller rooms for use by Sixth Form pupils and the language assistants and two 28 position language laboratories. Of the latter, one is a Tandberg IS 10, where half the positions are equipped with video facilities, and the other a fully multimedia Divace system, installed at Easter 2004, which, in addition to the normal language laboratory functions not only enables controlled access to foreign satellite broadcasts and the Internet but also allows pupils to use a wealth of digitised audio and video material in the foreign languages for private study.

Throughout the School, primacy is given to the spoken language and pupils are given the opportunity to speak the languages as much as possible. To this end trips and exchanges are offered at all levels and pupils are encouraged to see such trips as an important and integral part of their studies, especially at Sixth Form level. However at the same time a rigorous approach to learning is developed and pupils acquire a firm grammatical foundation on which to build as well as developing some knowledge of the culture of the countries where the languages are spoken.

French

Head of French: Mrs S. R. Worthington

See new French pages here.

German

Head of German: Mr T.D. Watson

pdf icon Sixth Form German Study Trip, Berlin, June 2008

Junior German Exchange, Application Form, 4th Forms, Hamburg, April and May 2008

Junior German Exchange, Letter, 4th Forms, Hamburg, April and May 2008

The Department is staffed by:

Mr T D Watson MA
Mr S D Johnston BA
Herr J Rohrborn MA
Frl M Muller (German Assistant)

Course Content

2nd and 3rd Form

No previous knowledge of the language is assumed though in practice a small minority of pupils does arrive with some previous experience. At this stage the basic grammatical foundations are laid and all four linguistic skills are developed, though the emphasis is placed on enjoyment and using the language productively. Some Third Year pupils have the opportunity of taking part in trip to Cologne at the end of the Christmas Quarter.

GCSE

In addition to following the AQA non-modular specification pupils in the Fourth and Fifth years are encouraged to broaden their understanding of the language and culture through music, poetry, film and song. At GCSE most candidates take the Writing Test option though some will offer the Coursework alternative if it be thought more appropriate for them to do so. All sets take their GCSE examination at the end of the Fifth Year; however in the Fifth Form the top sets begin a transition course designed to facilitate the transition to Advanced Level work. Fourth Year pupils are encouraged to take part in the Easter exchange with a Gymnasium in Hamburg.

AS and A2

The AQA specification is again followed; and the Coursework option in the Upper Sixth Form. Great emphasis is placed on studying the various themes in a German context, so much use is made of extracts from German newspapers, magazines and television broadcasts. As 35% of the examination is made up of the oral component, particular importance is attached to developing fluency and maturity of expression. Every Sixth Form pupil has one lesson a week with the German Assistentin and is encouraged when in the Upper Sixth to take part in the study trip to Berlin in October in addition to participating in the Work Experience exchange in Hamburg offered to Lower Sixth Form pupils during the Easter holidays. The Course Work option enables each pupil to study a broad range of German literature but also affords the opportunity of examining other aspects of German culture or society expressed in film and music.

Spanish

Head of Spanish: Mrs N.M. Mola

The Department is staffed by:

Mrs E. Archibald, BA
Mr B. Béjoint, L-ès-L
Mr M. P. Bolger, BA MLL
Mr S. T. Forge, MA
Mr P. J. Lewins MA
Mrs N. M. Mola, BA MA

Course Content

3rd Form

GCSE

The course followed is the AQA non-modular specification. Most pupils take the Writing Test option though some will offer the Coursework alternative if it is thought more appropriate for them to do so. All sets take their GCSE examination at the end of the Fifth Year; however in the Fifth Form the top sets begin a transition course designed to facilitate the transition to Advanced Level work. Fourth Year pupils are encouraged to take part in the Easter exchange with our partner school Colegio Salesiano in Cádiz

AS and A2

The AQA specification is again followed; and the Coursework option is taken in the Upper Sixth Form. Great emphasis is placed on studying the various themes in a Spanish context, so much use is made of extracts from Spanish newspapers, magazines and television broadcasts. As 35% of the examination is made up of the oral component, particular importance is attached to developing fluency and maturity of expression. Every Sixth Form pupil has one lesson a week with the Spanish assistant and is encouraged when in the Upper Sixth to take part in the study trip to either Madrid, Barcelona or Seville in October. It is hoped that we will run a joint History and Spanish trip to Mexico in summer 2006 and we seek at all times to encourage cross-curricular links. The Coursework option enables each pupil to study a broad range of Hispanic literature, but also affords the opportunity of examining other aspects of Hispanic culture or society expressed in film and music. A significant number of pupils go on to study Spanish at University, including Oxford and Cambridge, sometimes combining it with other languages or with other subjects such as History, English, Economics or Philosophy.

Chinese

Head of Chinese: Mr S.C. Kent

The department is staffed by:

Mr S.C. Kent
Miss S. Zhou (Chinese Assistant)

Course content

The Mandarin Chinese Department at Oundle continues to grow, reflecting the subject’s increasing importance to Oundelians’ future in terms of economic, political and cultural influence. A two year course is available from the Fourth Form, and Chinese is available as an extension course in the Sixth form. Chinese is also offered to those pupils who take French GCSE early as an option in the Fifth Form.

Asset languages offer a highly structured and challenging system of assessment. Through the Breakthrough, Preliminary and Intermediate exams, each skill is assessed separately; following Intermediate, GCSE Chinese is offered to particularly strong linguists, and represents a real challenge for our brightest pupils. Resources used include the Ni Hao and Chinese Made Easy textbooks.

Pupils have gone on to study Chinese at university with great success, and OOs are currently studying at Cambridge, Edinburgh, SOAS and Leeds.

History, current affairs and the culture of the Chinese will form an important part of the curriculum, and the activities and trips organised by the Chinese Society would also be available to pupils, including the annual China Trip. In recent years we have travelled to Beijing, Xi’an, Pingyao and accompanied the school Drama department on their highly successful production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at a high school in Shanghai. We welcome guest speakers regularly, and organise expeditions to important exhibitions such as the Terracotta Warriors at the British Museum.

Native speakers are welcome to Chinese Society activities, and can be taught all the way up to full A-level by our native speaker Chinese assistant. Lessons are arranged according to the department’s assessment of the pupil’s level. Our results in the Edexcel GCSE or A Level Chinese examinations are strong, and pupils may sit the papers in either Mandarin or Cantonese.

Page last updated Sat 15 Mar 2008 18:27