Please watch the video below to view some of the more frequently asked questions about these subjects, then scroll down to the forum below to submit any of your own questions.
Thank you for watching. If your question was not covered in the video, then please use the "add comment" button below to ask one of our teachers for help. Staff will be live on the forum from 9am to 12pm on Saturday 17th October and will then be checking for questions throughout the weekend (although response times will not be as quick). The forum will close at 4pm on Monday 19th October, after which you can email any questions to admissions@kesbath.com
For General Enquiries: The forum below is intended for subject-specific questions. If your query is more general, then please post it on the Admissions and General Enquiries forum and one of our admissions team or senior teachers will get back to you.
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Guten Morgen! Bonjour! ¡Buenos Dias!
Hello and welcome to the Modern Languages forum.
Mr Vass (Head of French), Mrs Charlton (Head of Spanish) and Mr Ferguson (Head of German) will be online this morning to answer any questions you may have regarding Languages at King Edward's School.
Please feel free to submit your questions below and one of us will get back to you as soon as possible.
Many thanks!
Posted by Mr C Ferguson, 17/10/2020 at 08:44
Hi, what opportunities are there to do foreign exchanges/travel to develop language skills and understanding of other cultures?
Posted by Guest448, 17/10/2020 at 09:20
Good morning!
There are opportunities for trips in all three languages (French, German and Spanish) and each language provides students with the opportunity to participate in a foreign exchange. These exchanges are all long-running and are usually very well subscribed. These exchanges are normally offered to students in year 8 and above.
There are also annual trips abroad as part of our Activities Week programme (which takes place in July). In the past, we have run trips to Paris, Marbella, Barcelona, Munich and Berlin, among others!
I hope that helps!
Posted by Mr C Ferguson, 17/10/2020 at 09:26
How many hours per week are spent on the two languages they choose in Year 7 and 8?
Posted by Guest427, 17/10/2020 at 09:34
Good morning!
Students in years 7 and 8 have three hours per language per fortnight, so in total they will have six hours of MFL teaching per fortnight.
Posted by Mr C Ferguson, 17/10/2020 at 09:36
Thank you. So if they chose French and Spanish in Year 7, will they never get an opportunity to try German? And how about Latin, when and how is that introduced? Thank you
Posted by Guest427, 17/10/2020 at 09:52
Unfortunately, due to timetabling issues, this is the case. A student who has French and Spanish in years 7 and 8 will be unable to learn German at the school. That being said, there is no reason why students are unable to visit countries where other languages are spoken if these are offered as part of the Activities Week programme, which happens in July. This way, they can have some experience of the culture and language of that country.
As for Latin, I believe that all students who enter year 7 will learn Latin alongside their two Modern Foreign Languages, though it may be worth double checking this with the Classics department.
I hope that helps!
Posted by Mr C Ferguson, 17/10/2020 at 10:01
What is the approach for teaching foreign languages for dyslexic students?
Posted by Guest228, 17/10/2020 at 09:48
In the MFL department, particularly in lower years, much of the lesson is carried out in the target language, meaning that students will be using their speaking and listening skills in order to help develop their understanding of new vocabulary and grammar. If a dyslexic student is in our class, we endeavour to use the font type 'Comic Sans' where possible, as it has been proven to help students with dyslexia. Similarly, we can print onto cream paper, as this also helps some students to read what has been written more clearly.
Finally, we work very closely with our Learning Support department, who will also help to put strategies in place to support dyslexic students, so that everyone is able to enjoy and succeed in their MFL lessons!
I hope that helps!
Posted by Mr C Ferguson, 17/10/2020 at 09:57
My son is bilingual (French/English). You mentioned in the video that there is an opportunity to take a GCSE exam earlier. At what age would you recommend that he takes the exam?
Posted by Open Day guest, 17/10/2020 at 10:35
We have one or two pupils every year in that situation. Our advice would be for bilingual pupils to sit the GCSE exam a year earlier, in Year 9. This usually works very well.
Posted by Mrs B Charlton, 17/10/2020 at 10:37
Good morning. Which modern foreign languages have the children joining from KES junior school learnt during Y1-Y6 and what is your experience from later mixing those students with children who have not had the same opportunity in their primary school? Our daughter is coming from a state school there they start teach French in Y3 and only for one hour a week, it that likely to be a problem for her and/or the school?
Posted by Guest200, 17/10/2020 at 11:01
In KES Junior School everyone does French in Years 3 & 4. In Years 5 & 6 there is a carousel system between French, German & Spanish, allowing everyone an opportunity to sample all 3 languages available in the Senior School. We always start from the beginning in all languages in Year 7, so that no one is disadvantaged by not having done any before. Your daughter would fit in very well with this system, as she would have some confidence in French from having done some before, but would have the chance to learn any basics not covered in her primary school. As there is no national curriculum for languages at primary level, all junior schools do something slightly different.
Posted by DB:Cloud:DB:SIMSemp:175, 17/10/2020 at 11:14
Thank you.
Posted by Guest200, 17/10/2020 at 11:16
Is there an opportunity for bilingual students to take other languages at school, Italian being of specific interest?
Thank you.
Posted by Guest211, 17/10/2020 at 11:12
As we are an exam centre for all the subjects we study, it is also possible to sit an exam in other languages as well: Italian and Mandarin are ones that spring to mind. We can host Italian, but we would need to find an Italian teacher to conduct the speaking component - we have always managed to do this.
Posted by DB:Cloud:DB:SIMSemp:175, 17/10/2020 at 11:18
Good morning,
What arrangements do you have in place to support students who join in Year 7 who have not studied a language previously, as well as consolidating, building on existing knowledge and stretching students who have consistently studied a language at primary school - so that those that have previously studied are not bored by just repeating everything from the start of Year 7?
Thank you
Posted by GuestK506, 17/10/2020 at 11:29
We start from the beginning in all languages, so that students who have done no languages can learn everything they need to know. For those who have already done some language learning, repeating the basics is good for their confidence and fluency. However, we are aware that some may be bored if they simply repeating exactly what they have covered before. We always differentiate in lessons, as all pupils learn at different speeds anyway. We also teach extra vocabulary and structures as well, so that those who know more can pick up the new language items, but those who are beginning can learn the essential structures specified in our schemes of work. The regular language laboratory sessions also allow all pupils to go at their own speed and enjoy learning and practising new words and structures.
Posted by DB:Cloud:DB:SIMSemp:175, 17/10/2020 at 11:43
What is your thinking in not offering Mandarin as a core foreign language option?
Posted by Guest275, 17/10/2020 at 11:41
The languages we offer are part of general school policy, and determined by the Headmaster and the Deputy Head (academic), and they would be able to answer this question from a policy point of view. However, as a language teacher, I would say that the study of any language prepares you for studying other languages. You have a much better idea of how to go about it, and subsequent languages are learnt much more quickly than your first foreign language. Studies have shown that it takes approximately 600 hours for students to achieve a good level of fluency in Spanish, French and other west European languages, equivalent to our A Level and that is roughly how many hours you receive at KES for your languages. For Mandarin studies suggest it takes 2000 hours to reach the same level. Finally, many universities prefer to offer Mandarin ab initio and prefer students not to have studied too much before. However, we do run a Mandarin Club in both the Junior School, and the younger years in the Senior School. This runs once a week in lunchtime and gives pupils who are interested a taster of the language and culture of China.
Posted by DB:Cloud:DB:SIMSemp:175, 17/10/2020 at 11:53
Thank you very much for all your questions this morning. If you have any further questions we will be able to answer them early next week. Au revoir! ¡Adios! Auf Wiedersehen!
Posted by DB:Cloud:DB:SIMSemp:175, 17/10/2020 at 12:04