Languages Faculty

From the Co-ordinator of Languages

From New Caledonia to Mauritius

Teachers and students have seen a remarkable boost in confidence and French language skills following the recent immersion trip to New Caledonia. The experience of speaking French in authentic contexts, from ordering meals and navigating local markets to engaging with local people; this has helped students to truly live the language.

This hands-on exposure has translated into noticeable growth back at school, where senior students are communicating with greater fluency and enthusiasm. Teachers have observed a sense of motivation and cultural curiosity across the senior French classes.

That enthusiasm reached new heights when Mrs Choudhary (our Science teacher Mr Choudhary’s wife) visited the Year 12 French class to share her culture and the rich history of her home county of Mauritius. Her classroom visit beautifully complemented the Francophonie unit, giving students another opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences of the French-speaking world. Merci, Madame Choudhary, quelle belle communauté scolaire ! 

What our students said:

J'ai adoré le moment où j'ai réussi à commander un sundae aux biscuits en français toute seule.

I loved the moment where I managed to order a cookie sundae in French all by myself.

Elsa (C10)

L’un des moments les plus mémorables de notre voyage en Nouvelle-Calédonie a été lorsque nous avons rencontré des habitants sympathiques sur un terrain de basket, joué un match en 3 contre 3 ensemble (nous avons gagné), et avons ensuite été invités à regarder les équipes locales s’affronter dans le gymnase. 

One of the most memorable moments of our New Caledonia trip was when we met some friendly locals at a basketball court, played a 3 on 3 game together, (we won) and were later invited to watch the local teams compete at the indoor court.

Charlie (G10)

J'adore nager avec les tortues et regarder tous les coraux, j'ai aussi adoré apprendre l'histoire de la culture. C'était aussi très drôle quand nous parlions aux locaux.

I love swimming with turtles and look at the corals, I also loved learning about the culture. It was very funny when we talked to local people.

Suzie (C12)

Je ne savais pas que les Européens avaient mangé tous les dodos . Juste une blague 😄!

I didn’t know that the Europeans had eaten all the dodos. Just a joke! 

Jasmine (C12)

J’ai trouvé les informations sur le dhal très intéressantes, car j’adore ça ! 

I found the information about dhal very interesting because I love it!

Suzie (C12)

Merci d’avoir partagé votre culture avec nous. 

Thank you for sharing your culture with us.

Max (G12)