http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/archive/2011/04/30/yournews_schools/9002063.Thank_you_Brussels/
Thank you Brussels
There has recently been a decline in the study of languages at school, especially French. English speakers are notoriously, rather embarrassingly, bad at learning languages – many argue that we have become lazy as English is spoken so commonly – which is unfortunate as it has been said that speaking another language can increase the average worker’s salary over their lifetime by a significant amount, and simply having a foreign language a-level generally makes someone more employable.It’s lucky, therefore, that Streatham and Clapham High school has always prided itself on its passion for foreign languages.
This was demonstrated by the ravings with which seven A-level French students recently returned from a stimulating week in Belgium, where they had stayed to do work experience in order to benefit their French speaking skills for their AS examinations in May. Despite most being painfully nervous as they approached the Brussels, wondering why on earth they had agreed to something so beyond them, it turned out to be an incredibly rewarding experience. One girl said “I loved the intensity of being completely immersed in a different language – the disappointment when I couldn’t understand what was being said combined with the pride after having sustained a conversation in French.” They were also moved by the kindness and understanding that people they encountered showed.
Overall the trip’s powerful impression convinced these girls that English being a universal language should not prevent them from being able to share in the enriching experiences of learning and using a foreign language.
No comments:
Post a Comment