Languages
At Parkwood Academy the specialist MFL Team is made up of Ms Booker, Director of Specialism (French, German and Spanish), Mr Pearson (Spanish, with some French and Portuguese), Mrs Turner (German and part-time) and Ms Bitting (German and French). We also employ 3 Foreign Language Assistants each year, from France, Germany and Spain. Urdu, Arabic and Somali are also formally taught by three adult native speakers in Key Stage 4. We are a friendly, supportive and hard-working unit.
We run 2 international trips annually – to Paris and North-West Germany. They are well-attended and provide the opportunity to have fun, speak some authentic French and German and enjoy a cultural experience.
As a Specialist Languages School, we honour the commitment of teaching/supporting Primary colleagues in the delivery of MFL in Key Stage 2. On entry to Pasrkwood Academy then in Year 7, students have the choice of continuing with the MFL they have learnt or of beginning a new one. Groups are thus mixed ability in Key Stage 3 – and very committed and enthusiastic. In Key Stage 4, over half of students study a MFL, following mainly NVQ Language Units accreditation routes, in French, German and Spanish, Levels 1 and 2. Native speakers of different languages are sought out and accreditation gained using GCSE or ASSET awarding bodies. In August 2009, we accredited student native speakers therefore, in Somali, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Turkish, Modern Greek, Arabic, Urdu, German and French. We also had 3 successes at AS Level Arabic – a first for our Team!
In addition, we run free Spanish and French adult evening classes and Family Learning sessions; spreading the wonder of Languages even further and wider! Please contact Sue Powell at the Academy if you would be interested in joining one. There are also successful MFL lunch-time clubs for interested students, and a weekly Latin club too. Students are also given the opportunity of having international pen-friends, attending theatre productions in French or German and greeting, meeting and making presentations to adult French visitors in the Academy – organized annually in partnership with BESY (Business and Education, South Yorkshire).
At Parkwood Academy we celebrate the European Day of Languages annually – and this year will see students engaged in such activities as: Capoeira (a Brazilian martial art), putting on a European play, singing a song in a different language, cooking European dishes, working with clay to sculpt a European-style masterpiece, Salsa dancing or learning some Italian, Russian, Dutch, Urdu, Arabic or Somali
We have also just qualified for the British Council’s International Schools Award at Foundation Level and will be working this academic year on qualifying for the Full Award.
We work with a range of business partners locally – particularly successfully with JENX – a Sheffield company that regularly exports to Germany, and BESY.
We have a fully equipped Languages Laboratory – fitted by Sanako. This has helped inject the very latest technological advances into both teaching and learning. Students are able to record themselves speaking in a different language, then download their recording onto ipods or MP3 Players. This helps enormously with their confidence and fluency and ability to retain key vocabulary. It also provides the opportunity within the classroom, to have a two-way dialogue with the teacher – each wearing headphones – and private advice to be given. Adult learners also remark how much better it is to practise listening or speaking with headphones, as natural inhibitions are broken down, and profounder learning achieved.
We are committed to providing a range of quality learning experiences, fitting learners with a healthy, yet optimistic, international outlook – ready to be successful on a global scale!
