The department are also involved in a number of extra curricular activities. 

Students coming into S1 usually have done French for at least one year although usually two! Students use the Métro course. In S1, all pupils are able to practice the four skills of language learning and often use the ICT suite to consolidate what they have been learning.

In Holyrood, we are lucky enough to have foreign language assistants who have a big input into classes.

If you want to practice any activities from S1 – then follow this link

S2 is an important year for all students. Two text books are used in French – Métro pour l’ecosse 2 vert et rouge.

Students again consolidate their skills while learning new vocabulary and structures. ICT is used both in a whole class setting but also in an individual setting too. Students are also given taster sessions in Spanish and Italian to give them an idea of what learning another language would be like.
 

Classes study either Acc3/Int 1/Int2 French. There is also usually at least 1 Italian class and 1 Spanish class.

Access 3 is all internally assessed and students are able to progress through a list of topics such as personal information, food and drink, in a café/restaurant, buying tickets and travelling, getting to know people and making arrangements.

This involves students progressing in all 4 elements of their language skills. There are internal assessments that must be completed (NABS) and these are done over the two years. For the final exam, there is a reading, listening and writing paper. The writing paper is prepared before hand and the final speaking exam is done with the class teacher.

This course has a similar structure to Int1 with internal elements to it as well. Students learn about ways of life in other French speaking countries as well as developing skills in all 4 elements of their language learning.   Students learn about the world of work and prepare letters of application and CVs. Again on the may exam day, there is a listening, reading and writing paper. 

http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/fr.htm
http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/it.htm
http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/es.htm

 

In the modern languages department, students can do Higher and Advanced Higher in French, Spanish and Italian. The Higher has a similar structure to Int 1 /2 and makes the transition from S4 to S5 much smoother.

In the Higher on the exam day there are two papers

1.Reading & Translation and directed writing

2. Listening and spin-off essay.

There are many topics that are explored e.g. family relationships, local area, environment, education and work, future plans, technology.

Advanced Higher gives students a real chance to progress in both a linguistic and cultural knowledge about the language they are studying.

A folio is produced with a critical study of a novel studied in the foreign language and a background study of a cultural element or topical issue relating to the language/country.

The speaking exam is external.

There are many topics explored e.g. the role of women, the media, human rights, globalisation and technology

 

 Students have the opportunity to opt into supported study and Easter Revision classes for Modern Languages.

The French Theatre group was established in 2007. Holyrood hosted Rencontres Théâtrales “ and this gave them a great opportunity to practice their French and drama skills too!

There is a Modern Languages ICT club which has involved pupils from the feeder primary schools as well.

First years have also benefited from the European Languages club and were learning Italian in 2007.

There are also trips to the GFT to see films in foreign languages as well as the older students being involved in the Glasgow Hispanic Society.

There are many trips arranged by the Modern Languages Department to further enhance their language experience. There have been work experience trips to Barga in Italy – where students have worked in Hairdressers, delis and shops. There have been Spanish exchanged with schools in Barcelona and also in the Basque Country. There have also been cultural visits with one Advanced Higher group spending time in the South of Spain and another staying in the Scots College in Salamanca.

 

Each year, 6^th year pupils from Holyrood are given the opportunity to travel to Strasbourg in France to visit the European Parliament and see how important it is to be able to speak and understand different languages.   One of the pupils lucky enough to be chosen for this trip was Luisa Casasanta who was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Glasgow Shawlands. Luisa was part of a group made up of different nationalities who took part in a debate in the European parliament.   Her group went on to win a European Quiz and each member of the group came home clutching a world globe.

Holyrood and the Modern languages department in particular are very proud of her achievement.

 

 

Two pupils from Holyrood were luck enough to take part and win a competition set up by the Modern Languages Development Team to interview Celtic Hero Bobo Balde.

On April the 27^th, Max Graham and Michael Mullaney joined pupils from other secondary schools at Celtic park.

They asked him a variety of questions about his homelife in Glasgow, his homelife in France. Issues about citizenship came up and Max asked him if he has encountered racism in Glasgow. The pupils also asked him about his training and life at Celtic and of course his favourite team is Celtic!!

They also asked him how he got into football and Bobo told them that because he had a talent for football he was able to make money more quickly for his family who needed it. Bobo regularly sends money back to his large family in Marseille. He also goes to Guinea to visit his family often too. 

All the pupils were well behaved and ambassadors for their schools!