Modern Languages

“To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world" Chinese proverb

Mrs Janet Monaghan (Department Head)

Miss Ashley Cathcart

Mrs. Morven Larkin

Mrs. Elisabeth McTaggart (Mondays to Wednesdays)

Mrs. Eleni Tsirogianni

Mr. David West (Thursdays and Fridays)

Learning other languages enables young people to make connections with different people and their cultures, to play a fuller part as global citizens and to become more employable in an endless number of career destinations.

One of the key aims of the Modern Languages Faculty is to develop our young peoples’ communicative competence so that they are able to use and enjoy foreign languages in real life situations and/or develop the core transferable skills for the world of work e.g. listening skills, problem solving, decision-making and working with others.

We strongly believe that every child can access a language and that learning should be fun, active and build confidence and self-esteem. Pupils experience a variety of classroom activities ranging from Running dictations, Blookets, Show Me Boards, group problem solving and songs in the target language.

Extra-curricular activities include trips abroad, Spelling Bee competitions, Business Language Champions links with SCILT (e.g. Outplay Entertainment), Onatti theatre visits and European Parliament essay competitions.

Curriculum

All Woodmill Cluster Primary schools teach French from Primary 1 onward and German from Primary 5 as part of their delivery of the 1+ 2 national initiative.

Following on from this positive experience, the Modern Languages Faculty is responsible for delivering French and German to pupils in S1- S3 in the Broad General Education (BGE). Pupils wishing to study two foreign languages can do so from S3 onwards. They will experience a taster of the second foreign language during S2 to help inform their decision.

We also currently offer BGE German to S1-S3 DAS classes with the aim of introducing National 2 German in the Senior Phase in session 2022-2023

In the Senior Phase, pupils experience high levels of success in their exams due to the particularly strong Performance results: we currently offer French and German at National 3, National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level.

Italian and Spanish crash courses are also on offer at National 3, National 4 and National 5.

In session 2022-2023, we will introduce the Modern Languages for Life and Work Award at levels 5 and 6 for those pupils wishing to use languages with more of a vocational focus.

Developing Young Workforce

In the spirit of developing young workforce and the key employability skills of communication, teamwork, problem solving, organisation, resilience and motivation, we pride ourselves in having a strong team of S4-S6 Languages Ambassadors. They lead and deliver a strong programme of activities within the school and the wider community.

Example activities are: European Day of Languages events, BGE classroom support, Help with Homework club, department fundraising, delivering French / German Christmas lessons to Cluster Primary schools, assist with Film Festival visits, support for Performance speaking exams and one to one mentoring.

“The business community recognises the advantages of being able to communicate in the language of potential clients. Indeed, in an increasingly globalised world, knowledge of the local language as well as cultural protocols and practices is essential to negotiations.” (Language learning in Scotland – a 1+2 approach: www.gov.scot)