Modern Languages
“In the 21st century, the monolingual CV will not be at the top of the pile” Bill Clinton (2002).
The MFL department at RGS has a strong academic tradition with excellent exam results as well as high success rate at Oxbridge entrance.
The department aims are to:
- to instill in boys a love for languages and an appreciation of their im
portance in an increasingly globalized society - to teach pupils to communicate effectively and confidently in the foreign languages
- to give pupils a thorough grammar base in the languages studied
- to develop in pupils an understanding of cultural aspects of the countries where the languages are spoken
- to extend pupils learning experiences beyond the textbook through the use of authentic materials and extracurricular activities
- to inspire pupils to extend and pursue language learning outside the classroom
- to equip pupils with the skills needed to become effective language learners at any stage of their lives.
Pupils study French or Spanish in the 1st and 2nd Form, before choosing a second language in the 3rd Form (Spanish, French or German). All pupils study at least one foreign language at GCSE, and one in three boys in the school takes an AS in a foreign language. There are also very popular twilight classes in Chinese, Japanese and Russian. As a department, we aim to combine thorough linguistic preparation with genuine enjoyment of languages and cultural competence. Audiovisual and ICT resources are used in every lesson and all exam classes are timetabled in our multimedia language laboratory once a week. We also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities, such as residential trips abroad, debating competitions, theatre productions and cultural enrichment day trips. Ultimately, our aim is to prepare boys to be competent global citizens through their knowledge of languages and appreciation of foreign cultures.