The Lower School at Sevenoaks LS_book_single_pages | Page 29

languages
The Modern Languages department is
thriving and enthusiastic, and it is passionate
about fostering a love in our students for
languages and their culture. We are fortunate
enough to have a large number of native
speakers, both as classroom teachers and
conversation assistants, allowing us to cater
for students of all levels, from complete
beginners to bilingual pupils. All students
study at least one language all the way
through the school, and many continue their
studies of languages at university.
Students who join Sevenoaks in Year 7 study
either French or Spanish as their first modern
language. Both languages can be studied as
a beginners’ course or continuation if they
have already started learning the language
before joining the school. In Year 8, they start
learning a second modern language from
German, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
Since we place great emphasis on practising
the foreign language in the country, all
students have the opportunity to visit the
country where their chosen language is
spoken.
the lower SCHOOL | AT SEVENOAKS
The Modern Languages courses focus on
developing students’ ability to understand
and communicate effectively in the target
language as well as offering insights into the
culture and civilization of the countries where
the language is spoken. In lessons, students
learn about a variety of topics ranging from
transactional language to grammatical
structures and idiomatic expressions. The
topics covered in Year 7 and Year 8 as well as
the skills developed give the students a solid
foundation to further their studies and sit
public examinations in future years. Students
are encouraged to challenge themselves
whilst being provided with suitable support
to enhance their learning. We aim to provide
a safe environment where students feel
confident when using the foreign languages.
In the Modern Languages faculty we strive
to deliver dynamic, interactive and engaging
lessons. Students get acquainted with
all aspects of the language whilst being
exposed to large amounts of target language.
We are firm believers in offering our students
the possibility to develop their linguistic
skills inside and outside the classroom and
organise a wide range of clubs and societies
as well as day trips and activities. Lunchtime
reading clubs for bilingual students, speaking
competitions or theatre productions give
our students the opportunity to experience
the languages they are learning outside the
classroom, improving their linguistic skills as
well as their cultural awareness.
27