On Friday 5th February, a group of six Year 9 students participated in a Language Ambassador Training Day. During this course, they learnt what being an ambassador means. They attended separate sessions in the three modern languages (French, German and Spanish) that they were representing. Not only did they hear about the importance of learning languages and the skills this learning provides, they also found out about different cultural aspects of the respective countries.
Manon G. and Jasneet D. attended the French workshop led by the Alliance Française. They learnt about connections between French and many other languages and how languages will help in the future. Alaina K. and Aya K. attended the German workshop. They were interested not only in finding out about the language but the history behind it. They also took part in a quiz which they found thought-provoking and yet fun! Akanksha S. and Razanne A. attended the talk from the Spanish Embassy. They learnt a song as well as some interesting facts about the Spanish culture. Akanksha even won the quiz!
The key speaker at the event was Paul Kayes, who is a translator for the European Commission. He engaged the audience with tales of his multi-cultural career path and how languages opened so many doors for him. Finally, the girls took part in a seminar where they reflected on the role of being an ambassador and the importance of studying foreign languages. The group all agreed that it was an inspiring and unforgettable day. The girls are more determined than ever to pursue their language studies and motivate their younger peers to do so as well.
