Modern Languages

Teachers: Mr. Moore (HoD) Mrs. Kerr, Miss Fleming, Miss McCreedy

Facilities 

There are five classrooms, each equipped with a computer, and two language resource rooms used primarily by 'A' level students' during conversation periods to improve conversational and current affairs skills.

The school now has three native speakers (Jean-Baptiste Allemand - French, Susanne Riedmann - German) who act as language assistants taking small groups of 'A' level and GCSE students.

The annual European Day of Languages gives RSD the opportunity to celebrate the different languages spoken by our school community, staff and students alike. This year the Modern Languages department organised German, French and Spanish food and fortune cookies from Hong Kong to be sold in the assembly hall at break time, and a number of senior pupils also got into the spirit of things by dressing up in costume.

KS3 and GCSE

French is compulsory up to GCSE level as it is the most common language taught in NI schools and it gives an introduction to the basic workings of other languages, including Spanish and Italian. Also from the school year 2010-2011 onwards, pupils in Year 9 will take up Spanish and German each for half the year, continue in Year 10, and therefore all three subjects will be offered at GCSE.

A-Level

At 'A' level students have 9 periods per language each week and some additional periods with the language assistant, to allow them to develop more natural conversation skills.

Why languages?

It gives all pupils the opportunity to develop confidence, and clear and effective communication skills, in both spoken and written forms, in a range of languages. This enables pupils to complete in the global employment market as those with a knowledge of languages are less likely to be unemployed. Pupils also develop insights into, and contact with countries and communities worldwide as well as within Northern Ireland, where other languages are spoken.

Summer ’09 Paris trip

During the summer 30 French and Art pupils from fifth and sixth year spent 6 days in the French capital. It was a great experience both to see the city and to improve French skills. According to Mr Moore, the only condition for being allowed to go was a willingness to ask for an ice-cream in French! The group visited a number of attractions in and around Paris, had fun getting confused by the metro system, and of course went to Disneyland. Visit the photo gallery above to see some photos of the trip.