3 minute read
Languages
Modern Foreign Languages
AN EVENING OF LANGUAGES
A variety of acts took to the stage in the largest ever KGS Languages Evening in March, with students showing off some of their linguistic skills in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Mandarin. The audience was treated to singing, dancing, role plays, games and some fantastic acting, hosted superbly by our wonderful Upper Sixth. The evening highlighted the excellent creativity of the MFL Department, and the impressive quality of language and performance is testament to students’ hard work and commitment. It is always exciting to bring languages to life and to successfully perform in front of a large audience in a foreign language is no small feat!
We were delighted to hear in November that Sixth Former Kian Khan had been awarded a Commendation in the Stephen Spender Youth Prize. This competition celebrates the translation of poetry from any foreign language into English and Kian’s translation of the poem Weltende by Jakob von Hoddis was superb. Our Lower Sixth Germanists spent time considering the particular challenges that might be faced when translating poetry, such as cultural references, rhyme and metre. They then took on the considerable challenge of translating a German poem of their choosing in a manner that would render an English version that was both linguistically and stylistically faithful to the original. No mean feat! They tackled the task with linguistic rigour and creative flair, producing translations of a high standard. Congratulations to Kian and to all who entered.
GONG XI FA CAI
In February, we celebrated the beginning of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The Library was decorated with red lanterns, banners and Chinese knots. Students of all years, including the enthusiastic Second Year Mandarin Club, joined in the festivities for one of the most important days in the year for Chinese people the world over. They created red envelopes, paper cuttings, tried calligraphy, wrote their wishes into couplets or bookmarks and learned about and tried out Chinese chess. It was a lovely occasion that included a Chinese lunch for everyone and the opening of fortune cookies.
SPANISH DEBATING
In March, Sixth Form Spanish students went to King’s College Wimbledon to participate in a debating competition. Despite initial nerves, the kindness of fellow competitors and the judges helped the team to relax. Our students performed extremely well across their three debates, beating one of the teams that made it to the semi-final. The whole experience was invaluable, allowing students to develop their confidence and share experiences of studying Spanish with students from other schools. CHILDREN CHANGE COLOMBIA
Former KGS Language Assistant Patricia Sturgis visited us to share with Sixth Form students the work that Children Change Colombia undertake in remote villages in Colombia. The charity is the largest UK NGO working exclusively in Colombia and supports, empowers and protects children and young people who may be at risk by strengthening local grassroots to positively impact their communities and defend their rights in the long term.
EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES
To celebrate the European Day of Languages in 2021, students spent their lunchtimes getting involved in creative activities, drawing on their language skills and engaging with the cultures behind the languages in a deeper way. Activities included a ‘Guess the Language Eurovision Quiz’, which featured Disney’s popular hit Let It Go in Finnish, and a wonderfully wacky competition in which students had to build replicas of the Eiffel Tower using only spaghetti and marshmallows, for which they demonstrated an extraordinary flair for construction!
A Memrise competition to see how much of the Swedish language they could master in only 30 minutes meant students discovered skills they didn’t realise they had, and everyone went away with the ability to greet the next Swedish person they encounter. All in all, the week was a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate the number of world languages spoken by KGS students and staff and to encourage everyone to keep pursuing language learning. Languages bring people together, spark joy and are a fantastic tool for life!
