MFL Newsletter, December 2022

NHEHS Modern Foreign Languages NEWSLETTER – December

2022

Our Week of Languages 2022 had our main theme, Languages and Careers, at the centre of activities and we will continue to explore this throughout the year. The purpose is to educate and inspire that languages can facilitate literally any profession and offer opportunities around the world

Sophie Lau, our guest speaker at the MFL assembly, has illustrated that for her, the ability to converse with others in languages other than English has been the deciding factor in being offered that sought after job in perhaps the most amazing location.

Being able to speak another language is a skill that no-one has ever regretted and will say a lot about you to potential employers, as Adrian Sewell, head of employability for modern Languages at the University of Southampton, agrees: “Learning a language requires a great

deal of perseverance, memory work, analysis and attention to detail. Make recruiters aware of these skills in your applications.”

What is there to lose, if you could impress international clients with your cultural and linguistic knowledge and show off your transferable skills? Is it hard work? Yes, of course, but is it worth it? Absolutely, as some of the interviews that have been conducted by members of the MFL department and shown to students have demonstrated. So keep building your skill set and become the expert everybody would like to have on the team whilst enjoying the journey of your language learning at NHEHS with all the many clubs, events, initiatives and trips on offer.

Mrs J Schindler-Smith, Head of German and Modern Foreign Languages

Le bulletin. Die Zeitschrift. El boletin. 通讯. Tōngxùn.

From Manya in Year 7:

“During week of languages, I really enjoyed the French day because of the activities we did in class and the crepes were really nice!”

From two pupils in Year 9:

“I enjoyed the week of languages because we got to learn and talk about topics that are very different to what we do in the lesson. We also got a small taste of a different culture each day of the week. For example in French we learnt about jobs in France and applying for them”.

“I enjoyed the week of languages as it gave me an opportunity to both learn more about the different cultures surrounding the language and also improve my ability to speak and read more proficiently I especially enjoyed writing a job application in French as it allowed me to further my understanding of sentence structure and word order in French while allowing me to learn more vocabulary which will, no doubt, be helpful to me in the future I can’t wait for the next week of languages and will use these opportunities to improve my fluency Events like this are invaluable to learning a new language, so thank you for such a great week of languages!”

Below is the recipe for crêpes if you missed them!

La recette de crêpes de Madame Spencer

INGREDIENTS

● 250 grammes de farine

● 2 cuillères à soupe de sucre

● Une pincée de sel

● 2 cuillères à soupe d’huile (tournesol ou olive)

PRÉPARATION

1. Mettez la farine dans un saladier avec le sel et le sucre. Faites un puits au milieu et versez-y les œufs

2 Commencez à mélanger doucement Ajoutez le lait petit à petit, puis l’eau.

3. Ajoutez ensuite l’huile, et le parfum (vanille, eau de fleur d’oranger) Mélangez bien

4. Faites cuire les crêpes dans une poêle chaude (par précaution légèrement huilée). Versez une petite louche de pâte dans la poêle, faites un mouvement de rotation pour répartir la pâte sur toute la surface Posez sur le feu et quand le tour de la crêpe se colore en roux clair, il est temps de la retourner.

Lettres de motivation!

Chère mademoiselle,

Je m’appelle Mia et j'ai vingt-quatre ans J’habite à Paris, en France Á univérsité j’étudie la médecine et quand j’aurais finie partir je souhaite travailler comme medecin Je suis passionnée par la médecine

Je serais bonne candidate pour ce poste parce que je suis vraiment déterminée et responsable. Aussi, je suis sociable, très organisée, et je m'entends bien avec tout le monde.

Je ne travaille pas encore, mais je cherche un travail dans la médecine

Merci pour votre temps et considération et je suis disponible pour un entretien le week-end Salutations distinguées, Mia

Monsieur, Madame,

Je m'appelle Karma et j'ai quatorze ans J’habite à West Acton, à l' ouest de Londres Je suis en quatrième, dans une école de filles qui s’appelle Notting Hil Après le lycée, je voudrais être chirurgien cardiaque Je m’entends bien avec tout le monde Je suis intelligente et vraiment déterminée Pendant mon temps libre, je fais du water polo et je dessine Mais je ne travaille pas, je suis trop jeune J'aimerais avoir ce travail parce que cela me rend heureuse et je sens que je serais un match parfaite pour ce poste Je ne suis pas une personne égoïste Mes employeurs vous ont laissé une lettre de recommandation.

Merci pour votre temps et considération. J'ai hâte de commencer, et je vous remercie beaucoup.

The French department recommends

Below are examples of cover letters for their ideal job written by Mia and Karma in Year 9.

Karma

Spanish A Level students are Tranceported!

El 27 de septiembre, un grupo de estudiantes del bachillerato fueron invitad@s a ver ‘Trance’ en el Festival Anual de Cine Español de Londres. Fue un documental sobre la vida de Jorge Pardo, uno de los más revolucionarios artistas de flamenco de todos los tiempos; Jorge Pardo fue el primer músico que introdujo otros instrumentos al estilo, como la flauta y el saxofón. Trabajaba estrechamente con leyendas como Paco de Lucía y Chick Corea y es renombrado por su fusión de jazz y flamenco ¡Lo pasamos bomba!

On the 27th of September, a group of sixth form students were invited to see ‘Trance’ at the annual Spanish Film Festival It was a documentary about the life of Jorge Pardo, one of the most revolutionary flamenco artists of all time; he was the first musician to introduce other instruments to the style, namely flute and saxophone. Having worked closely with legends such as Paco de Lucía and Chick Corea, Pardo is renowned for his fusion of jazz and flamenco. We had a great time! by Zara and Chloe-

El documental ‘Trance’ nos dio una percepción de la vida y talento musical de Jorge Pardo. Reveló los diferentes pilares y las profundidades de la música flamenca (el toque, con instrumentos tales como por ejemplo la flauta, la guitarra, los tambores; el cante y el baile) y el impacto que tuvo para el flamenco; por ejemplo, los roles diferentes de las bailaoras, las cantaoras y las tocaoras Además, Jorge Pardo fue el primer artista en mezclar la flauta con el flamenco

The documentary ‘Trance’ gave an insight into Jorge Pardo’s life of musical talent It revealed the many layers and depths to flamenco music (The playing of instruments such as the flute, the guitar, the drums; The songs and the dance) and the impact to flamenco; for example the different roles of the dancers, singers and players. Additionally, Jorge Pardo was the first artist to mix the flute with flamenco. by Vivien, Isabella, Daisy

Tras el documental, Pardo hizo una sesión de preguntas y respuestas donde personas en la audiencia pudieron hacer preguntas, como por ejemplo ‘¿Quiénes son sus influencias?’ Después de esto, tuvimos la suerte de conocerle personalmente donde le dimos la enhorabuena y nos hicimos una foto con él. Fue una noche inolvidable. After the documentary, Pardo did a Q&A session where people in the audience could ask questions, for example ‘Who are your influences?. After this, we were lucky enough to meet him personally where we congratulated him and took a photo together. It was an unforgettable night.

Isabella and Leah

Year 10 Spanish Careers Workshop

On Monday, Year 10 took part in a Spanish Careers Workshop to give us an insight on jobs in foreign countries. The session was led by Sophie Lau, a multilingual translator and writer whose extensive experience gave us a deeper understanding of what a career in languages entails. We discussed some everyday companies which originated abroad (such as Chupa Chups, a Spanish lollipop brand whose name is actually derived from the Spanish verb ‘chupar’ meaning ‘to suck’) and looked into professions where language skills would benefit us. In groups, we then practised job interviews in Spanish, learning how we could make a difference through different roles and companies. This taught us valuable vocabulary which will help us articulate our ideas clearly in business settings and beyond. Overall, it was a fun and relaxed introduction to the opportunities that multilingualism can open us up to in the future ¡Qué divertido!

Ishita

The Spanish department recommends

Spain and the Hispanic World | Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library

Discover the rich story of Spanish and Hispnic art and culture from the ancient world to the early 20th century through over 150 fascinating works: from masterpieces by El Greco, Zurbarán, Velázquez and Goya to sculptures, paintings, sculptures, silk textiles, ceramics, lustreware, silverwork, precious jewellery, maps, drawings, illuminated manuscripts and stunning decorative lacquerware from Latin America.

Royal Academy of Arts, 21 January 10 April 2023, Tues–Sun: 10am–6pm, Fri: 10am–9pm

This piece is built with the unmistakable seal of Nao d’amores, Lorca´s naïve poetics and puppets A show designed for all audiences.

Cervantes Theatre, 8-9 December 2022, 12 and over, 60 minutes, In Spanish

Retablillo de Don Cristóbal | Federico García Lorca

German

MFL Language Careers Workshop testimonies

We were given the opportunity to take part in a language careers workshop during MFL week We were put into groups and started off by doing a set of activities to help us when it came to recording our job interviews. We decided that we would do our job interview for the position of head of marketing at Haribo Together, we wrote a cover letter explaining why we would be good for the job and when we were finished with this we started working on a script for our interview video. We managed to craft a persuasive and complex interview which we then recorded and submitted online A group from each language was chosen to show their videos to everyone and it was really interesting to see how everyone had come up with their interviews and the different companies which they chose. I really enjoyed this workshop and it helped me to learn more about the important skills you may need when applying for another job, whether it be in the UK or abroad

by Johanna

On the 26th September, Year 10 took part in the Languages and Careers Workshop with Sophie Lau. It was really fun and we learnt a lot about how many jobs you can do with languages, including working on a Yacht! We had to script a job interview for a chosen foreign brand, which will help us in the future The workshop has broadened our perspectives, and has shown us how many brands require certain language skills, like Siemens. We learnt many phrases such as “neue Erfahrungen”, meaning “new experience”, which describes the workshop perfectly by Ruby, Morven and Juliette

For the MFL workshop: Languages and Careers we were spoken to by Sophie Lau, a translator and creative writer in several languages We were then split into groups to create a resume and interview video for a german company, we chose Haribo. We found the workshop informative and fun,learning lots of new vocabulary and careers associated with languages. Overall it was helpful and fun- Sophie Lau was an excellent speaker

by Matilda and her group

During our Languages and Careers workshop, we learnt many interesting and useful tools to aid us in our language learning. During the workshop, we were introduced to many jobs related to our languages and we discovered the importance of languages in the modern world. The workshop leader, Sophie Lau, expanded our German vocabulary and knowledge of German culture which was very helpful Our first task was to translate and analyse two German job advertisements which taught us about some popular jobs in Germany. After, we constructed a job interview as a group in German and described the job we wanted as well as our qualifications Overall, this workshop really enhanced our knowledge of the German language and furthered our experience in speaking and pronunciation.

by Jaspreet and group

The German department recommends

The following amazing exhibition of German female artists: Why not pay the nearby swiss restaurant St Moritz a visit and enjoy a delicious Cheese fondue?

The German department is also very much looking forward to the upcoming German Christmas Market trip to Berlin and would like to wish everyone a very festive ‘Frohe Weihnachten’!

Below is the covering letter Y10s have been given as an example when writing their own applications.

The BEST Christstollen

German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries. Your search for the BEST authentic German Stollen recipe has ended: Flaky, moist, and divinely flavorful, these homemade German Christmas Stollen are INCREDIBLE!

A History of Stollen

The first and most famous variety of stollen is the Dresdner Christstollen Some historians date its origin back to 1329 and over the centuries the stollen was refined to become what it is today. And it has come a long way indeed because up until 1650 the stollen was a bland, hard pastry as the use of butter and milk was forbidden during Lent by the Catholic church. It was in this year that Prince Ernst von Sachsen, at the request of the bakers of Dresden, petitioned the pope to lift the butter ban. The request was denied and then, five popes later, the ban was finally lifted in 1490 via the pope’s famous Butterbrief, “butter letter.”

From that point the stollen gradually developed into an enjoyable sweet bread incorporating additional ingredients and it become an important symbol of the region King August II in 1730 commissioned the bakers of Dresden to bake a gigantic stollen in celebration of the strength of the Saxon military, an event to which he invited the dignitaries of Europe in the hope of building allies

Germany’s first Christmas market was held in Dresden in 1434 This market, the Dresdner Striezelmarkt, continues to be held every year.

The word “stollen” refers to a post or boundary stone for a city. Some historians believe that the stollen’s characteristic shape was moulded after the shape of a mine tunnel, reflective of the silver and tin mining industries of the time But there is also religious symbolism behind the stollen with the loaf, or bread, being symbolic of the body of Christ Specifically, being dusted with powdered sugar, it is symbolic of the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes. Thus it is traditionally called Christstollen, or Christ Stollen. Guten Appetit!

Glossary:

Could you be a spy?

Try this GCHQ puzzle that year 9 cracked in no time at all!

GCHQ has discovered a cyber-criminal who has accessed sensitive documents which she plans to sell to a hostile intelligence service! She is planning to make the document handover in China and will soon be leaving the country GCHQ has intercepted the itinerary she sent to the buyer but she has disguised the locations Can you work out her intended route so that we can catch her on her way?

“Fly from Hero Country to Fragrant Harbour, take Fire Vehicle from there through Wide East, Lake South, Lake North, River South, River North, to destination I will meet you at the office in Northern Capital ”

Chinese Assembly

Earlier this term, Ms Gamberini and Yasmin (Y13) gave an assembly about the Winter Solstice and its message in Chinese culture:

The alternation of day and night is just such an example: there cannot be a shadow without light.

- The full moon is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family reunion.

- The round shape of the moon is what symbolises family reunion

- For the chinese, the moon is associated with gentleness & brightness

- According to traditional Chinese culture, the moon is a carrier of emotions

- In China, on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, the moon is full and this is when they hold the Mid-autumn/moon festival. - the day is a holiday for family members to get together and enjoy the full moon - a token of abundance, harmony, and luck.

In Chinese culture, roundness symbolises completeness and togetherness. A full moon symbolises prosperity and reunion for the whole family.

There is something about round tables that encourages and makes it easy for everyone to participate and collaborate It is in part due to the fact that at a round table, people can see each other Each person is equidistant from the centre of the table and each gets a turn as the table rotates toward them.

The Ying and the Yang by Yasmin

While the world is composed of many different, sometimes opposing, forces, these can coexist and even complement each other

T ake, means family reunion and completeness.

Tang Yuan - eating Chinese bites of wisdom

The roundness of the balls symbolises unity and prosperity, which is ideal on the gloomiest day of the year Those who really fancy auspicious symbolism even throw in a few red balls to secure their luck for the bright times ahead, since red is regarded as a sign of happiness and good fortune in Chinese society.

So what did I learn? There is some logic behind this belief As we embark on the darkest day of the year, we know that times will only get brighter from then on, slowly pulling us out from hibernation with increasing daylight. We can find a metaphor for life as well in this festivity - when we are faced with the darkest day, we can find consolation in knowing that it will only get brighter, things will get better, and that life is in cycle.

In northern China, people typically eat dumplings on Dongzhi This custom is said to have been started by Zhang Zhongjing in the Han Dynasty. One cold winter day, he saw the poor suffering from chilblains on their ears. Feeling sympathetic, he ordered

his apprentices to make dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm and prevent their ears from getting chilblains. Since the dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish "qùhán jiāoěr tāng" (祛寒嬌耳 tender e 湯) d li hat expels the cold en a tradition y of Dongzhi

From Winter Solstice to New Year’s Eve, Zhang went distributing the dumplings among all the villagers who had recovered from their illness

My wish to you is that you:

- Expel the cold

- Remember that, even if the days are shorter and darker now, the turning point is just one step away and days will get longer and brighter

- Prosperity and good fortune for the rest of the term

- Invite to think about kindness

The French department would finally like to say a huge THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to MINNA in Year 9 who has designed the new logo for the MFL department!