Modern Foreign Languages

He who does not know foreign languages does not know anything about his own.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Kunst and Alterthum

Welcome

We believe that being able to speak and understand more than your own language is an important aspect of life today, and a valuable tool both in the work place and in personal life. All pupils entering in year 7 are taught French, and continue with this through to year 9. We offer French, German and Spanish GCSEs in years 10 and 11. There is a French exchange to Roscoff each year, where pupils from Great Torrington take part in a variety of water sports activities.

Learn a new language and get a new soul.

Czech Proverb

Why are languages important?

  • 60% of British trade is with non-English speaking countries

  • 94% of the world's population do not speak English as their first language

  • 75% of the world's population do not speak English at all

  • Nearly 75% of the UK population thinks everyone should speak a foreign language.

  • According to research, 1 in 5 UK companies are losing business due to language barriers.

What do the following words have in common - and what do they have to do with modern languages?

abbot, abseil, alcohol, algebra, ambulance, ammonia, anger, anorak, April, arsenal, arson, audio, average, bacon, bankrupt, beef, bizarre, Blighty, boogie, boss, boulder, brake, breeze, bribe, brick, bridge, brilliant, bungalow, capsize, carol, carpenter, cash, cashew, catamaran, ceremony, checkmate, chocolate, cider, cigar, clutter, coach, coat, cogt, cookie, corduroy, corridor, coupon, crowd, custard, damson, denim, dinghy, diplomat, dirt, embarrass, flimsy, fog, funky, gas, genius, gerbil, glitch, glitz, golf, gull, hazard, hunk, husband, junk, kidnap, kink, lawn, lemon, lingo, lottery, margarine, matrix, mirror, mortgage, mutton, mystery, nudge, nugget, ocean, orange, orienteering, paper, paradise, patio, penguin, petunia, poodle, potato, puffin, pundit, purse, quiet, risk, robot, rocket, rucksack, salad, sauna, scarf, scoff, shark, shawl, silk, skeleton, slim, slogan, sonnet, spiral, sugar, syrup, tabby, thug, tobacco, tornado, traffic, triangle, tulip, tuna, tycoon, vampire, vandal, video, Welsh, yacht, yoghurt, zany, zero

The answer is that all of these words have been borrowed from other languages - none of them are English originally! So other languages are an important part of everyday life - we wouldn't be able to communicate without them!

A different language is a different vision of life.

Federico Fellini

Why do we like languages?

Mr Panton

It's great being able to use another language to meet someone from a different culture, a different country, with different opinions. It's all very well to read about another country, but only by going and meeting people, talking to them and visiting the country can you really experience and understand another culture.

Mrs Miller

Once you've learned one language it is so much easier to learn another language. Knowing more than one language helps you understand or work out words in another language.

Mrs Hutchins

When you are on holiday, people really appreciate you trying to speak their language - even if it is just greeting them. I get a real buzz when someone thinks that I come from that country and starts speaking to me in another language. One of the most important phrases I learn for holidays abroad is "I don't speak ...(name of language)". Also - if you speak a little of the language you can usually get perks, like better / bigger drinks, portions of food!

The Staff

Mrs Hutchins - Head of Languages, teacher of German and French
Languages: English, German, French, Welsh, Latin, Finnish, Greek, Spanish

Mrs Miller - in charge of Spanish, teacher of French, Spanish, German
Languages: French, English, Spanish, German, Breton, Italian

Mr Panton - teacher of German, French and Business Studies
Languages: English, German, French, Bulgarian, Croatian, Cantonese, Malay

Links

Parents Guide to Languages at GTS - PDF

Languages Online - interactive exercises and TaskMagic games

Language Skills - interactive activities and listening exercises

BBC Languages

WordReference.com - an online dictionary

TaskMagic2 - download TaskMagic home version to play at home!