Languages Exchanges Go Virtual
Our School Exchanges usually take Years Eight, Nine and Ten pupils to France (Nantes), Spain (Zaragoza) and Germany (Burgstädt). Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were not permitted to travel this academic year. In order to maintain and encourage intercultural dialogue between RGS pupils and our partner schools abroad, we organised an online Exchange using the website Flipgrid. Our aim was to create an inclusive discussion and engage pupils in a fun and meaningful way, whilst developing their foreign language skills.
Since starting the Exchange in January this year, nearly 100 RGS pupils posted a video in Spanish or German (or both!) and some have already received a response from the pupils from abroad. Many of our pupils chose to describe their experience at School and talk about their favourite subjects, whilst others shared their passion for Music or Sport.
RGS pupils have taken on this challenge and put themselves outside their comfort zone, in order to communicate in an authentic way through the use of ICT. There is no doubt that this experience will prepare them well for their speaking examinations at GCSE and even at A Level.
In September, we hope to continue this online Exchange and discuss social and environmental topics, which form part of the GCSE and A Level courses in Languages. We also hope to develop the current online Exchange to include our French exchange students in Nantes. In the absence of the ‘real’ Exchange experience, it has been superb to be able to connect with pupils abroad.
Miss Julie Gidon
Assistant Head of French