The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/220935
FEATURES THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS Dominic holds a French lesson in the cookery room at Blackheath High School, making tarte tatin (left); and Sixth Form students at the school (below) ending list of university homework: assignments, reflections, paperwork, evaluation, evaluation, evaluation! We needed to vent, and I always looked forward to the gossip and solace of university days and subject workshops. What is your mentor like? Are your kids horrors? Have you started that assignment yet? My colleagues were from a wide variety of backgrounds, many (probably the majority) career changers like myself, from sales, personal training, construction, dance… you name it. After a brisk but welcome Christmas break (they had us back on campus by 3 January), we soon took up our second placements. For me, a real contrast: Blackheath High School, a girls' independent school just down the road. Six months of teaching stretched out in front of me – a real chance to make my mark. However, I also had to deal with the small matter of teaching Year 8 Spanish, a relatively new language to me, but increasingly popular in UK schools (see my article in TL52,1). I was quickly made to feel welcome in this cosy school by girls and staff alike. By the end, my mentor, Cathy, and the languages team felt like family, such was their support. But this placement proved every bit as challenging as St Columba's. My Year 7 French class was the very definition of 'mixed ability': Chinese students with little English, a native speaker, several Linda, the Head of Department, nursed me through a teary moment after a tough Year 10 experience Vol/52 No/6 2013 dyslexic girls and a number of very distractable pupils. Excellent results were expected and university places often hung on them (I was teaching examination groups, including French A-level). Fee-paying parents were understandably demanding customers. Like most independent schools, Blackheath has a strong focus on extracurricular activity. Christine, the Head of MFL, was a whirlwind of energy and ideas, making sure the girls had every opportunity to practise their language outside the classroom. I was responsible for groups on trips to the cinema and even a school trip to France (chaperoning a minibus full of teenage girls in the Eurotunnel was not my idea of fun). On a serious note, though, I found it valuable to get to know the students outside the classroom: they relaxed and let me find out a little about what makes them tick. I took a lot of this knowledge back to school with me. Taking risks I thought my teaching needed some drama – literally – so I assisted in Drama lessons, adding some French repartee to mini-plays and immersing myself in a more active style of teaching. I couldn't resist the opportunity to try the Classics (remembering fondly my Latin A-level) and I again assisted in classes, teaching the present participle via The Fugees (Killing me Softly). A big theme for me in all my teaching was ICT, which became the focus of my 'action research project', a mini-thesis within the PGCE. Wordclouds, avatars, matching pairs, social networking, online league tables – I tried them all. The PGCE year is, after all, your chance to take risks. Seeing other staff then work with the technology I had introduced made me realise that I could genuinely bring new ideas to language teaching. My connections also proved valuable: I invited the European Commission and the ADVICE FOR TRAINEES • You need to be able to offer two languages to GCSE, at least. Work on this during the course if you don't have them before you start. • Good schools really appreciate extracurricular experience. Think about how you can help with trips, careers advice, clubs, sport etc. • Be organised! Keep impeccable records of your lessons, evaluations and observations both online and offline. You will be inspected. • Get all the experience you can in school before the course. You'll be in charge before you know it. • Take risks. It won't be easy to do this when you're in your first paid job. • Observe teachers of other subjects – you can learn so much. • Get online – web resources and social media are HUGE for MFL teachers. • Look up #mfltwitterati for ideas and inspiration. • Be prepared not to get the first job you apply for: it can take, on average, five interviews to secure a job in teaching. • Check www.teach.gov.uk for bursaries available for MFL teaching – up to £20,000 was available in 2013/14. DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 The Linguist 23