‘Mil gracias’ to the fantastic Natasha Maguder, an ex student from Macmillan Academy who delivered a very powerful speech during our Tuesday evening Awards Ceremony, especially in relation to Spanish and boosting one’s career prospects! ( link to be provided shortly)

As stated in an article from the Guardian newspaper, last year:

Learning a foreign language: Now you’re talking

When it comes to learning languages in the UK, we are notoriously apathetic – but it is never too late to start. As Jeremy Hazlehurst says, it could be a great way to boost your career.

Jeremy Hazlehurst

By learning even a small amount of another language and about another culture, you could vastly improve your chances, in these ever difficult times, of gaining employment.

Natasha herself stated that it was her knowledge of Spanish that allowed her to progress in her chosen career and be as successful as she is today, although we must not forget her own determination to succeed!

Check out these 2 great links from CNN and Cervantes.es to discover more about the Spanish speaking world and see where it could take YOU, whichever career you ultimately choose:

http://edition.cnn.com/LATINAMERICA/

http://cervantestv.es/2011/05/03/espana-una-marca-con-muchas-voces/

u.storey WORLD NEWS

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS, PARIS, WORLD NEWS

Where have you been in the past? Can you remember what it was like?

RAMBOUILLET- THE CENTRE OF THE TOWN

SUANCES- NEAR THE SCHOOL-

US!

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS, Cáceres, HELLO TRINIDAD, MEXICO, PARIS, SUANCES, WORLD NEWS

Globalisation and patterns of business ownership mean that citizens increasingly need foreign language skills to work effectively within their own countries. English alone is no longer enough.

Europe is rich in languages – there are over 200 European languages and many more spoken by citizens whose family origin is from other continents. This is an important resource to be recognised, used and cherished.

Language learning brings benefits to young and old – you are never too old to learn a language and to enjoy the opportunities it opens up. Even if you only know a few words of the language of the country that you visit (for example on holiday), this enables you to make new friends and contacts.

Learning other peoples’ languages is a way of helping us to understand each other better and overcome our cultural differences.

How can YOU challenge yourself the week beginning 26-09?
See the links below:

http://edl.ecml.at/LanguageFun/tabid/1516/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

http://www.hellomylo.com/

http://www.omniglot.com/language/tonguetwisters/index.htm

http://www.celebratelanguages.com/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe

AND LET US KNOW VIA THIS BLOG POST HOW YOU GET ONE!!

BEST TUTOR GROUP and MEMBER OF STAFF wins a prize!

BONNE CHANCE/BUENA SUERTE/VIEL GLÜCK/ádh mór/Chúc may mắn

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who made this visit so special!! The students were superb ambassadors for the school and have made some good friends in Rambouillet as well as at the centre COSOG in Mandres Les Roses! A big thank you too, to Russ our brilliant coach driver!

Check out the pictures on the link below provided by our partner school, COLLEGE DE VIVONNE, RAMBOUILLET:

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS, PARIS

Bonjour Paris!

This is Miss Wilkinson, also a French and Spanish teacher at Macmillan Academy. My year 12 French class (the same year group as première in France) would love to introduce themselves to you and find out more about school-life in Paris!

Bonjour, je m’appelle Freya et j’ai 17 ans. J’étudie le français, la chimie et la biologie au collège. J’espère suivre une formation de vétérinaire à l’université. Je voudrais aussi travailler à  l’étranger . En plus, je m’intéresse à la musique. J’aime jouer du piano et de l’alto. J’ai hâte d’etre en contacte avec vous.

Bonjour je m’appelle Harriet et j’ai 17 ans. J’étudie le français, la physique, la chimie et la biologie. Je préfère la biologie et la chimie car elles sont très interessantes. J’èspere devenir médecin dans l’avenir. J’aimerais avoir un correspondant en Franch pour ameliorer mon français. Merci!

Salut ça va?! Je m’appelle Aidan et j’ai 17 ans. J’étudie le français au lycée avec l’anglais, la physique et la biologie. Cependant j’aimerais prendre l’art dramatique l’anné prochaine au lieu de la physique car j’adore faire du théâtre! Dans l’avenir je voudrais être prof dans un école primaireCe sera fantastique de parler avec quelqu’un pour améliorer mon français.

Salut je m’appelle Sam et j’ai 16 ans. Au lycée j’étudie la physique, la chemie, les maths et le français. Je suis passionée aux sciences, surtout la physique. En plus, je souhaite devenir scientifique. J’aimerais avoir un correspondant pour ameliorer mon français. Si vous avez des questions je serais contente de repondre!!

Je m’appelle Rose, j’ai 17 ans et j’étudie les maths, la psychologie, la biologie et le français pour mes A-Levels. J’aime beaucoup les langues et j’aimerais étudier le français à l’université, et je voudrais être proffesseur!!

Bonjour je m’appelle Holly et j’ai 17 ans. j’étudie le français, les medias, la psychologie, la physique et le dessin. J’adore les arts dramatiques et les films. Je voudrais travailer comme actrice dans le futur. J’aimerais me mettre en contacte avec quelqu’un pour apprendre plus sur la France!

u.storey PARIS

Hello, we are Mariana and Bethany and we are students at Macmillan Academy. We hope to keep in contact with students at your school through this blog and get to know a little bit about you and where you live.

Tenemos diecisiete años y estamos en el año doce del instituto. Estudiamos los A-levels como el Bachillerato y el año próximo esperemos continuar nuestros estudios de Español. En nuestra clase tenemos solamente dos estudiantes. ¿Y vosotros, cuantos estudiantes tenéis en vuestra clase? ¿Que ha pasado en vuestro pueblo recientemente? En Middlesbrough, donde vivimos, actualmente es la semana de la moda donde hay una paserela grande y también muchas tiendas que tienen ofertas, rebajas y ropa gratis. Si queréis ver fotos os los podemos mandar.  

Escribenos pronto,

Un abrazo,

Beth y Mariana

u.storey MEXICO

Can you help Mr Rodway make an even bigger difference in Kenya?

As many of you know Mr Rodway is in Kenya right now and is looking to raise £750 for the school charity he is working for. The charity he is with is the Kariandusi School Trust and you can view their activities at www.kariandusi.co.uk which is a registered UK charity, ‘set up for the advancement of education amongst children in rural Kenya’ as stated on the webpage introduction.

Sponsorship for Mr Rodway can be done through the ‘justgiving’ pages at: www.justgiving.com/leonkenya   Quite a number of people have done this already and he is now 83% of the way towards his initial target!!!! Many staff have also helped provide Mr Rodway with school supplies to take to Kenya but could YOU do more???

Read more about where your money would go to help other students in a much poorer part of the world on the website above. Also, find out more from Mr Rodway himself about what he is doing in Kenya. Already, he is able to tell us, as of 15th March:

‘I have been working at the school yesterday and today and the children are absolutely amazing.  There was a welcome ceremony and I was able to tell them about Macmillan and personally handed over Macmillan bags full of equipment in front of all the pupils. We are currently busy shifting rubble but I do start to teach tomorrow.’

See his first photos below as he was able to communicate with us on one of the very few computers in the nearby small town of Gilil.

Leave a comment on this blog to let Mr Rodway know how you could help and ask him what he is up to!

If Barack can, you can too!

mrs s

u.storey WORLD NEWS

As we are fast approaching the season of CARNAVAL which is celebrated throughout the world we would like to know what you do to celebrate them and what other festivals you have in your country! Thank you for all the information from Mrs Goupal’s classes in  Trinidad that we have already received!

Do you know what we celebrate in this country and why? Perhaps our students can talk about what they do and why?!

Also, to our LINK SCHOOLS- do you recognise these pictures or know what they mean????

Let us know what you think!

MRS S

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS, MEXICO, PARIS, SUANCES

Happy New year to all our Chinese speakers across the globe but especially in our area and our school!

Could you tell us how you celebrated this special event!??

For the non- speakers of Chinese, try out these excellent links below to discover more about China and its languages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/games/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/real_chinese/start/

Good luck and please share your discoveries!

Mrs S

u.storey CULTURAL LINKS