Salut!
As many of you fellow 'year-abroaders' may be aware, the run up to your year abroad is a time of constantly checking emails, running for the post in the morning, and the like. A few weeks ago I received an email from uni about a scheme called Adopt A Class with is run by the organisation Routes into Languages.
I did a quick google search about the scheme which has been running in Wales for a few years now, and decided I'd like to be a part of it. The scheme involves students who are about to venture on their year abroad 'adopting' a class. During their time away, the student stays in touch with the class via emails, Skype, postcards and letters. The correspondence can include topics relating to the curriculum such as travel, places in the town and food and drink, or can simply be a humorous anecdote about something that happened in the week. The aim of the scheme is to encourage the ever falling number of students taking MFLs at lower levers (GCSE) to increase. This is something I am particularly interested in, with wanting to be a language teacher myself, and taking part in the scheme will provide some insight to the potential reasons why children aren't taking MFLs and how this can improve.
After agreeing to take part in the scheme, I attended a training day at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I was told that I was a part of the pilot scheme in the North West. I was assigned my school, and with quite limited information, I had to contact the school and make a presentation.
I managed to arrange a date that suited both the school and myself, and after a very early morning, three trains, a replacement bus and a half hour walk, I finally met my class. In all honesty I wasn't sure what to expect. I managed to sit down with the class teacher and discuss what we both thought would benefit the class, our ideas and thoughts about the scheme and so far, so good. Our ideas very much complemented each other's, and I'm really hopeful that the scheme will be a success.
My class are a mixture of Year 8s who have never done French before, and Year 9s who are about to start their GCSE years. Fingers crossed I can bring a bit of French life and culture into the classroom through my postcards and letters. I know when I was in school, I'd have loved the opportunity to speak to someone who was doing what I wanted to do.
I shall leave it there for now, and keep you updated on whats happening with my adopted class.
Until next time,
Jess
x
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