The MFL department is delighted to welcome a new addition to the team.  Emily is a final year degree student at Newcastle University studying French, and has chosen to spend some of her time with us at Chantry.   Y8 Language Ambassadors Jack and Ben took the time to sit down with her and find out a little bit more.

What languages are you studying at University and why?

I primarily chose to study French as I found it really interesting at school and was rather good at it too.  I like the idea of travelling and working abroad later in life so it will definitely be really useful. I have also picked up Italian as I think the more languages I know, the better!

Do you find learning languages difficult?

I would say that learning a new language is always hard to begin with but the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.   Practise definitely makes perfect.

How important do you think languages are?

I believe that they are very important.  There are so many different cultures around the world and it is great to have more awareness of what is going on around us.   It is so easy for us in the UK to say ‘Everyone speaks English so we don’t need to learn another language’ but sharing in the way of life of other countries is something you can become fully immersed in if you can talk to them in their own tongue.

Would you like to go and visit Paris, and see the culture for yourself?

I have already been, but would love to go back. As part of my degree I had to spend time in Paris, and was in France for four months working there too. I was also in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, which is a French speaking island, for four months too. A lot of people don’t realise that it is not just France where French is spoken and I would love to visit as many of those countries as I can.

What made you want to come to Chantry and help in our lessons?

It is a really interesting module offered by the University and I definitely want to encourage languages in schools. I also would like to see if teaching is something I might consider as a career.  I am really looking forward to my time with you all here at Chantry and meeting as many students as possible.