MFL @ Northgate

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 12:41:00 +0000

have a read of this!

German Exchange 2012, Episode I

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Having arrived late on Monday night, the pupils have had a day in school, and have also experienced the German Museum of Sport, Christmas markets in Soest, and today in Cologne. It's pretty cold here at the moment, but the weather is being made easier by the wonderful festive feeling that Germany always produces this time of year!

Above: The main station in Cologne. Below: An East German bobsleigh, from the German Sports Museum

Location:Am Hof,Cologne,Germany

L'Immigration en France

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:20:00 +0000

Immigration en France on Prezi

Going Global 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:42:00 +0000

This year's Suffolk Gifted and talented project in Modern Languages has continued to produce great resources. The aim of the project is to look at the sort of themes that GCSE does not cover, and to produce resources that reflect dealing with more contemporary issues.

The German group decided to put together a film, in the style of 'Waterloo Road' which looks at the problem of drugs.

German Exchange 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Herr Stewart) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:36:00 +0000

Home from home: today we decided to give our hosts a well earned breather and took ourselves off to the nearby town of Paderborn for yet more sightseeing and shopping. Our planned town trail turned into something of a damp squib as the cold, unrelenting rain drove our pupils off the streets and into the sanctuary of cafes, restaurants (McD...?) and even ice cream parlours. A few brave souls attempted to complete the trail in spite of the elements, but were soon thwarted by the gloomy, British skies (according to German weather reports the rain clouds had originated in England so we couldn't really complain!). And so we headed back to Soest where our pupils were met at the station by their partners and whisked away to enjoy the weekend. Tomorrow they are spending the day with their host families - and hopefully getting plenty of sleep ahead of our early start on Sunday! Herr Stewart

German Exchange 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Herr Stewart) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:19:00 +0000

509 steps to heaven. Today we visited the city of Cologne, taking in its awe-inspiring gothic cathedral and of course the 509 steps up to the top of the bell tower. However we didn't have much time to drink in the more-than-impressive view as we had to get moving to the Deutsches Sport und Olympia Museum in order not to miss our guided tour...which was great fun; a mixture of interesting facts and hands-on exhibits, including long jump, cycling and reaction time tests. Our pupils shrugged off their weary legs and joined in with much gusto and Olympic spirit: gut gemacht Leute!

German Exchange 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Herr Stewart) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Official Greetings: Today we were welcomed at the Burghofmuseum by the Deputy Mayor of Soest, who gave us a talk about the town, adroitly squeezing over 7000 years of history into about 20 minutes! From its role as a major salt trading centre in the 13th Century to its virtual destruction and reconstruction during and after the Second World War, our pupils were regaled with interesting details from Soest's long and varied past. Due to an earlier than expected finish our youngsters were duly informed that they had to attend the last two lessons back at the school (did I hear a few groans at the back?), before enjoying more free time with their partners later. I believe many are going bowling tonight, also viel Spaß! Herr Stewart

German Exchange 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Herr Stewart) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:51:00 +0000

How do you say 'Big Mac' in German? Day 3 and the exchange is in full swing; yesterday our pupils got their first taste of lessons at the Aldegrever Gymnasium, which was for many an interesting experience. Eager to avoid the 'spotlight', some pupils even borrowed text books from their partners in an attempt to pass as German pupils. Smart thinking there guys! Today we took the train to the historical city of Münster, enjoying a guided tour and then some well-earned shopping and, sadly, McDonalds time (sigh). I have to say our pupils were attentive and polite throughout the tour, drawing praise from our guide, so I guess the Big Macs are forgiven... As the temperature dropped to shiver-inducing levels we headed back to Soest, where we watched our pupils and their partners leaving the station to begin their evenings. And where did most of them immediately go? You guessed it...to McDonalds!

German Exchange 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Herr Stewart) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:07:00 +0000

In The Middle Of The Night...

After the earliest of early starts (3 a.m!) we headed off to Luton for a hassle-free, if rather turbulent flight to grey and windy Dortmund, before catching a bus for the short hop down the Autobahn to our partner town, Soest. Arriving slightly ahead of schedule, our pupils waited to be collected from the town hall, many concealing their growing nervousness behind last-minute German practice; (how do you say ‘pleased to meet you’?).

And so our intrepid young Germanists were all whisked away to enjoy the rest of the weekend with their host families. And the teachers? I can’t speak for Miss MacEachern, but I most definitely did not go back to bed for some sorely missed sleep. Of course not!

More soon...

Herr Stewart

Soaking up the sun in Cadiz!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:18:00 +0000

On Saturday we all enjoyed a daytrip to Cadiz, a beautiful port city which grew rich as a major shipping centre in earlier centuries. We started our day watching an energetic street theatre show all about Cadiz’s revolution against Napoleon and the founding of the first Spanish constitution.

After a spot of shopping and a few well earned cafe con leche’s, we took a short coach ride to the beach for an afternoon of sun, sand and….more sand (our pupils resisted the allure of the water admirably)! Much sunbathing later and we were back on the coach returning to Sevilla, accompanied by a gentle singsong which rapidly deteriorated into a full scale singing war between the British and Spanish pupils…I’m sure I have never heard the Proclaimers sung so badly!

Tomorrow the pupils are spending time with their host families, and on Monday we are all off to Cordoba for more sun, sightseeing and, of course, shopping! Señor Stewart

Location:Cadiz, Spain.

Sampling the local cuisine...

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:28:00 +0000

After an afternoon of high quality student theatre, we were invited to a communal dinner at the school, to which the host families each contributed a home-cooked local delicacy.

This feast of Andalucian cuisine was laid out on long tables on the school terrace and in no time were all helping ourselves to platefuls while asking our generous hosts all about the history of the delicious flavours assaulting our tastebuds. Que maravillosa!

The evening was then capped off by traditional Swedish nativity songs performed by costumed exchange students from Vaggeryd, Sweden. A rather surreal but highly enjoyable spectacle!

Mañana vamos a Cadiz...

Señor Stewart

Location:Seville, Spain

Discovering Seville

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:50:00 +0000

We really hit the ground running on our first full day in Seville, packing in a full day at school, which included a fascinating lesson on Spanish history and culture by a Luxembourgian teacher, followed by a guided tour of the Moorish palace in the city centre. The latter was truly an ocean of beauty and tranquillity in the middle of this dynamic, bustling metropolis, and the infectious enthusiasm of our wonderful guide helped to capture the pupils' attention despite their weariness at the end of a long, hot day (muchas gracias Don Juan!).

The palace grounds really were stunning, with the peacocks in the English Garden and the water jet, which travels 15 kilometres into the palace along a Roman aqueduct, particular highlights.

Today our pupils are going to lessons in the morning, then we're off to see a play at the nearby community centre.

Que bien!

Hasta luego!

Señor Stewart

Arrival in Seville!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:21:00 +0000

Bienvenidos a Sevilla!

Well we arrived safely at Seville airport after a smooth, hassle-free journey (well almost, apart from one lost suitcase which was quickly found!) and enjoyed a fabulous welcome from our Spanish counterparts, who were all waiting excitedly in the arrivals area. After much hugging and kissing, which seemed to dispel any last minute nerves, our pupils were whisked away to begin their Iberian adventure!

This morning we all met bright and early at our partner school (IES Ramón del Valle-Inclán) for an introduction by the Head Teacher, followed by a tour of the site (with Miss Sear ably translating for us - gracias!). After that, the pupils were taken for their first taste of lessons – looking forward to hearing their impressions later!

Off to visit the Al Alcázares (old Moorish palace) after school...

More soon!

Señor Stewart

Northgate High School MFL CPD 2011-12

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:37:00 +0000

This is the brochure outlining the courses that we will be running at Northgate High School next year in Modern Foreign Languages. If you are interested in attending a course, or wish to contribute to training for MFL across the region, please email us at training@northgate.suffolk.sch.uk

German Exchange 2010 - Chapter 5 (!)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Stewart) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:56:00 +0000

Just our luck. Forty minutes to go until take-off and snowstorm ‘Petra’, the worst winter weather in years, moves in over Düsseldorf, carpeting the runways and closing the airport. We’re going nowhere tonight. It’s nearly 21:00. Decision time. Do we brave the 200m queue to the ticket counter to try and rebook our flight or do we act quickly to ensure we don’t miss the last train back to Soest? It’s no decision at all.

Many frantic phonecalls and texts later and we’re back on the train, praying that we don’t miss the last connection in Dortmund, planning contingencies in case we do. The pupils are taking the bad news in different ways, some glum, others impressively stoic and philosophical. A tired and thirsty lad turns to me, “Ah well sir, I guess it’s just one of those things.”

We arrive back in Soest around midnight. The German teachers and host families have responded superbly and are all waiting at the station. No fuss, no bother; of course we can stay longer! Herzlichen Dank!

Friday morning. By now the job of rebooking our flights is well and truly underway. Our colleagues at Northgate have answered our call and are leaving no stone unturned as they try to expedite our rapid departure. Miss MacEachern is still working hard to keep both the British parents and pupils informed of our progress, and I’ve been giving the German teachers regular calls and texts so their pupils (who have school today) know what’s happening. Good teamwork; at this rate we’ll be home in no time.

German Exchange 2010 - Chapter 4

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Stewart) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:36:00 +0000

Well our week in Germany is sadly drawing to an end. Tuesday saw our pupils spending a day in lessons at the Aldegrever Gymnasium; almost all found it an interesting experience, especially Miss MacEachern who was asked to teach Scottish dancing to a group of German youngsters!

On Wednesday we made our last day trip to Cologne, taking in first the chocolate museum, then the mighty, inspiring Kölner Dom (cathedral). Both groups of pupils braved freezing temperatures and 533 steps to reach the top of the cathedral’s tower, earning the ample reward of a truly spectacular panorama of the snow-blanketed city.

It's now Thursday morning, a few hours before we’re due to leave…the radio next to me is warning of severe blizzards this afternoon across all of Nordrhein-Westphalen; fingers crossed that we will be able to take off on time this evening!

So all that remains is for me to express my heartfelt thanks to Frau Kleve and Herr Kracht, to all the partner families, my fantastic hosts, and of course all the pupils, German and British, who have made this a truly unforgettable exchange. I have seldom seen such a well-mannered, positive group of young people and have been struck by how many Northgaters have really seized this opportunity to improve their German. Ich bin stolz auf euch alle!

Herr Stewart

P.S. Hmm, the radio has just announced 20cm of snow in this region after lunch; I hadn’t planned on writing Chapter 5, but who knows…

German Exchange 2010 - Chapter 3

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:51:00 +0000

The darkness of a Monday morning; one by one our pupils are deposited, yawning, in the neon hallways of our partner school. Bleary eyes, mumbled protests; why so early, is there an emergency? No, in Germany school starts at 07:40! The Schulleiter (headmaster) greets us formally, warmly; then a short walk to the station and we’re in nearby Paderborn, shivering, lips chafing. A thermometer claims -7°C. We believe it.

The cold blast blows the sleepiness away; our troops are suddenly full of stories from the weekend. They seem mostly happy, excited, but a few remain quiet. Malcontent or still asleep? Perhaps a quiet word later, just to make sure.

And so to today’s challenge: Miss MacEachern and Frau Kleve’s painstakingly crafted Fotosafari (town trail). The teams coalesce, strategies are whispered, safe havens hurriedly planned from the clawing, biting cold. The teachers share glances; will the whole thing work? What if the pupils can’t find the tourist office, the town hall, the meeting point! Will they ‘play fair’ and ask the way in German or lapse into English? Das werden wir mal sehen! (We’ll see!)

An hour later and everything is wunderbar: the teams have ably surmounted the twin challenges of navigation and frostbite. A cold march back to the station, then a warm train ride back to Soest. On the way, the aforementioned quiet words are had but nothing arises. Everyone is happy. I suspected as much.

German Exchange 2010 - Chapter 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Day two of our visit! A change in the weather; the ice is melting. Can the same be said of our pupils and their German partners? A guided tour of beautiful Münster; highly informative if not especially dynamic; the youngsters show admirable patience and politeness; even the astrological clock in the cathedral gets a round of applause! The feeling builds: this is going to be a great German exchange. Shopping and souvenirs; how can teenagers survive on so much chocolate and cola? Pleased to see both groups intermixing; delighted to hear some of our pupils speaking German (knew they would do us proud). Heading home via a busy train station; astounded to notice our gang counting each other back onto the platform. Miss MacEachern and I double-check our figures: all present and correct! Drifting lights, dark landscapes, and then back in Soest. The parents are waiting; the weekend begins…

German Exchange 2010, Chapter 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 23:18:00 +0000

Another year, another German exchange! This year we’re flying from Gatwick - a long journey, icy roads, news filters through of a road closure on the M25. Stress levels spiking; will we get stuck, miss our flight? Then relief; the incident is elsewhere, our journey is smooth. Realisation that we’ve been lucky; a pang of sympathy for those who have not. A routine flight, well almost. Our plane arrives late, delayed at its previous stop not by snow, but by air-rage! The Captain calmly explains that an obnoxious passenger had to be ‘re-educated by Her Majesty’s Constabulary’. His dry humour lifts our mood. And so to take-off. Twenty bubbling pupils, twenty singing (and rather merry) German football fans. Teachers watching for trouble, but they need not worry. A German voice sings Pink Floyd. A brave pupil practices his German and wins a Schalke scarf. Good omens. Arrival in Düsseldorf; ice cold, snow everywhere. Dark, soaking railway platforms – is this our train, or is it the next one? Miss M. sorts things out and we’re soon gliding through the Westphalian night on our way to Soest. Arrival after midnight; the pupils are quiet. Nervous yawns all round, brief huddles on the platform, excited laughs, then one by one the visitors are whisked away to the warmth of their lodgings. The teachers on both sides smile and sigh. We’ve arrived.

Year 8 Homework - Perfect Tense

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:20:00 +0000

Perfect y8

Year 8, please read the first two slides and complete the two exercises on the last two slides in your books for Tuesday's lesson.

The final day...

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:55:00 +0000

I'm writing this at 8am on the final morning of the exchange, and the students are about to gather together in the school library to have a lesson with us to finish off their diaries and to give their views on how they thought the exchange went; what they liked, didn't like, and what they think we should change for next year. We will be heading back into Seville for the last time a bit later on, which will give people the chance to spend their last few euros. We will go back to school at 2.45, which is when their school day ends, and go home for lunch, and to pack ready to meet up at the airport this evening.
Yesterday we went to visit Seville Cathedral, which was even more impressive than the one we saw in Córdoba on Monday.
The evening saw a party at the school organised by the host families, which each family bringing a typically Spanish dish for all of us to eat. There was much singing and some dancing, and it was a great way to 'officially' end this year's exchange. I will post more updates during the day, and update on the progress of our journey home via the @northgatemfl Twitter page - www.twitter.com/northgatemfl

Córdoba! (or let's compare cathedrals)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:51:00 +0000

Yesterday we took the coach with our Spanish counterparts to the ancient city of Córdoba, where the students had the opportunity to look at the Mezquita or mosque, which was converted into a cathedral in the 15th century. The students unfortunately didn't follow the example of the teachers in trying the local culinary delights such as 'Bull's tail' preferring instead the relative security of Burger King. Oh dear.

Spanish Exchange - Weekend update

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:05:00 +0000

The weekend has arrived in Seville, and the students are spending the time with their host families. We spent the day as a big group on Saturday, visiting the ancient city of Cádiz, and making the most of the Spanish weather with a glorious afternoon on the beach. The day was a hot one, but not so hot that the students moaned about not being allowed in the sea. Mr Blagona and Miss Jebb bought the group a football, and the sixth formers were very inventive in creating sand based constructions. Despite the relative comfort of the temperatures, one or two students came off the beach looking a little red, having not applied quite enough Factor 50. Mr B had lovely white marks where his sunglasses had been.
It was really good to see all the students mingling so well together, and although beach days are pretty normal for our Spanish friends, the experience was great for the Northgate group.
On Friday night, we wandered back into Seville, and to the Parque Maria Luisa. This is where there is a fantastic palace, and we had an opportunity to walk leisurely through the gardens, and enjoy the company of each other. After the park, we walked around the Fería de los Naciones, a market that had stalls from all around the world. A walk along the river, where many of the students were also enjoying their evening, brought the night's events to a close.
Sunday sees the students on their own with their families, and no doubt Monday's trip to Cordoba will be filled with tales of Saturday night's group karaoke session. Hmmm.

Reales Alcazares and Seville - Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 22:47:00 +0000

El Patio Sevillano - Day One

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Blagona) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:12:00 +0000

The first day ended with an evening at the Flamenco dancing. Our visit to El Patio Sevillano gave our students a real taste of Spanish culture, and was certainly a new experience!

Tomorrow sees us head to the Plaza de España.