Choosing the Right Language Pathway for your Child Mariela Bianciotti Sennecke, Key Stage 2 Leader of Learning, World Languages
L
ast week, more than ninety parents from Nursery to Students with a Thai passport, and registered with AdYear 6 attended the “Languages at Patana” Presenta- missions as Thai, are required by law to study Thai A, Thai tion in the Primary Hall. There was a large turnout of highly for native speakers, and they will learn Thai during MFL engaged parents. lessons. EAL students in Key Stage 2 study additional English classes as their MFL and they will join the MFL proMs Surapee (Kru Gai) Sorajjakool, Head of Thai Pro- gramme as soon as they exit the EAL programme. gramme, Ms Rosarin (Kru Rosie) Wattanapat, Leader of Learning Primary Thai, Mrs Ondine Ullman, Primary Home When choosing a language for their child, parents are Language Coordinator and Leader of Learning Language usually worried about making the wrong language choice. Acquisition: EAL, Mrs Virginie Turner, Secondary Home However, one must bear in mind that learning any foreign Language Coordinator: HOLA; Mrs Celine Courenq, language provides a set of skills that will make any future Head of Faculty, World Languages and I gave an over- language learning experience less difficult. Being aware view of the three Language Pathways available for stu- of this advantage will prevent any unnecessary stress bedents from an early age to Senior Studies as well as the cause there is never a “wrong” language decision. main changes for the 2020/21 academic year. As a follow-up to the Parents’ Presentation and in prepaBeginning in August 2021, the language carousel that ration for choosing another language in Year 7- called was being offered in preparation to select an MFL1 will MFL2, Year 6 students joined Language Tasters offered no longer be available. Instead, the current Year 2 stu- by the Primary language teachers. During their MFL lesdents will choose their language and will begin studying son, Year 6 students selected two new languages to help this language from the beginning of Year 3. This additional them make a decision before submitting their MFL2 final year of studying their chosen language will provide stu- choice on 8th December. The language options available dents with more time to develop and consolidate their lan- for MFL2 are French, Mandarin, Spanish and Thai B. guage skills. Language choice is an important decision in preparaTherefore, in January 2021(Term 2) of this academic tion for the IB (International Baccalaureate Programme in year, Year 2 students will need to select a language to Years 12 and 13). For those parents who could not atstart in Year 3 and students in Year 3, who are currently tend this event, the presentation is available on the Parent’s part of the language carousel, will need to select a lan- Gateway and are welcome to ask for advice by making guage to start in Year 4. The language options available an appointment with the relevant Head of (Home) Lanfor their MFL1 are French, Mandarin and Spanish. guage.
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Bangkok Patana School News
6/12/2020