Staff Peter O’Connor (Acting Curriculum Leader) Donna McGinley (Curriculum Leader, currently on maternity leave) Carole Graham Kirsty West Roddy Neithercut (Gaelic) Liu Jin (Mandarin) Laurie Guyard (French Assistant)
Courses S1: All students in S1 will study French. A 6 week taster in Mandarin is also delivered to students. From session 2014/2015 we aim to be delivering Gaelic tasters too. S2: Students will continue to study French throughout S2. Further tasters in Mandarin/Gaelic will also be offered in session 204/2015. All students will experience a 6 week block of Spanish. S3: French will continue to be studied by students in S3 with a further taster of Spanish for 6 weeks. S4/5/6: In S4/5/6 students can opt to continue their language studies at National levels 3, 4, and 5 in both French and Spanish. The progression route then leads on into Higher and Advanced Higher for French and Higher for Spanish.
Modern Language Qualifications Summarised by National Parent Forum of Scotland…
Ethos The Tynecastle Modern Languages Faculty offers all pupils the opportunity to learn French and Spanish through the key skills of speaking, reading, listening and writing. Opportunities are also given to explore the basics of Mandarin and Gaelic. Alongside this linguistic development we also aim to develop cultural understanding of the countries in which these languages are spoken.
The members of the department work closely together to make our classes’ active, enjoyable and a rewarding experiences for learners at all levels. We are constantly developing new resources and innovative teaching methods to make our curriculum accessible to all. We enjoy the support of a French language assistant who is on hand to help us with our pronunciation and to share stories of life in France.
In S1 and S2 we enjoy using ICT to support our learning in class. Regular homework is essential to ensuring that all students develop and consolidate their learning from class.
In S3 we delve deeper into the language, consolidating grammar and vocabulary. There is a large focus on collaborative speaking tasks, giving the students a feel for the level of language required for National courses in S4.
Our senior French and Spanish classes have a strong work ethic and thanks to their hard work and the dedication of their teachers they have enjoyed considerable exam success in recent years. Many have chosen to continue their language studies in higher education
Opportunities Students have the opportunity to visit a foreign country, which allows the students to explore language through action and develops their cultural awareness. For the last few years, students in S1 and S2 have visited Paris. We are planning to further increase opportunities for our senior students to visit foreign countries.
There are also opportunities for students across all year groups to attend cinema trips, university debate trips and other language events.
After school study: Come and speak to any of our staff if you have any concerns about your coursework or revision.