European Day of Languages 2023

Northfield School joined millions across Europe yesterday in celebrating the European Day of Languages with fun activities highlighting the importance of language diversity, intercultural understanding, and language learning.

Multilingual staff greet pupils
The school kicked off the celebration by encouraging pupils to explore the linguistic talents of their teachers. Staff offered multilingual greetings, displaying the languages they speak on their classroom doors, which showcased the diversity of languages spoken within the school and ignited curiosity among pupils.

Language Exploration
Each year was treated to dedicated assemblies throughout the week, emphasising the value of languages in fostering intercultural understanding, supporting the economy, and opening doors to potential careers. These assemblies aimed to inspire students to appreciate the richness of languages in today's interconnected world.

Linguistic quest
Key Stage 3 pupils took on a retention starter challenge, collecting answers based on the 2022 words of the year from various European countries. They demonstrated their problem-solving skills by deciphering words such as "Zeitenwende" from Germany and "krymplasjon" from Norway. Notably, the UK's Word of the Year 2022 was "goblin mode", adding a touch of local flair to the global celebration. Winners of the challenge were Matilda in 7F and Chloe in 8H.

Year 7 scavenger hunt
Year 7 pupils embarked on an intriguing scavenger hunt, scouring the Year 7 building for information on "20 things you might not know about the world of languages" and "counting your way round Europe" posters. These quests sparked lively conversations during morning form time, with pupils proudly sharing their knowledge of languages such as Arabic and German. The winner of the scavenger hunt was Kain in 7T.

Year 9 dive into language games
Year 9 pupils participated in an exciting Zoom event featuring language games and a taster session with Business Language Champions. The event embraced an Olympic theme and introduced pupils to athletes from France or Germany. A Modern Greek taster session followed, with pupils actively engaging with the language.

The highlight was the Olympic bingo quiz, where pupils applied what they had learned in their designated language. Special mention to Serryn, who courageously showcased her spoken Greek, making her the sole pupil among all the schools represented to do so.

The day was a success, one of exploration, learning, and embracing the richness of linguistic diversity.