Modern Foreign Languages
"To have another language is to possess a second soul". Charlemagne
At the very root, learning a foreign language allows us to communicate with and understand people of different cultures from around the world. Essential to this communication and understanding are vocabulary and grammar, the building blocks of language.
Further details of the curriculum can be found in the documents downloadable from the bottom of this page.
Vocabulary and grammar are fundamentals which are woven through the study of a language at Harris Academy Rainham, starting with the essentials of language as a solid foundation, upon which more complex communication can be built.
Learning a second language not only enables us to communicate in that language, but also allows us to turn a more critical eye on our first language. The teaching of languages at Harris Academy Rainham explicitly makes connections with other disciplines, especially in terms of language terminology.
In turn, this contributes to our development as people, enabling us to:
- communicate more effectively
- speak more confidently
- write better
- understand extended spoken and written communication
- solve problems independently, in both our first and second languages.
"You can never understand one language until you understand at least two." Geoffrey Willans
Experiencing a different culture
However, the study of languages is not a purely academic exercise, existing only in a vacuum. One of the biggest advantages a second language speaker has is the ability to experience another culture in depth, beyond the superficial, “tourist” layer.
A cultural strand runs throughout the learning experience at Harris Academy Rainham, with students learning about, for example, customs and traditions, towns and cities, healthcare and education. Additionally, we supplement classroom-based learning with opportunities for students to visit other countries and immerse themselves in the culture and language first-hand.
"To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world." Chinese Proverb
New life skill
Our ultimate aim is that, at the end of the language learning journey at Harris Academy Rainham, students will have gained a new life skill in the form of a new language, with broadened cultural and linguistic understanding.
The benefits of this are threefold:
- personal development, in the improvement of communication skills, and a greater understanding of the first language
- greater life opportunities, with broadened cultural horizons enabling travel possibilities
- improved educational and career opportunities, as more and more institutions and employers search for individuals with a second language and the enhanced skillset this entails.
Learning languages at Harris Academy Rainham therefore allows students to Belong to a new culture, Believe in their abilities as a linguist and Become an individual with a wider range of opportunities in both their career and their life.
"One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way." Frank Smith
