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Thornhill College Girls' Grammar School
 Adveniat Regnum Tuum

"Educating concerned, informed, adaptable members of the world community"

Thornhill College, Culmore Road, Derry

 
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French

Bonjour!

Bienvenue dans notre section. Voici quelques informations sur ‘la vie française’ à Thornhill College.

N’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de renseignements.
 

jgallagher904@thornhill.derry.ni.sch.uk
 

Welcome to the French Department in Thornhill.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further information.

The Year 14 Team who reached the Semi-Final of the
Northern Ireland CILT French Debating Competition 2012

Year 8 pupils performing in French for visitors at Open Night

French is offered as a Modern European Language at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and A Level.

Our pupils are encouraged to see French not just as an academic subject but as a living language both in the classroom (through greetings, classroom instructions, prayers, talk of weather, birthdays etc.) and outside the classroom (through awareness of French culture and media, pen-pal exchanges, trips to France, visits by French people to the school).

French is proving to be a subject that can combine well with many other areas of career opportunity. In addition to traditional French Language courses, French is now offered as an integral element of Higher Education courses and careers such as European Studies, Business Studies, Law, Engineering and Science, Secretarial work, Travel and Tourism. It is now widely accepted that the skills acquired in learning a language will enhance employment opportunities in a Global economy.

Language Assistant

Every year we benefit from the services of a French-speaking language assistant who, although employed mainly in classes with senior pupils, is also invited to visit junior classes and become involved as much as possible in the daily life of the school.

The French assistant also plays a lead role in the Year 8 French club ‘Club F’, organising games and activities to support the learning of French outside the classroom.

Our 'Assistante' for 2011/12 is Mlle. Élodie Dupont from Erquelinnes in Belgium.

French Assistant Élodie Dupont
with members of "Club F" - The French Club

 French Trip to Paris

French Trip

The French Trip is offered to pupils every two years (alternating with the Spanish Trip) and is based in and around Paris.

The trip is a great educational, cultural and social experience for our pupils. They get the opportunity to visit many of the sights and monuments of the French capital, but are also encouraged to practice their French in the hotel and in shops and restaurants.

Outside Paris there are visits to Versailles, France Miniature, Disneyland or the very popular French Theme Park – ‘Parc Astérix’.

'J'ai adoré Paris! On a visité la Tour Eiffel et on a fait les magasins sur les Champs Élysées - c'était génial!'
(Year 10 pupil)

Visits / Competitions

The French Department encourages any experience which will benefit the linguistic and/or cultural awareness of the pupils.

French speaking visitors are always welcome, either as speakers / performers to our pupils or as fellow-students mixing with our pupils in the daily life of the school.

Here are some examples:

  • Year 8 pupils are encouraged to join the French Club – ‘Club F’ – to practice their language through games.

  • A small group of pupils in Year 9 are currently involved in a pen-pal exchange with pupils from a Collège in Normandy.

  • Classes in Year 9 organise French breakfasts and fashion shows to practice their language.

  • In celebration of the European Day of Languages (26 September) we invite a French Theatre Group - ‘Onatti’ to perform to pupils in Years 10 and 11.

  • Pupils in Years 13 and 14 take part in A Level Revision courses at the University of Ulster and Queen’s University, and have attended the showing of French films in the local cinema.

  • Year 14 pupils also take part in the Northern Ireland CILT A Level French Debating Competition.

The Onatti Theatre Company performing a French Play

Au petit déjeuner – a French breakfast

Celebrating Success

Teachers recognise success in day-to-day teaching through positive comments, the awarding of stickers, comments in the Daybook, etc. and in the display of pupil work in classroom and Languages corridor.

Further success is celebrated as follows:

Departmental Notice Board
 Recipents of ‘Élève du Mois’ certificates, winners of internal and external competitions and pupils who produce excellent performances in examinations are rewarded through having their names / pictures displayed on Departmental Notice Board.

Portes-Ouvertes
 Certificates are awarded to those pupils who participate in Open Night activities e.g. Greeting pupils and parents, preparing displays, helping with the ‘French Café’ 

End of Year Certificates
 Awarded to pupils in Years 8 – 10 for overall performance to an agreed standard in the Internal School examinations.

AIB Cups for French
Awarded annually to pupils who achieve the highest marks in examination in Years 11 and 13.

   The Winner of the Thornton Cup 2011:   Aoife Graham

 

The Thornton Cup

The Thornton Cup, in honour of former Head of French and Vice-Principal, Mrs. Marie Thornton, is awarded annually for a project which examines a topic relating to France or French culture, e.g.

  • A Town / Region in France;

  • French Speaking countries throughout the world;

  • An aspect of life in France e.g. Food / School / Fashion / Music / Sport / Industry

  • Famous French People

The Award is open to individual pupils in years 8 - 10 and the Thornton Cup is awarded to overall best entry.