BFI Study Day Inspires Language Students
6.2 students studying French, German or Spanish, had the opportunity to take part in a Study Day at the BFI Southbank.
Our students joined around 400 others studying their language in the impressive BFI main auditorium.
Catherine Wilks, Head of Modern Foreign Languages, reports.
The day started with an interactive presentation, which was both informative and rich in useful vocabulary, and conducted almost entirely in the target language. The aim was to revise and enrich the students’ ability to analyse film in their target language, a key skill for the essay paper, in which students write a critical essay on the film they have studied.
After a break for lunch, and a chance to enjoy the riverside views, the students got the opportunity to view a film: in the case of French, this was the powerful La Haine. The sound and big screen made this an unforgettable experience, with students clearly shocked and moved by the rising tension and heart-stopping ending.
Spanish students benefitted from the opportunity to see a film of the play they are currently studying, La Casa de Bernarda Alba. German students watched the film they study in 6.1, Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others).
As MFL teachers, it is one of the most rewarding parts of our job to open a window into a different culture. These study days reminded us of just what a privilege that is.
