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About the European Award for Languages | 2006 winners |
Anastasia Neofitou from Tile Hill Wood School & Language College, Coventry talks about winning a European Award for Languages with a Year 7 Immersion Teaching project.
We decided to apply for the Award as a way of recognising creativity and pupil achievement within immersion teaching in Year 7. As one of CILT’s 14-19 learning Networks, we are also really keen to share our experiences and to support other schools if they wish to introduce CLIL elements into their language teaching. We felt that winning the Award would give us the opportunity to publicise our work in this field.
‘We were keen for the judges to see us in action’
We were really excited to hear the news that we had been shortlisted for a visit from the judges. We were quite nervous as the day approached but we were keen to have the opportunity for the judges to see us in action!
Following the visit, we received the news that we had won the Award. We were thrilled that our immersion programme in Year 7 was one of the winning projects. The awards ceremony in Edinburgh was really exciting and we were astonished to learn that we had also won the Mary Glasgow Languages Award of £2,000.
‘There was a real buzz across the school as the news spread’
Our students are justifiably proud that their achievements have been recognised. The good news was shared with parents and friends of Tile Hill Wood through the school newsletter. All the staff who have taken part were very pleased to be one of the winners and there was a real buzz across the school as the news spread!
‘It has been fantastic to share good practice’
So much has happened since winning the Award and since our national open day for colleagues interested in immersion teaching; we have been inundated with queries from colleagues across the country who are interested in developing immersion teaching in their schools. It has been fantastic to share good practice and to help others embark on this innovative journey. We have also been able to raise the profile of immersion teaching nation-wide through articles in the press and delivering presentations at conferences around the country.
Our project has gone from strength to strength. We have teachers across the school showing an interest in using their languages. In Year 7 Science and Citizenship are being taught through French this year in addition to Geography and PSHE. We are offering non-language teachers twilight language sessions with our French assistant to improve their language skills and develop confidence. We are aiming to bring teachers from one of our partner schools in La Réunion over to England to enable them to collect resources and observe teaching. This partner school has begun to introduce immersion teaching through English!
‘It’s great to gain recognition for our achievements’
Winning the Award has raised the profile of not only the work we are doing, but also of our school. It’s great to gain recognition for our achievements after five years of developmental work and we have enjoyed sharing good practice through networking with other schools. Pupils and staff are enthused by winning the award and in a time of uncertainty in language teaching it is so important to share the ‘good news’ stories, which have impacted on pupil motivation and progress.
Ana Neofitou
Tile Hill Wood School
