Ballard LangBlog

preliminary itinerary for June 2008

The following is the preliminary run-down for this June's Exchange week: NB all details yet to be confirmed!!!

• Thu 19th: travel to Cholet (coach to London, Eurostar to Angers via Lille, local train to Cholet)
• Fri 20th: cycle ride to Lac du Ribou (have a look at this site: http://www.vos-photos-aeriennes.com/20061210-Sud-Cholet.asp) for picnic & games
• Sat 21st: day out at Le Puy du Fou (historical theme park: see http://www.puydufou.com/fr/ - an amazing site!)
• evening: return to Cholet for La Fête De La Musique in town
• Sun 22nd: day spent with penfriend's family
• evening: possibility of all meeting up at the town's brilliant swimming-pool & ice-rink complex - http://www.cholet-sports-loisirs.com/complexe-piscines-patinoires-cholet/intro_flash/index.php
• Mon 23rd: day-trip by TGV to Paris - Eiffel Tower, river trip, Montmartre...and lots more
• Tue 24th: Trémosports! Sports Day, French-style...decorate your own t-shirt...compete for your penfriend's Form group...footie, bike relay, running, frisbee, and lots more! Have a look at the pics from last year's event on the Highcliffe School website - http://station1.highcliffe.dorset.sch.uk/intra/loadsite.asp?pageid=1971&sitename=publanguages&menuid=271
• Weds 25th: return to England

German Conference in Westminster

“Klaro! Denn Deutsch macht Laune!”

German GCSE Conference in Westminster – 11^th March 2008

A small but intrepid band of GCSE German students, their numbers swelled by the presence of two Y9 girls who have chosen German as an option for next year, travelled up to London for the now annual trip to this Conference.

Over an intensive 5 hour period, they and approximately 1000 other 15 and 16 year-olds took part in a range of activities. The conference was almost exclusively in the target-language, and led by two genuine Germans, Thomas and Hanja, in a friendly and conversational style. Hooked-up to a giant screen with popstar-style headset microphones, they managed to make even quite hard-core grammar seem appealing!

The 8 Ballard students behaved in an exemplary fashion throughout, and will hopefully have gained a tremendous amount from their day out. Two of them were even brave enough to get up on-stage in front of the assembled throng!

Klaro! Denn Deutsch macht Laune...

On Tuesday 11th March, the Year 10 and 11 German GCSE students (and two brave Year 9s!) will be off to London for the day to attend the annual "Klaro!" Conference.

Ideal timing for the Year 11s, in the midst of final preparation for their impending exams...and a real boost for the younger students, which will help them kick on and improve in all areas of their language studies.

I will post more after the event...but here's a photo of last year's group at the event (front row seats, so Oli T could jump up and volunteer for action in front of 2000 fellow-students, and earn himself some chocolate..."Mmmm - lecker!")

See these related links:

http://www.philipallan.co.uk/pdfs/stu970.pdf (Conference programme)

http://www.emmanuelcentre.com/ (the Conference venue)

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