It's all go in Modern Languages

DCA’s Discovery Film Festival gave senior pupils the chance to examine serious social issues, whilst hearing foreign languages being used in authentic situations.

French classes viewed ‘Mes frères et moi’, a hard-hitting portrayal of the realities of life in the disadvantaged estates on the outskirts of Marseille, while Spanish classes watched ‘Mediterráneo’, which highlighted the plight of Syrian asylum seekers attempting to cross into Europe.

Meanwhile, the DCA’s streaming facility gave pupils in F1 and F2 the chance to view ‘Der Pfad’, which told the tale of German refugees in World War 2 making their way through France towards safety in Spain, and featured dialogue in French, German and Spanish!

And Form 2 pupils also enjoyed the chance to learn about and sample Spanish cuisine when they visited Sol y Sombra in Broughty Ferry to make - and enjoying eating! - tapas.

Not to be outdone, pupils studying Mandarin were busy in the Health and Food Technology department, honing their dumpling-making skills.

Head of Modern Languages Neil MacKinnon said, “We are always looking for ways to help the pupils practise and experience the languages and cultures which they are learning about in the classroom, and the reaction from the pupils has been very positive.”