Eurovision

Saturday night was one of my favourite nights of the year-The Eurovision Song Contest. I've always loved it ever since I was very young, I think even back then I was fascinated to listen to all of the different langauages.

Over the years it has gone in and out of fashion, leaving me feeling sometimes "dead cool" and other times "a bit odd" (no surprises there then!). All of a sudden it seems to be back "in", I don't know whether this is because of Lord Lloyd Webber himself wrote this year's ditty for the UK, whether it is the change of host - although I did find some of Graham Norton's comments quite similar to the whit of Terry Wogan in previous years!. Whatever the reasons, I sat down last night, with several fellow Twitterers (virtually, of course) feeling not quite so "odd" as in other years, looking forward to a night of cultural diversity and linguistic delight.

The event itself offered up its usual oddities with Gladiators in the Ukrainian set and opera singers from Sweden and, as ever I was able to learn some new languages. I was, however very disappointed in several entries who sang in English. How can we ever encourage our pupils that it's important to be able to speak different languages if all they see is speakers of foreign languages singing in and speaking in English? It just adds to the arrogant English attitude of  "everyone speaks English, so why should I learn a new language". Even at an event which celebrates cultural diversity! Why can't they celebrate linguistic diversity too?

That said, the competition was won by an English Language song...however, I didn't like the entry for the song, it has to be said.

I don't seem to be able to embed the video so you'll have to follow the link below to see why I like the song!

Alexander Rybak

 

(I also annoy me husband by getting cross with the news for dubbing over foreigners speaking their own languages, instead of giving subtitles!)

Snail Mail

Sometimes it doesn't have to be all about the technology...

There's a lot to be said for hearing the post plop through the letter box at 2pm and finding you've got a lovely letter to open...and then opening it to find some beautiful letter that has been thoughtfully and carefully crafted just for you.

Well, this is how I and my top set Yr 7 French class feel when we receive our letters. We've set up an exchange of class letters with our partner school in France. It's such a simple idea and hundreds of people have done it before but this is the first year I've ever set up a letter exchange as a class. It's easy, we just do our extended writing tasks at the end of units as proper, real letters for proper, real people and then we get replies. The great thing is that doing it in class time means no-one's penfriend trails of and is never heard of again and everybody sends something and receives something. The excitement that goes round the room when I arrive with a package fresh from France is amazing! And the pupils acutally WANT to write in French and make it right etc, etc... Which is what it's all about at the end of the day, isn't it? Using languages for real communication.

Now I know that there are some who might say "can't this be done via email? It's quicker" etc...but, personally I have to admit that nothing beats a real letter in real handwriting with lovely drawings and pictures etc..., yes , I'm sure that, in time we will graduate to some emails and even the odd video-conference but for now we are still enjoying our lovely old-fashioned letters and keeping them safe to look at in years to come and remember our French penfriends by!