French
We all live in a multi cultural society. Our future success as a trading nation will depend on our ability not only to speak other languages but also to work alongside and understand people from differing cultural backgrounds.
Junior French
French can be taken as an option subject in Years 7 to 10 and we follow a state of the art course from Canada, helping students learn the spoken language by attaching a gesture to each word acquired.
There are two stages available as an option in Years 7-9 of 5 hours per fortnight for two terms. To carry on past year nine, it is expected that students will have done both introductory stages. In year 10, it is a full-year option of five hours per fortnight.
Senior French
In the senior school, French is a full NCEA option course which develops all the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Highlights include French breakfasts, scholarships and exchange trips to French-speaking countries. There is a possibility of gaining 24 credits. French can be studied at a tertiary level and speaking a second language often gives an advantage in the workplace. At these levels, there is still a focus on the spoken language although there is more emphasis on the written word than in Years 9 and 10. Highlights include a French camp and possibilities for exchanges.