Fremdsprachentag an der AvH

Seit dem Schuljahr 2004/05 wird immer am Ende des Schuljahres in unserer Schule der „Tag der Fremdsprachen“ für die 7. Klassen durchgeführt. Oberstufenschüler der Leistungs- und Grundkurse Englisch, Französisch, Latein und Russisch bereiten diesen Tag vor und führen ihn durch. Die Siebtklässler üben sich in Alltagssituationen in Englisch und Französisch und bekommen einen Eindruck von den Sprachen Latein und Russisch, die sie später wählen können.
AvH Language Day July 3, 2015

The Language Day for seven graders has been a tradition at our school for 10 years. At the end of the school year all students from grade seven spend one day practicing the languages that are taught at the AvH grammar school. These are English, French, Latin and Russian. The special thing is that the day is prepared and carried out by students from the 10th and 11th classes.

The students of the classes 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 met at the assembly hall at 8 o’clock for the opening of the event. First they listened to a short speech about the importance of learning foreign languages. Then six teams were formed with one leader each.  Students from all four classes were in different teams. There were two English stations, one for French, one for Latin, one for Russian, and line dance. The maximum number of points at each station was 15, but the line dance station was just for fun – no points.
For most students, school town was the highlight. In the gymnasium there were different places one would find in a city, such as a cinema, a hospital, a supermarket or a police station. On cards, the students got little tasks telling them what to do there.  The better they could communicate the more points they  received.
The second English station was a board game and those who knew a lot about Great Britain could collect many points. In French the students practiced speaking about themselves and their families, asking  for the way or working with numbers. 
In Latin they learnt about Rome, some Roman gods and the Seven Wonders of the World, but also about Latin words that are used in our own language. Then there was a quiz about Russia, and one could also learn some letters of the alphabet. Only at one station no foreign language was practiced, and that was line dance in the gym.
Good music, easy steps – it was fun even for those few students who were sceptical first. In the break they all had breakfast together in the cafeteria. Every class had their own big table laid by students from grade 10 with the food the seventh graders had brought in the morning. Everybody enjoyed it, and some tables were really full of delicious cakes, fruit and sandwiches.
At 12.15 p.m., all met again in the assembly hall. The winners got their prizes, mainly vouchers sponsored by the Förderverein of our school.  The following students won: Nina Splettstößer (7.1), Fabian Orwat (7.1) and Malte Buro (7.3) Congratulations!

For the first time, students from an elementary school took part in the Foreign Language Day as well because it was their “Schnuppertag” at the AvH. They did quite well, too! They are  the future seven graders at our school. Moreover, we bid farewell to Mrs. Baudisch, our long-time head of the English department.

It was an interesting day with a lot of different activities. Many of the seventh graders were surprised at how nice and helpful the students of the higher classes had been. Hopefully they will remember that when in just four years‘ time it will be their turn to perform our Language Day with the youngest students at the school ….