Drama auf Deutsch!
Theatre is a fantastic way to make languages come alive and give pupils an experience of language-learning beyond the classroom. Two of OGN’s local partner schools recently joined up to give their pupils the opportunity to watch, and even take part in, a play created especially for learners of German.
In February Headington School again hosted the Onatti theatre company for its German play, Zwillinge (twins). All pupils in U3 (Year 8) who are experiencing German as part of their 3 language carrousel this year, as well as all pupils taking German in the L4, U4 and L5 attended. Headington was also delighted to welcome pupils from Bartholomew School, Eynesham.
The hour-long comedy was a play within a play, where Annika, preparing for a drama performance, enlists the help of Lukas, but unwittingly also ends up rehearsing with his twin brother, leading to some hilarious scenes. As always, Onatti brought excellent acting, a funny script and some great slapstick comedy together to entertain the pupils, with, as usual, plenty of interaction with the audience and co-opting pupils as extra characters.
Reactions to the play were highly complementary:
Bartholomew School: Our students really enjoyed the experience and loved the play. “I really enjoyed the performance and the actors were very funny. It was easy to understand too!”
Headington: "I thought that the play was funny. It was also very understandable because they acted it out well. I felt like I knew most of the words."
OGN Christmas Event
Every December, Year 8 and 9 students from our partner schools take part in the Oxford German Network Plätzchenbackwettbewerb - a competition to bake the tastiest, most inventive and best decorated German Christmas biscuits. Students also create Christmas decorations adorned with German words for our tree, and take part in a German-themed Christmas Quiz.
In recent years the event has been hosted by Oxford Spires Academy, Abingdon School, Oxford High and Magdalen College School. For information about previous events and photos, please click here.
Seminar: Christa Wolf and GDR Literature
Sixth Formers from Cherwell School, Bartholomew School, Magdalen College School, and Radley College met up at Radley College for an evening seminar about GDR Literature held by Professor Katrin Kohl on 13 November 2013. Focussing on Christa Wolf's 'Der geteilte Himmel' especially, the pupils and Professor Kohl explored the the author's presentation of the significant historical event of the time – the erection of the Berlin Wall –, Wolf's methods of characterisation, as well as engaging in some close reading.
The extracts discussed at the seminar, as well as a chronology of the GDR can be found in our Teachers Database.
Click here to watch a video recording.
Seminar: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
On 22 October 2013 Brecht specialist Dr Tom Kuhn (Oxford University) and Tom Attenborough, the assistant director of the 2013 London production of 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui', talked to school pupils and undergraduate students about Brecht, the play, its history, and the task of staging it.
Click here for a video recording of the seminar at St. Hugh's College.
Oxford Languages Hub
The volunteering hub at Oxford University runs an excellent programme joining languages undergraduates up with local schools.
Languages Plus trains and supports university student volunteers to tutor in local schools, increasing their tutees' knowledge, confidence and interest in their studies, enabling their tutees to reach their academic potential now and later in their education.
Business Meets Languages Conference
The North Oxfordshire Languages Partnership runs an annual ‘Business Meets Languages’ conference. The partnership comprises Banbury School, Chipping Norton School, The Warriner School and Tudor Hall, and students from all four schools gather for a day of workshops that show how many professional doors are opened if you know a second or third language.
You can read pupils' accounts of the conferences in 2012 and 2013 here.
Modern Languages Clubs
Abingdon School and St Helen's, Abingdon run two joint languages clubs: one for the junior school and one for the Sixth Form. Activities include film evenings, debates, dinners and talks.
Would you like to add your school’s language club to this list, or are you looking for inspiration to get your own club started? If so, please get in touch.