Figure 1.--French is the major modern foreign language taught in prep schools. Here boys in their regul;ar form room are working from their Frenbch textbooks. |
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Latin used to be a major part of a public school education. This importance has declined substantially, but it is still considered of some importance. Ofren not well understood is that a grounding in Latin is helpful in understanding English and larning foreign languages. Latin is taught at virtually all the schools. Here there are differences from school to school depending on the school's academic focus. Often Latin is introduced to the children in Form Three. Ancient Greek is taught in many schools, for the top set or scholarship group. French is the major modern foreign language taught in prep schools. Many schools have native French teachers as instructors. The schools vary as to the facilities devoted to fireign language. We saw few schools with language labs, but we are not sure how effective such facilities are. Most schools begin introdudcing French to the children at a very young ge. It is normally done in the pre-prep. One school has the French teacher work with the younger pre-prep children once a week, using puppets and songs to both entertain the children and introduce them to French. Other schools have different methods for introduing French to the younger children in an intertaining way. The French lessons gradually begin introducing the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Even in the actual preparatory school the teachers tend to use games and fun activities for the younger children. The children are encouraged to form simple sentences and talk in class about themselves, their family, their pets and favorite activities. The older children might concentrate on vicabulary phrases that will be needed on a trip to France. They will also work on grammar to prepare them for secondary-level work in their senior school. They concenrate on the Common Entrance syllabus. Normally there will be 2-3 classes weekly. Most schools will have an dvanced or scholarship group. The average prep school studen when he finishes the program t age 13 will have a solid basic grounding in the French language. The language program often includes an excirsion to France. Interestingly as close as France is, British families often do not venture accross the Channel. It is more common for affluent families, but not as common as one might thinkk. A few schools may offer options for older children such as Spanish or German. May British children take holidays in Spain. Travel to Germany is more limited.
Latin used to be a major part if not a central part of a public school education. Latin was central to a classical education and was at the forefront of the curriculum. This importance has declined substantially, but it is still considered of some importance. Ofren not well understood is that a grounding in Latin is helpful in understanding English and larning foreign languages. Latin is taught at virtually all the schools. Here there are differences from school to school depending on the school's academic focus. Often Latin is introduced to the children in Form Three. Some shools introduce even ealier in the pre-prep as part of a classics curriculum. The schools now provide a rigorous introduction to Latin combined with an innovative appreciation of the needs of modern students. Most prep school students take Latin, although many schools may exempt weaker students. Younger students may be introduced to Latin in their form rooms. Older children are taught by specialist Latin teachers.
Quite a number of students still pursue Latin to GCSE, A Level, and beyond, but this varies from school to school.
Ancient Greek is taught in many schools, for the top set or scholarship group. Latin and Greek were once the centerpiece of the curriculum at public schools. This is no longer the case. But some students persuing a classical curriculum still do study Greek. And as a result, a small number of particularly bright students do study Greek at some prep schools.
French is the major modern foreign language taught in prep schools. Many schools have native French teachers as instructors. The schools vary as to the facilities devoted to foreign language. We saw few schools with language labs, but we are not sure how effective such facilities are. Most schools begin introdudcing French to the children at a very young ge. It is normally done in the pre-prep. One school has the French teacher work with the younger pre-prep children once a week, using puppets and songs to both entertain the children and introduce them to French. Other schools have different methods for introduing French to the younger children in an intertaining way. The French lessons gradually begin introducing the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Even in the actual preparatory school the teachers tend to use games and fun activities for the younger children. The children are encouraged to form simple sentences and talk in class about themselves, their family, their pets and favorite activities. The older children might concentrate on vicabulary phrases that will be needed on a trip to France. They will also work on grammar to prepare them for secondary-level work in their senior school. They concenrate on the Common Entrance syllabus. Normally there will be 2-3 classes weekly. Most schools will have an dvanced or scholarship group. The average prep school studen when he finishes the program t age 13 will have a solid basic grounding in the French language. The language program often includes an excirsion to France. Interestingly as close as France is, British families often do not venture accross the Channel. It is more common for affluent families, but not as common as one might thinkk. A few schools may offer options for older children such as Spanish or German. May British children take holidays in Spain. Travel to Germany is more limited.
