European Day of Languages: 25 September 20
In 2024, the theme for European Day of Languages was to communicate on the theme of Peace. It is clear that being able to speak a range of languages helps to support effective communication and enables us to come alongside others from different cultures, languages and beliefs.
We acknowledged the poet Walt Whitman’s quotation, “Peace is always beautiful”, by working with the Art Department at RGS Dodderhill to create the template of a dove of peace. We used the template to do some language work, ranging from looking up the word “peace” in a range of languages, to making word clouds relating to peace in the language that the children are studying (French or Spanish). Older pupils used poem templates to reflect on what peace means to them and how they could define peace in the target language in a range of contexts.
The value of this work comes from reflecting on the qualities of peace in our society and on a global scale. Whilst doing the work, I listened in to conversations between the pupils about the war in Ukraine and also what it might be like to have to leave a dangerous country to find a more peaceful life. In addition, the pupils developed their knowledge of vocabulary, especially using synonyms and antonyms. Younger children paid careful attention to copying the word peace in different languages and scripts.
Our flock of doves is now on display in the Modern Languages Corridor and also in our classrooms. The Prep School doves were displayed to parents coming in for the Prep showcase in November and also served as the backdrop to an assembly given by an esteemed guest, Mrs Betty Webb, who received the Légion d’honneur for her work at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. Her message to the children included encouragement to learn languages – her knowledge of German was the catalyst for her vital work in the war effort. This was part of our whole school commemoration of Armistice Day 2024.
Mrs Webb passed away in June 2025, and we were honoured to hear her story and listen to her positive and inspiring life story.
