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Modern Languages Personal Statement
I have found great enjoyment in language learning for a number of years and my passion for both French and German goes much further than the A-Level syllabus. I hope that the study of Modern Languages at university can help satisfy my appetite for the particular aspects of French and German that I find the most interesting. I have been fortunate enough to be able to learn about the German Occupation of France and the literature relating to this period; a topic that has interested me all the more through the study of books such as "Le Silence de la Mer" and "Un Sac de Billes". In German, reading the novel "Am kuerzeren Ende der Sonnenallee", set in East Germany, has motivated me to research the change in dialects during the period of German Separation. I perceive my study of two science subjects at A-Level to be a differentiating feature between many others applicants to a Languages degree. Studying these subjects promotes a different approach to the same task; the kind of logic that it encourages is certainly useful when undertaking translation exercises. The more advanced knowledge that studying them has provided me with means that becoming a translator or interpreter in the scientific field is an achievable goal.
I am very fortunate to have family who live in Germany, as I am able to spend a great deal of my holidays there. During the summer I worked in a hotel for a fortnight, which was an unforgettable experience. It gave me the opportunity to be submerged into another culture and forced me, as it were, to speak German for the entirety of my stay. It was certainly a difficult experience, albeit a rewarding one, an experience that exposed me to a different dialect of German to the one I was used. I am, at present, looking forward to the visit of a family friend from France, who is coming to stay for three months whilst she completes her work experience at a local riding school. This will provide me with the opportunity to speak a less formal and more conversational French, which is certainly a chance that I appreciate.
Being chosen as a Prefect has given me many opportunities to come into contact and help younger students in the Academy. I have been part of the Paired Reading Scheme, with which I committed a small amount of time during the week in order to help a Year 7 student become more confident with reading. This year, I will be helping students to learn how to read using the Bowring Code; a system created by a teacher at the Academy which uses colours to show letter sounds. I have found using the Code a fascinating experience and seeing its effects has convinced me of its usefulness in helping people to learn to read. The Code is also a useful implement in teaching Foreign Languages and I would hope that it is adopted on a larger scale. I was also privileged enough to be able to help a group of Year 10 Leadership and Management students improve their public speaking and debate skills. I have also worked hard to raise money the Uhuru Ministries, a charity that cares for orphaned children in Kenya. This not only has meant taking part in sponsored events, but helping with the organisation of such events and wider schools events such as the Summer Fete. Progressing to become Editor of the Academy Times has, too, been a fantastic experience. It has meant that I have become well organised and has also involved me organising a team, which I find extremely rewarding, especially when one can see the finished product.
In summary, I believe that my passion and enthusiasm for foreign languages give me the potential to succeed. I also believe that I have a great deal to give back to the institution that helps me to realise my linguistic potential.
Universities Applied To
- Cambridge - Offer received
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