INTERNATIONAL THINKING in association with
Making a global impact
Friends around the world: Lincoln Christ’s
has numerous international links, including
with Egypt (main picture). The school has
seen visitors from the Orient perform
during a trip to England (inset, top), and
has taken part in a Eurosoccer tournament
with teams from abroad, including The
Netherlands (inset, bottom)
T IS not very often that 6th-form students
I
get the chance to collaborate in mixed-
One thing tends to lead to another when
lessons, supports history and general studies, and cooks
Arabic food on international days.
nationality teams on a curricular project. It
is even more unusual to find seven teams it comes to international links and the
Community cohesion has been the impetus too for a
new international link. When Mr Brown joined the school
working simultaneously on a common theme in 2004, there was one Polish child on the roll. Since
in seven different subject disciplines. But
global dimension. Alison Thomas travels
then, many more have arrived and the current number
that is what will happen later this month stands at around 50. And so was born a partnership with
when 90 young people from England, Belgium, The
Netherlands, Germany and Spain meet up at Lincoln
to Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, where
a school in Lincoln’s twin-town of Rodomsko. The first
exchange took place last year with year 8.
Christ’s Hospital School and Language College.
The project goes by the name of ROTA and it is
this is certainly the case
“We felt that it would be to everyone’s benefit to
learn more about where these children come from and
an annual event. ROTA, the wheel, because when the to encourage all of our pupils to learn from each other.
founding partner schools launched it, they hoped that Such linguistic prowess puts Britain to shame and he a taste of the language, since language and culture are When the Polish group came over, we had our very
it would gain momentum and carry on rolling. ROTA, believes that by allowing modern languages to decline, inextricably intertwined. own team of interpreters. To watch teachers turning to
rotate, because with each revolution it would touch we will deprive our young people of opportunities in an The school has a Syrian link, and in this instance 12-year-olds for help was brilliant. It really strengthened
different areas of the curriculum and a different country increasingly global world. There is no danger of that at it was religious studies that set the ball rolling. Global their sense of belonging,” he said.
would host. Lincoln Christ’s, however, as this month’s visitors will Gateway provided the partner, reciprocal teacher visits The reciprocal visits were hosted by families and Mr
And carry on rolling it has – for 19 years without a discover. Not only will they converse in the mixture of took place, and plans were developed for a year 9 Brown is delighted that an amendment to the Vetting
break. In the course of that time, outcomes have been languages they bring with them, they will take part in project on Islam. Out of that came work on Islamic and Barring Scheme has removed the obligation to
imaginative and varied. lessons in Russian, Chinese, Dutch and sign language. art and Arabic, a language that some of the children check up on parents, something which had threatened
“On one occasion a science group studying forensics One thing tends to lead to another with international already learn, but they became so interested, they to kill off this type of exchange. “The cultural insight
had to solve a murder mystery, complete with a work and ROTA has given birth to other initiatives, wanted to learn more. you gain by staying in someone’s home is much more
mock corpse and clues. On another, drama students including a Eurosoccer tournament for years 8 and Languages play an important role in the school’s profound than on any other kind of trip. It’s about
performed a dance wearing masks created by the art 9, which, like its parent arrangement, takes place in a international dimension. It runs an annual exchange day-to-day experiences, living as another person does,
team,” explained Nick Brown, director of language different country each year. It has also spawned a new with its French partner in the Vendée and sends putting yourself in their shoes,” he explained.
college and head of modern foreign languages at the partnership for 6th form projects called CHED+, which students to Egypt, Russia and China on British Council On a less positive note, it was with deep regret that
mixed comprehensive school, which is a four-time takes its name from the addition of schools from the immersion courses. Over the last nine years, a link he watched a Russian partnership fall by the wayside
winner of the International School Award. Czech Republic and Denmark. with Lincoln’s twin-town of Tangshan in China has when deteriorating Anglo-Russian relationships led to
This year’s workshops will cover science, engineer- The same snowball effect can be seen with other proved a rich source of cross-cultural and language the eviction of the British Council from everywhere but
ing, journalism, art, music, drama and dance. There will projects too. An interesting example is a year 7 link exchange for both teachers and students. One of the Moscow. In times of political tension, cultural links are,
also be a programme of social events, including a sports with Afghanistan, which came about through the school’s remarkable achievements is to have equipped he believes, more important than ever.
evening, 10-pin bowling and a ceilidh – a celebratory British Council’s Connecting Classrooms scheme. It non-native speakers with the linguistic skills to study He is very proud of the school’s four ISAs and
evening – when the teams will present their work to started with ICT, since when it has broadened its scope Chinese at university. pays tribute to the British Council for the wealth of
several hundred parents, friends and sponsors. to include religious education, citizenship, and history. Besides offering five languages on the curriculum, networks, facilities and opportunities it provides. The
“The visitors become part of school life for the “Our students only know of Afghanistan as a it organises accreditation in 14 more, not only for those Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is another
week. One of the ideas behind the wheel is that it should theatre of war. That’s what the media focuses on, that’s of its own pupils who speak another language, but for valuable source of support, he adds.
impact on as many people as possible. Not every child what we hear every day. We wanted to challenge the those of other schools too. “The tools are all there and it is up to us to use them.
can travel abroad, so we bring abroad to them,” Mr stereotype and give them an insight into the daily lives “The exam isn’t easy for them and we teach them It is crucial that we expose our students to different
Brown continued. of Afghan children, not only the difficulties they face, to cope with the rubric and the interactions between cultures and make them aware of the big wide world. It
Most of the students will stay with families, but one but the positive things too,” said Mr Brown. English and the foreign language. If a child speaks ties in with so many subjects and touches the big issues
group will be accommodated together. These are very As part of the Connecting Classrooms project, another language, we ought to value that skill. It is also of our times, like global conflict and the future of the
special guests who are joining the project for the first Lincoln Christ’s provided equipment that would recognition that it is an integral part of their cultural planet,” he concluded. SecEd
time. They belong to Kentalis, a school for the deaf in enable the participants to communicate using modern roots and sense of identity.” Mr Brown explained.
Saint Michielsgestel, The Netherlands. Mr Brown is technology. However, they have also used more Similar motives lie behind the school’s close ties with • Alison Thomas is a freelance education journalist.
awaiting their arrival with eager anticipation. He has traditional means, such as CDs, DVDs and handwritten Lincoln’s Arabic School for All (ASFA), an enriching
already met two of their staff at the planning meeting, letters. “We thought that was really important, so that relationship which grew out of the government-funded
Further information
and one in particular left a deep impression. the Afghan children would have something to hold. Our Languages project designed to promote community • Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School: www.christs
“She has been totally deaf from birth, but her mother There is still a place for that,” added Mr Brown. cohesion. The supplementary school has benefited from -hospital.lincs.sch.uk
taught her to speak by using hand signals to show her He is also a firm believer in the value of face-to- the modern teaching methods and resources of its • Connecting Classrooms: http://cc.britishcouncil.org
the shape of the words. She is fluent in Dutch and face contact. A visit was obviously out of the question, mainstream partner, which in turn has gained access • Global Gateway: www.globalgateway.org.uk
English and lip-reads and signs in both. And she’s a but Afghan nationals have come into school to deepen to a wealth of linguistic and cultural expertise. Today • International School Award: www.globalgateway.
physics teacher!” he said. students’ understanding of the country and give them ASFA is based at the school, where it provides Arabic org/isa
SecEd • March 11 2010 15
15 Managing ICTa.indd 15 8/3/10 17:13:22
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