Specialist Teacher: The Cotswold School

Languages: German, Spanish

Current role: NCLE Specialist Teacher in the Isbourne Language Hub

Experience
I have lived in Germany and Spain, teaching English in a Spanish school as part of my BA (hons) German and Spanish. After completing my degree, I started my teaching career in the UK and have been working as a Language Teacher for 18 years teaching German and Spanish. I have had a range of roles, leading German and Spanish departments, in addition to working as Head of Department. I worked in London for 8 years before joining The Cotswold School. I am excited to have the opportunity to put the spotlight on the myriad advantages of studying a language and to encourage students with a lifelong love of languages. 

What was your initial motivation to learn another language? 
I remember visiting France as a small child and discovering that people on our campsite used different words that I didn’t understand. It seemed like a secret club - and I wanted to be a part of that club! Then I had a wonderful German teacher at school (thank you Mrs Black), which cemented my interest and curiosity in languages. The final part of the jigsaw puzzle was taking part in school trips and discovering that what I had learnt in a classroom did work and I could understand and communicate in another country. I had the key to the club that I had discovered as a child with my parents.