PUPILS at a south Shropshire school were treated to a foreign language fiesta thanks to a group of trainee teachers.

Students on the University of Worcester’s Modern Foreign Languages PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) spent the morning at Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer, engaging Year 9 pupils in a World Day of Languages.

The trainees developed lessons to engage the Year 9s in Arabic, Russian, French, German, Italian, Latin and Spanish.

“It was really enriching to teach so many languages and the pupils seemed to enjoy it a lot. It was a very intensive morning but we were all committed and did our best,” said trainee teacher, Alexia Binard.

Fellow student, Lindsay Beasley, said: “The mini lesson was really useful for providing real reflection and insight, and with it real motivation for going into my first placement. I've a lot to learn, but already I feel I have a degree of confidence about what I am going into, both as a result of the in-depth preparation we have been given, and also in being able to draw on and revisit my own past teaching experience, which is really nice, and self-esteem building.”

Isabelle Schafer, Lecturer in Modern Foreign Languages PGCE at the University, said: “It was fantastic to see our new trainees planning their lessons together and then having an opportunity to put their skills into practice in the classroom.

“It also gave the Year 9 pupils a chance to experience new languages that they perhaps wouldn’t come across normally in their lessons at school.”