Language teaching

In the school five languages are taught, three of which (English, German and French) in the bilingual system and there is special language teaching in Japanese and Russian. In the previous school year 139 of the school leavers passed 151 (!) language examinations, mostly at C1 level.

   

1. BILINGUAL EDUCATION

The school places emphasis on meeting the criteria of bilingual education. It has a long lasting tradition because the school has been doing bilingual education in German since 1987, in English since 1990 and in French since 1998. In the school Pedagogical Programmes, the aim was 80% as regards to the school leavers’ language examination results. That aim has always been achieved in English and several times in German and in French as well.

The aim is that at least 50% of the students in bilingual classes can pass language examinations, or achieve minimum 60% at national language assessment tests. Last year the school managed to achieve this aim in every language and the final achievement was 100% in English. Minimum 90% of school leavers in bilingual classes are expected to pass language examinations. This requirement was met in English with a result of 97%. It is an essential strategic aim in each language to encourage the students to pass minimum B2 type language examinations before finishing their studies.

   

2. EACH STUDENT STUDIES TWO FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Each student can study two foreign languages, one of which as a target language in a bilingual class or as a main language in specialised classes and besides this, they study a second language in three lessons per week. In each language group the basic strategy is to make the language popular with the students by using varied and flexible teaching methods and also to successfully encourage the students to pass language examinations. Last year 109 % of the school leavers passed language examinations (several students were successful in two languages).

   

3. PREPARATORY CLASSES IN LANGUAGES

The language preparatory classes provide the students with excellent opportunities for catching up with their peers and for becoming fond of the foreign language. The end of year examination was standardized in the preparatory classes and on the basis of special regulations, and the school Pedagogical Programme makes it possible to exchange students between the bilingual and normal classes. The school would like to maintain this option in order to make language teaching more effective and to meet the criteria of bilingual education.

   

4. GROUPS BASED ON LANGUAGE LEVEL

The students are motivated to place special emphasis on learning their second language as well, and not to give it up at the end of the 10th year, even if they were tempted to do so due to the increased number of classes in other subjects. The school would like to further maintain the opportunity for studying the second language in groups of students who are selected by their level of language skills and have their classes at the same time of the day. The staff and the students endeavour to make good use of this option.

    

5. HIGH AVERAGE OF GRADES IN FOREIGN  LANGUAGES

The school is doing its best to maintain the excellent average grades in foreign languages, which have always been around 4.0 on a five scale grading system.

  

6. COMPETITIONS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Keeping a several decade long tradition, the students always take part and achieve outstanding results in foreign languages at national and Budapest competitions, by which the importance of efficient language learning and teaching is confirmed both for the students and teachers. Language projects and school competitions have always been traditional events of every school year. A lot of students are attracted by them, therefore the school aims at organising high level programmes in the future as well.

  

7. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS AND STUDENT EXCHANGES

Quite a lot of students and teachers have participated in international projects and student exchanges for many years and the school is keen on continuing this tradition in the future.

8. HIGH LEVEL WORK BY THE LANGUAGE TEACHERS

A traditionally high level and demanding language teaching is a fundamental requirement and an aim mostly set by the language teachers in the school so that the students can achieve excellent results in language learning. To teach a foreign language in this school will always be a special challenge. A constant refreshment in professional skills and teaching methods is a recurring task for the language teachers, the most important aim of which is to make the students study the language with pleasure and to make it possible for them to achieve results similar to or even higher than previously.

   

9. OPEN SCHOOL

In the spirit of the open school system the school is inviting all those interested - 8-grade students from primary schools with their parents, teachers, colleagues, everyone - to visit high level language classes.