Now you can read AND listen to an interview on this blog!!!!

Last Tuesday, Nana, Jade, Cockatoo, Destiny and Fafa interviewed Claire, a bilingual student in our school. We asked her some questions about her culture and differences between her country and ours.
Here you'll find the recording (well done Destiny!):


                                                            


and below, the transcription:


• What languages do you speak ? • I speak French and English.
• How long have you been speaking two languages ? • Hum...every since I was little.
• Who in your family speaks English ? • Everyone except for my relatives that live in France.
• Were you born in France or elsewhere ?
• I was born in America.
• Where exactly ? • Orlando, Florida.
• What nationality do you have ? • I have two nationalities so, I have the French nationality and the American nationality. So, I'm both.
• Is there something in your family's country of origin that you would like to have or find in France ? • Oh, yeah, lots of things. Just like there are lots of French things I would love to find in America .
• Did you suffer when you were little speaking English ?
• Hum, no I did have some learning problems but that was more about me and after my language.
• Do you sometimes mistake English and French when you speak ?
• Yeah, that happens me a lot. When I was little I was explaining a game to my cousins who are french and I went thought an entire complex explanation of the game only to realize at the end that I was talking in English!!!
• Do you feel proud when you speak English ?
• Hum...no,no. I just feel like I'm talking! (laughs)
. • Don't you think that sometimes the teachers ask you more than the others ?
• It depends on teachers, generally I think they kind of …......... my mood, to see whether to call on me, or not, but usually they just let me do my thing and be involved when I want to be involved.
• Would you like to live in your parent's native country ? Do you intend to live there one day ? • Well, I'm living there but I don't intend spend the rest of my life. So I wanna travel and not seller down too much.
• Are you going to use English in your studies and future job ? • I have no idea but I hope so, I really hope.
• What are the drawbacks of speaking English ? • I can't really think of any, you know, other their not bring able to go to countries that don't like America.
• Do you feel different from other pupils ? • Hum, it depends. I mean it's definitely kind of different to have two different cultures. See both sides and see what's good and what's bad, that other people don't necessarily see.


THANK YOU !!!

Thank you Claire for your cooperation.

Interviews with Bilingual pupils- part II

This interview was conducted by Agie:

On 29^h May 2012, we interviewed, with the class, some people from our high school. These people were different but they had a common point: they were bilingual.

The first student that I interviewed was Eva S.. Born on 13^th November 1996 in Bourges, she has always lived in France. However she speaks English and French; not since she was born but almost: she learnt these two languages at the same time. Indeed, all her father's side of family comes from England. As a result, as her brothers and sisters, she has a dual nationality: English and French.

So, I asked her some questions to know more about her feelings.

Let's see what she answered:

The first thing that I wanted to know was if she sometimes mistook English and French when she was speaking; and she told me that it didn't happen often but it could sometimes when she was speaking English. She also said to me that she was proud to speak English and that she didn't feel different from other pupils. Then, I took the opportunity to ask her if she had plans to use English in her studies and future job: she thought three seconds and replied « probably ».

 Moreover, she explained to  me that she would like to live there and that the things that she would like to find in France were... the English sweets! To finish, I was wondering too if there were any drawbacks of speaking English and she said « they aren't really any apart... maybe from the English class! » but she didn't give me more precision.

Finally, I wanted to compare some of her answers with these of another student, Julie. Both of them were of English origin thanks to their father's family, were born in France and spoke English and French since they had learnt to speak.

They didn't have the same point of view though. About the question on the missing thing from England, Julie agreed with Eva: laughing, she answered « real jelly beans! ».

On the other side, countrary to the final « no » of Eva's answer after the question « did you suffer during your childhood speaking English? », Julie told me « yes , other people always said that I couldn't speak English when I didn't know a word ».

To finish, they one more time agreed when I said « do you also think that the teachers ask you more than the others? »; both answers were « yes ».

[that's true, but we have good reasons- a teacher]

I think this interview was a good idea. I discovered that even if there were both bilingual, they could feel different and have different thoughts. It was really interesting to hear them talking about it.

Thank you Eva for your cooperation.

Interviews with Bilingual pupils - part One

The first interview was conducted by Gaëlle:      

I interviewed a girl, from my school, whose mother is American.

What languages do you speak?
I speak french and english and little bit german

 How long have you been speaking two languages?
 It's since I was a child that I've known how to speak.

Who in your family speaks english? . Everyone!

Were you born in France or elsewhere? . I was born in France.

What nationality do you have?
.American et French.

Is there something in your family's country of origin that you would like to have or find in France?
 Oh yeah! I would like to eat a cheese-steak here! It's a sandwich with meat, cheese, onions and it's hot.

Did you suffer when you were little speaking English?
No, not at all

Do you sometimes mistake English and French when you speak?No, only when I was in pre-school.

Do you feel proud when you speak English?
No, not really because its normal for me

Don't you think that sometimes the teachers ask you more than the others?
Oh yes, I think so! They should be regular with everyone.

Would you like to live in your parents' native country? Do you intend to live there one day?
Yes, I will probaly live in America one day.

Are you going to use English in your studies and future job?
Uhh ... maybe...!

What are the drawbacks of speaking English?
Everyone asks you how to say this? How to say that?

Do you feel different from other pupils?
No, just in English.

Thank you Julia for your cooperation!

Better late than never! "My school", by Livia!

Hello, I’m in a High school in the center of France.
The architecture is basic but when there is a good weather we can enjoy the nature .
I say it because is very uncommon that a High school has a large area of green space.
Furthermore, we can meet different personalities: hippies , fashion victims ..
I think being to whom we are withnessing are identical in the other establishment ,
But the "poles" were set up to practice specialties such as art and theater

I like this diversity !

NOW DO YOU WANT TO COME TO MY SCHOOL ?

If only I were in London!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could get one of these delightful "Jubilee souvenirs"!!!

My ice-cream servings would get a royal touch... 

A Jelly dessert  would be a work of art!

and the last but not the least:

Cute, aren't they?

Mrs P. (not ashamed to admit her taste for "kitschy" things!!!)

And you reader, do you like kitschy stuff ? (remember, you can remain anonymous in your comments !!!)

My school, by Onche-Onche

In this school:
On the positive side:
I did encounter new, very good friends
The teachers are proficient
 there's a good atmosphere to work
The school helped me become independent
 there's a good environment.
Negative:
There are a lot of weird people
Be careful with "stuff" flowing easily
The schedules are not always appropriate.

I think this school is good, not exceptional, but good.

It's a long week-end of celebrations!

Enjoy your 4 days week-end, English friends and long live your Queen!

And you reader (yes, I mean YOU!), would you like to live in a monarchy?