Invitation to Polyglot Club - Birkenhead School

From: Teacher of German
M A Turner MA
Email: mat@birkenheadschool.co.uk
24 September 2013
Dear Parent
INVITATION TO THE BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL POLYGLOT CLUB
To enhance the provision we offer to gifted linguists at Birkenhead School we launched a new
initiative in 2011 called the Polyglot Club. Those involved in previous years were introduced to
new languages that they had not studied before, picking up some basic vocabulary and
comparing them to languages with which they are familiar, looking at a range of different
writing systems and how languages change over time. I am delighted to write to you to invite
your son/daughter to be a member of this group.
The aims of the club are to provide an opportunity for inquisitive and able linguists to discover
more about how languages work, how they are written and how they change over time. Pupils in
this group will also be given a taste of some other languages not normally taught on the school
curriculum, looking at one of the closest languages to our own and another which works very
differently.
Areas we plan to cover this year include:
Dutch for Beginners
Mandarin Chinese for Beginners
Writing Systems
Language Families
The club will be held on an agreed lunchtime in L34 every week from the beginning of October
until the May half-term holiday. The sessions will be run by Mr Turner and Mr Murdoch.
We very much hope that your son/daughter will want to be involved in this exciting opportunity.
We believe it offers something challenging and unique which will complement his/her existing
language learning. Only a handful of pupils have been invited to take part and we will expect a
commitment to regular attendance and punctuality from those who join. We believe that your
son/daughter will find the sessions stimulating and enjoyable but if he/she decides that it is not
for them we would like to know so that we could offer a place to another pupil who may be
interested.
Please return the slip below to me by Friday 27 th September to confirm whether your
son/daughter wishes to be involved in the Polyglot Club.
Yours sincerely
M A Turner

Dear Mr Turner,
I wish to confirm that «Pu_GivenName» will/will not* join the Polyglot Club
and attend regularly at the agreed time each week.
Signed ___________________________________ Date ____________________
*delete as appropriate