French on Fridays is magnifique

Annushka Forrest writes some French phrases on the whiteboard for Durie Hill School students to learn.
PHOTOS / Stuart Munro

A dozen sets of eyes stare attentively at 15-year-old Whanganui High School student Annushka Forrest, standing at the front of their classroom.

"I'll say a line and then you say it back to me," Annushka says.

"Tu as un animal chez toi?"

The children repeat the line, meaning "Do you have an animal at home?"

"Oui, j'ai un chat chez moi," Annushka follows up. "Yes, I have a cat at home."

It is the fourth and final French lesson for Durie Hill School students, who accepted an offer from Whanganui High School French teacher Diana Ghinda to take part.

Week by week, Annushka has been visiting the school on a Friday for a half-hour slot teaching the alphabet, numbers, greetings and finally, animals.

"It's been a lot of fun watching their faces light up when they learn something new and it's helping to build my confidence in speaking French," Annushka says.

"In order to teach something, you have to know the material completely, especially with little kids who get restless so easily."

Annushka studied a little French at Whanganui Intermediate School before picking it up again in year nine.

By Jesse King
Wanganui Chronicle 2/7/18