Launceston College Students Start Pen Pal Project with French School

New pen pal project launched with French school

Year 7 and 8 students at Launceston College are taking their French lessons beyond the classroom by connecting with pupils from Le Collège du Penker in Plestin-les-Grèves, northern Brittany.

The new pen pal project gives students a chance to practise their French in a real-world setting by writing personal letters to their counterparts overseas. They’ve been introducing themselves, describing their hobbies and using the language skills they’ve picked up in class to build real connections.

A link strengthened by 40 years of twinning

The exchange also marks a special milestone: the 40th anniversary of Launceston’s twinning with Plestin-les-Grèves. The project deepens the longstanding relationship between the two towns and could be the start of lifelong friendships for many of the students involved.

The first batch of letters has already been sent, and excitement is building as pupils await their replies from across the channel.

Bringing language learning to life

Matthew Thompson, Principal at Launceston College, said:

“In an age of instant messaging, it’s been really rewarding to see our students embrace traditional letter writing as a way to connect across cultures. Their enthusiasm and commitment have been outstanding and the project brings our language curriculum to life in such a powerful and personal way.”

Launceston College is part of the Athena Learning Trust.