Ben has made all the partitions ready to paint

here in rooms 4 and 5, the smallest rooms.

Michael has painted some of the partitions

here in rooms 1 and 2, the biggest rooms.

Mark has finished the kitchen

which is now ready to use.

Tim has boxed a lot of the electricity and sound cables and fitted many sockets

which takes a lot of consultation with Vicky.

This is starting to look like the loveliest language school in the world!

The post Some of the finishing work at unit 7 appeared first on Modern Language School.

Tim, Mark and Ben are working hard this week to get premises ready for the Modern Language School.

Mark has been fitting the sink and the cupboards for the kitchen area.

Ben is finishing some of the partitions in a classroom.

The post Our artisans are hard at work appeared first on Modern Language School.

The MLS move is getting closer: The new school is taking shape as work on our new premises is going apace.
The 3 larger classrooms are partitioned and the 2 smaller ones partly so. Partitions built by Ben and his team at Full Circle Ceilings & Interiors.
Tim, the electrician from J.T. Repairs & Maintenance, and Vicky are discussing cables for the projectors and speakers in the smaller rooms.

The post The MLS move appeared first on Modern Language School.

We took a leap of faith in 2012 with renting at Meltham Mills, but we’ve had 6 wonderful years here. Also, we have been very proud to offer a space dedicated to language learning to over 300 students in the region.

However, as the numbers of our students is growing and we have introduced another 3 languages, our original 3 rooms has seriously been restricting our scope. We even lost potential Japanese students because we simply had no room available at 7pm. Some of our classes are quite “cosy” in the smallest room.

Finally, after an extensive search, we have found the new premises we were looking for: Unit 7, at Queen’s Square Business Park, Honley, will house 5 classrooms, a kitchenette and a breakout area. Without stairs!

At present, the unit is a vast space with 2 toilet and shower cubicles. Extensive work is starting this week to be ready by the September term and will include:

• partition walls creating 5 classrooms
• suspended ceilings for better acoustics and heat retention
• overhauling the electric circuits and lighting
• bringing in a gas supply
• installing a central heating system
• installing ventilation
• fitting new flooring throughout
• fitting a kitchenette and creating a breakout area.

Our team really believe in the school and love our work with our fantastic students.

We are convinced the new premises will transform the Modern Language School from a great place to learn to the great place to learn in the region.

We will keep you posted with progress reports of the renovations and look forward to welcoming you all to the new school in September.

The post Up and up without stairs at our new premises! appeared first on Modern Language School.

Portuguese Fish Supper

Portuguese cooking has in recent years become famous for its peri peri dishes thanks to popular restaurant chain
Nandos. However, Portugal’s long Mediterranean coastline has historically led to an abundance of popular fish dishes. In fact Portugal’s name derives from the Spanish word for port, highlighting the countries longstanding historical relation with the sea. This recipe harks back to Portugal’s fishing roots, oh and it tastes delicious too!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 pound Spanish style chorizo, casing removed and diced or crumbled

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 small bundle black or dinosaur kale, thinly sliced

A few grates of nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chicken stock

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes or fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

A couple sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped

4 (6 to 8-ounce) thick pieces cod or haddock fillets

Seafood seasoning or sweet paprika (recommended: Old Bay)

Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Crusty bread or rolls or Portuguese rolls, for mopping

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Method

1. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a high-sided frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the chorizo and render for a couple of minutes, then add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the kale and toss to wilt, then season with a few grates of nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chickpeas and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Cool and store for a made in advance meal.
3. Reheat the sauce, covered, in high-sided frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is hot and bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season the fish with seafood seasoning or paprika and salt and pepper, to your preference. Add the fish to the sauce and cover.

4. Cook until the fish is opaque and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Place using a ladle into shallow bowls garnished with parsley. Serve with crusty bread for mopping.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/portuguese-fish-supper-recipe.html?oc=linkback

The post Savours of languages – Portugal appeared first on Modern Language School.

Choose an absolutely free language class from the list above and contact us to enrol.

The post Free language classes appeared first on Modern Language School.

PORTUGAL
Finding interesting sights in Lisbon isn’t a challenge, since the stunning capital city is far from being overcrowded with tourists.

Take a stroll around Ajuda, one of Lisbon’s oldest and most underrated neighbourhoods. Check out Jardim Botânico da Ajuda (Portugal’s oldest botanical garden), the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda (impressive neoclassical architecture and a museum) and the Tapada da Ajudo (more than 200 acres of lush green space).

Thieves Market is the place to go if you’re looking for unusual gifts for friends and family, or you just want to treat yourself! The market is held every Tuesday and Friday near the Campo da Sta tram stop. There are plenty of bargains to be found and a vintage outfit will cost you less than €20.

All the Lisbon locals escape the city during the summer time and hit the coast to cool down. Jump on a train from Lisbon to Cascais and you can hire a bike for free at the station. Then you’re ready to explore the miles of flat cycle paths going up and down the coast. A train ticket will cost you around €10 return.

http://www.liligo.co.uk/travel-magazine/secret-and-unusual-lisbon-7-places-off-the-beaten-path-16124.html

This is the end of the current series of blogs taking you off the beaten path. Please let us know if you found it useful. Thank you.

The post Language adventures – part 5 appeared first on Modern Language School.

The brains of bilingual people actually work in a different way to the brains of single language speakers. There are several cognitive advantages that these differences offer, many of which are only obvious in people who regularly speak a number of different languages. People who have not spoken a foreign language since school will not be operating at this level, however people who start to learn new languages as adults can become as fluent as young leaners and gain the same mental benefits, too.

Here are some of the advantages (both cognitive and social) of speaking more than one language:

1. You become cleverer

By speaking a foreign language you are challenging your brain’s ability to recognise and negotiate meaning, then to use the information to communicate. This boosts your ability to problem-solve in general. Foreign language students tend to achieve higher scores in maths, reading and vocabulary tests.

2. You get better at multitasking

People who speak multiple languages, children in particular, are adept at switching between two forms of speech, writing and grammatical structure. One study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that this juggling of languages means that they are less affected by distractions when completing tasks that require a high level of concentration.

3. You delay the possibility of degenerative neurological conditions such as dementia

Several studies that take into account many lifestyle factors have consistently shown that adults who speak two or more languages tend to stave off dementia. The first signs of dementia present themselves at a later stage (75.5 years on average) in those who speak other languages than those who don’t (first affected, on average, at the age of 71.4).

4. You can remember more

The brain is like a muscle and consequently its functions and faculties improve with exercise. It follows then that learning a language where rules and vocabulary must be memorised helps to promote the fitness of the mental ‘muscle.’ Overall memory is improved and in general multiple language speakers are better are remembering lists or sequences. Studies confirm that cognitive activities like remembering shopping lists, directions and names all come more easily to polyglots.

5. Your powers of perception improve

According to a study conducted in Spain, multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings. They are more skilled at drilling down to relevant information, spotting red herrings and discarding useless facts.

6. Your get better at making decisions

A University of Chicago study revealed that bilingual people have a greater capacity for rational decision making, as they are more resistant to the subtle implications built into any language that can influence judgment. Bilinguals have two languages in which to consider their options and can see whether their initial ideas make sense in their second language before drawing a conclusion.

7. You improve your English

Learning a foreign language means you can’t help but think about grammar, conjugations and sentence structure. Your awareness of language and the ways in which it can be manipulated becomes more acute. Your communication skills develop, you listen more intently, as through learning a new language you are being trained in seeking out meaning in what you hear. People who are studying multiple languages tend to choose words more carefully in their own native language as a result. Over time they become more articulate, their usage of the language expands and their vocabulary becomes more sophisticated.

8. Your thinking becomes more flexible

By having a working knowledge of more than one language, many people find that they become more reflective and considerate of different ways of thinking and interpreting the world around them. As a speaker of two or more languages, you can appreciate countries and cultures in the way they are intended to be understood, removing boundaries and making friendships in the process.

At The Modern Language School, we offer fun, friendly and affordable language classes and a variety of sociable language activities, from cinema sessions to wine tasting. Get in touch to arrange your first lesson and discover what learning a second language can do for you. Additionally please browse around our website which provides information about courses that we provide, click here for more details.

The post 8 benefits of learning a foreign language appeared first on Modern Language School.

garfo fork

faca knife

colher spoon

prato plate

copo glass

guardanapo napkin

Here are some basic items you may wish to ask for (pedir) in the restaurant or someone’s house (casa)

sal salt

pimienta pepper

pão bread

gelo ice

Here are some useful phrasesL

Eu adoro chocolate! I love chocolate!

Eu detesto ovos. I hate eggs.

Qual é a sua comida favorita? What is your favourite food?

Que tipo de comida gosta? What type of food do you like?

Gosta de cozinhar? Do you like to cook?

Pode recomendar um bom restaurante por aqui? Can you recommend a good restaurant around here?

And some phrases you can say at the table:

É delicioso It’s delicious

Está quente. It’s hot

Está frio. It’s cold.

Bom appetite! Enjoy your meal!

Saúde! Cheers!

The post Dining out in Portugal appeared first on Modern Language School.

Remembering to use these in Portuguese can be tricky, but don’t worry! If you miss some contractions when you speak, people will still understand you!

Take a look at combining em + o. Em means in/on and o means the, But em o doesn’t exist in Portuguese, they use the contraction no:

no banheiro in the bathroom

no quarto in the room

no teto on the roof

Take a look what happens with feminine nouns, Instead of no, you have na, nos (masculine plural) and nas (feminine plural)

na mesa on the table

nos livros in books

nas praias on beaches

The post Making contractions in Portuguese! appeared first on Modern Language School.