Alexandre Denes: Outstanding Spanish Achievement

To be able to use confidently more than one language truly opens doors and a world of opportunities. New places can be visited, and new friends across cultures and continents can be made. Travel, business, research, and interaction can be so much easier if you can speak the language of the people you meet. The knowledge of any foreign language not only can enrich your understanding of a culture’s history, literature, art, and music. It can promote better understanding, goodwill, and cooperation which can reinforce what unites people rather than what divides them.  

This brings us to our student Alexandre Denes whose outstanding achievement in Spanish was recognized this month in an award ceremony hosted by Cambridge Assessment International Education here in Shanghai. Alex took his Spanish IGCSE one year earlier. His diligence, self-belief, determination, and ability to meet and rise to challenges were amply rewarded. Alexandre gained the highest score in Southeast Asia in the November 2022 Exam series.  

We trust that all members of the NAIS Pudong community will heartily congratulate Alexandre and will draw inspiration from his own words of experience.  

From Alex 

I commenced my Spanish learning in year 5, age 10, at NAIS Pudong. The reason I chose to proceed with learning this language is because Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. I believe taking a modern foreign language is essential in modern society; speaking a second or even third language allows you to communicate with a wider variety of people all across the globe. My most recent Spanish teacher, Ms. Rojas, truly inspired me. When teaching our class Spanish, she always ensured that her lessons were engaging and fun in order to keep us motivated to learn the language. Additionally, she often brought in a cultural aspect, educating us about the diverse cultures and customs of Spanish speaking countries.   

When revising and learning Spanish, I recommend making efficient and organised notes. This includes a variety of flash cards with Spanish and English translations as well as pronunciation. Creating tables with conjugation and example grammar structures is vital to learning any language, as grammar is a skill that needs to be learned and then revisited constantly. I am very honoured to be receiving the highest score in Southeast Asia. I’m also grateful for the opportunity that Cambridge gave me to take the exam early, especially after it was cancelled due to the lockdown earlier this year. It was also very satisfying to receive this award, as it meant that all my hard work and dedication were rewarded. In the future, I hope to keep improving my Spanish and eventually be almost fluent in the language. Furthermore, winning awards like this is amazing evidence of academic excellence, this can be included in CVs, and really makes you stand out from the crowd when applying for things such as universities and colleges.

From Roberta and Sebastien Denes (parents)

We are filled with pride as our son Alexandre earns the prestigious High Achievement Award for his outstanding performance in Spanish IGCSE Exam. His dedication and passion for learning is truly inspiring, and it’s wonderful to see him excel in his endeavors. 

As parents, we couldn't be happier for his remarkable accomplishment, and we know he'll continue to achieve great things in the future.