East Midlands

Languages outreach in your area

Introduction

Led by Nottingham Trent University in partnership with University of Nottingham, University of Leicester, and University of Lincoln.

Our next event

Arabic Language and Culture Masterclass

Brooksby Melton College, 9th February, 2012 (All day)

Key contact

Mirella Santamaria
Senior Lecturer History, Languages and International Studies - Project Manager, East Midlands Consortium

Nottingham Trent University

Clifton Campus

George Eliot

Clifton Lane

Clifton

Nottingham NG11 8NS

Email: mirella.santamaria@ntu.ac.uk
tel: 0115 8483272

What's happening in the East Midlands?

The East Midlands consortium is creating a suite of innovative languages projects designed to motivate young persons to study or continue to study languages from G.C.S.E through to university.

The consortium aims to support school pupils who have opted to study languages and these pupils can benefit immensly from our e-mentoring, Virtual Language Assistant, Web-based Resources and the Bespoke Language Programme which focus on attainment and skills practice.

The consortium understands the importance of awareness and aspiration raising and can offer pupils projects such as Radiolingua and the International Students panel which aim to increase inter-cultural awareness and learner confidence. In order to increase parental engagement, the consortium will extend parents the opportunity to attend a family languages supper, where participants work will be on display.

A description of the activities pupils can get involved with are as follows below.

Activities and events

DAY OF THE DEAD - KEEPING LANGUAGES ALIVE COMPETITION: For information, please see our events section.
Language Student Ambassadors: The consortium recruits and trains undergraduate students of languages to either deliver or assist academics and outreach staff in the delivery of the consorstium's projects. The ambassadors pass on their enthusiam for the study of languages and related cultures, making them excellent role models and motivators
Log onto Languages: A Programme of on-line assisted language learning and support for year 9 and 10 students opting to take modern foreign languages at G.C.S.E. After several face to face sessions with a language student ambassador, pupils benefit from e-contact over the academic year with an event to celebrate acheivement in the summer. Parents and pupils are invited to attend.

The Languages Bus: A languages road show targeting year 8 and 9 in rural areas of Lincolnshire to encourage pupils to opt for modern languages at G.C.S.E. Pupils are able to join language taster sessions and other interactive activities. The languages road show can be a whole or half day event which concentrates on attainment and awareness raising.
Language Family Suppers: The consortium offers internationally themed language suppers which bring together parents and pupil participants in order to show-case knowledge gained and work produced by their child / children. The language suppers are designed to increase parental engagement and awareness of the importance of languages where future employability is concerned.
Web-Based Resources: On-line resources are being developed to support both teachers and students of G.C.S.E and A1 & A2 modern languages. Pupils will benefit from practice in all four skill areas and exam practice
Eurostars Year 12 Summer Residential School: An annual summer school which takes place in July for year 12 students from the East Midlands who have recently sat an A1 exam in either French, German or Spanish. Sessions include cultural and language enrichment, taster sessions in lesser taught and community languages, and mini lectures followed by small group debate on aspects of International Studies and linguists which are of specific interest to particiipants as they highlight teaching and learning in the Higher Education sector. Pupils learn about what is like to study at university and the experience is further enhanced by their staying in student halls, on the Cifton Campus of Nottingham Trent University. A programme of social events is laid on in the evenings.
Year 10 & 11 Autumn Residential School: Pupils from around the region who are studying languages at G.C.S.E level are invited to attend this residential which takes place at the University of Lincoln. Pupils participate in language and cultural enrichment sessions, and other activities designed to raise awarenes and aspiration. This project aims to inform A1 choice and provides pupils with the opportunity of experienceing university. Social events are planned for the evening.
Year 8 & 9 Summer Residential School: Taking place in July each year, the year 8 & 9 summer residential enables pupils to engage fun language activities designed to foster a love for languages, raise attainment and increase awarenes of global culture. Sessions inlulde: salsa, language quizzes, talks on university life, living abroad as a languages student and the importance of studying languages. This summer residential is open to pupils studying in the East Midlands. Evening entertainment is planned.
After School Clubs: The consortium's After School Language Clubs take place annually for a period of eight weeks. Classes last for one hour and are delivered by Language Student Ambassadors. The clubs help primary school children learn languages and focus on cultural aspects of the countries and the people who speak those languages.
Virtual Language Assistant: This project facilitates access to a foreign language assistant via video conferencing. It will be of particular interest to schools which may not benefit from a real life assistant.
Radiolingua: This is an innovative project which focuses on research into areas of cultural differences - similarities. The pupils are assisted by a team of international student ambassadors who help with the gathering of information in the target language and which is later showcased in a radio programme produced by the pupils and the international students. The programme which is recorded in the target language is subsequently aired on Siren community Radio at Lincoln University.
E-mentoring: Pupils from the East Midlands pair up with an international student ambassador who provides support, encouragement and motivation. Pupils participating in the scheme will increase their cultural awareness and language attainment through speaking practice.
Why Languages Work and How to Stay Safe in Difficult Situations. This is an off-campus project which aims to motivate pupils to study or continue studying languages. This one day event begins with an interactive presentation on languages, employability and cultural awareness. Pupils engage in a Q&A session with a panel of international students to learn about their countries and hold small group debates on aspects of globalization. A language session is followed by a 'How to stay Safe in Difficult Situations, delivered in the target language. The focus is on helping pupils understand how languages work beyond the classroom by immersing them in real life situations.
Why Languages Work and Year 9 &11 Options Evenings Visits: Pupils engage an interactive presentation on languages, employability and cultural awareness a few days prior to options evening. Academic and outreach staff are present at options evening providing information on the study of languages and Higher Education to pupils and parents alike. Where possible a family language taster session may be provided. An information pack will be available for parents.
The bespoke Language Programme: The Bespoke Language Programme supports year 10 & 11 pupils studying languages at G.C.S.E. Pupils are invited to come on campus and are provided with activities designed to increase awareness of the opportunities and the benefits that the study of languages can bring in terms of Higher Education, employability and inter-cultural awareness. Participants are exposed to teaching and learning in a Higher Education environment and engage activities which demonstrate how languages work in real life situations as opposed to within the classroom. The programme which involves four visits throughout two years of study is currently offered in French German and Arabic. However, its versatility makes it adaptable to any language. The consortium will offer a similar programme of support to participants opting to continue language study into A1.
Messing With Words: A cross curriculum activity that demystifies language and enables pupils to understand how the English language works. This workshop focuses on clarifying grammatical terminology, building vocabulary, using synonyms to enrich writing and oral work and more. Pupils learn to look at the at other languages in a comparative and logical way.
Languages in Higher Education for all Disciplines: Year 12 students from any discipline are invited to attend a whole day event which aims to raise awareness of routes into languages at university for non-language background pupils. They are provided with the opportunity to chat to lecturers and they also attend an interactive presentation on languages and employability and the university credit and module system. Tasters are offered in European languages and the lesser taught and community languages.
Further Web-based Resources - Lesser Taught and Community Languages: Further web-based resources to support pupils and teachers of G.C.S.E, A1 & A2 languages. Resources are being developed for Mandarin, Russian, Polish and Portuguese. Pupils will gain practice in all four skills and exam practice.
European Day of Languages: An annual event is organised in September to celebrate the European Day of Languages. For details of this year's event please see our events section.
Languages and You: An interactive presentation for all year groups which focuses on the benefits of studying languages from angles such as employability and intercultural understanding. The presentation, which can be delivered to both small and large audiences has received high commendation from teachers and education. practitioners. It has a duration of half and hour and contains a short taster in Japanese.