How do you get young people interested in modern languages?
How do you build up their linguistic abilities and confidence?
How do you increase the take up of languages at GCSE?
Eurofest is an exciting simulated international trade fair, developed by the Selby Modern Languages Forum, to encourage the active use of modern foreign languages.
Year 8 students from local schools sell products which they have designed themselves and run tourist information stands – and have a lot of fun at the same time.
Students practise their language skills in a realistic, but safe environment, speaking and listening in one or two languages, giving information, answering questions and writing down details.
And who are our foreign visitors? Students, university staff, PGCE students, native speakers and business partners.
Eurofest can not only help to boost students’ confidence and increase their motivation for languages, but also encourage them to develop enterprise skills – design, marketing and sales skills. Eurofest highlights the usefulness of language skills in business today, raising the career aspirations of the young learners and fostering closer relationships between schools, higher education and business.
Eurofest was run for the first time in June 2008 and it is now an annual event at Selby College. It was so successful that Eurofest has won a European Award for Languages in 2009 and was also awarded the Euro London Appointments Business Prize in 2009.
Contact languages@yorksj.ac.uk to book your place.
