Hull City Football Club and Yorkshire County Cricket Club in association with the Yorkshire Cricket Board have joined in partnership to deliver a modern foreign language programme to local primary and secondary schools across Hull.
The programme will be the first of its kind where a Cricket and Football Club have joined together to deliver a languages programme in to schools alongside football and cricket coaching. Two French pilot programmes have already started at Alderman Cogan Primary School and Hull Collegiate School in Hull with a third at St Mary’s College.
Players from both Clubs have been involved in the educational element with Hull City footballer Steven Mouyokolo and Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Hull born fast bowler Steve Patterson each recording a teaching aide DVD to be played during class lessons. The students participating on the 10 week course are rewarded with a visit to KC Stadium for a presentation ceremony and stadium tour at the end of each programme with tickets to watch Yorkshire play at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground given to each student.
Ed Townend from the Tigers Sport and Education Trust said “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Yorkshire County Cricket Club to deliver this new Language Club to the schools in Hull. We hope that by using the professional sports clubs to drive attainment in Modern Foreign Languages, students will find this new approach to learning exciting and interesting whilst receiving multi sports coaching undertaken by the football clubs community coaches City.”
Alison Giles, Community Marketing Manager for Yorkshire County Cricket Club added “Hull City Football Club are leading on this programme, however, we have put two of the Hull City FC Football in the Community coaches through UK Level 2 Cricket Coaching courses so that a football and cricket themed session can take place with the students. We’re really proud to be working with Hull City Football Club on this innovative educational programme and are pleased to be reaching more people in the Hull and Humber area.”
Sam, aged 9 said: “I’ve really enjoyed the classes so far. I liked going to the KC Stadium to see where my heroes play. It’s lots of fun learning French with football and cricket too – it’s much better than normal school!”
As part of the same scheme, 14 Year 11 pupils from Hull Collegiate school, all studying French were recently invited to visit the KC Stadium to interview a French-speaking Hull City player in his native language. The player was Steven Mouyokolo, one of the team’s defenders. Pupils asked a wide range of interesting questions which they had prepared beforehand in class focusing largely on his football background and how he prepared before a match – but they also managed to slip in one or two more serious questions such as his opinion of the French President Sarkozy! Mr Gordon Stephenson Head of Modern Languages at Hull Collegiate commented: “The player spoke very clearly and our pupils managed to understand his replies very well. Afterwards, the group was treated to a tour of the stadium, including the changing rooms, tunnel, VIP suite and the Manager’s area.”
Each student participating in the Language Clubs receive resources supplied by Hull City and Yorkshire County Cricket Club with the support of Routes into languages include a resource booklet, branded goodies, rewards and a trip to Headingley at the end of the programme. Claire Barber, Regional Project Manager for Routes into Languages Yorkshire and the Humber commented: “This is a very exciting opportunity and an excellent project that motivates young learners to study languages, especially those who are disengaged in language lessons, and it helps pupils see languages from a different perspective. This is the first time that Hull schools have had the opportunity to work alongside Hull City football club and we are hoping that these pilot schemes are a success so that we can roll-out the project to other Hull schools in September 2010.”
For more information about this project which is supported by Routes into Languages Yorkshire and The Humber please contact: routes@hull.ac.uk
