West Midlands

Wolf-mentoring is an ongoing mentoring project organised and facilitated by University of Wolverhampton. The University provides language and international undergraduates to visit schools on a weekly basis and act as foreign language assistants in languages classes. The undergraduates wotk with pupils supporting the teachers to improve linguistic competence, motivate the students for languages and raise awareness of university study.

The project is designed for classes from Year 8 to Year 11 in schools based in the Black Country, Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire. If you would like to take part please register your interest below.

For more information please contact routes@aston.ac.uk or 0121 204 3872.

We are increasingly aware that when the time comes throughout a students' school career to make choices about which subjects to study, many pupils are heavily influenced by the opinions and desires of their parents. Many schools hold Options Evenings and Parents events to help students make an informed decision and to ensure parents are up to date with the options available to their children.

Perhaps uptake for languages in your school is low, you're not sure parents in your school recognise the importance of languages or you'd just like some help making the case for languages at key times in the academic year, Routes WM can help.

A Routes into Languages representative can attend your Parents' Event or evening with a current language undergraduate and deliver a bespoke visit to meet your needs. We can deliver a formal presentation as part of the event highlighting the importance of language learning with input from one of our Language Ambassadors, provide a Question and Answer session, or provide a stand as part of an information evening where parents and pupils can ask questions and collect information on a more informal basis. We are also open to suggestions if you would like something more specific and will do our best to meet your needs.

For more information please contact routes@aston.ac.uk or 0121 204 3872

Please note this activity is restricted to schools in the West Midlands consortium only. Please check the events page of your local consortium for similar activities.

Brand new for 2009 - 2010, the Language Shadow Scheme will be available for Sixth Form students and staff across the region in one of our 6 Routes into Languages partner institutes. Participants will be able to spend a morning, afternoon or whole day with a current language undergraduate or academic, attending lectures and finding out more about university life at their nearest Routes HEI.

The aim of the scheme is to improve understanding and better transition between A-Level and university study for students and staff in both sectors, all of whom can benefit from the discussions, the links and the up-to-date understanding of standards, practices and issues.

Applications are accepted from students and teaching staff either individually or in small groups of no more than 2 - 3.

The scheme starts in October 2009 and runs until the end of April 2010 during University term time and subject to availability.

For more information please contact routes@aston.ac.uk or 0121 204 3872.

Please note this activity is restricted to schools in the West Midlands consortium only. Please check the events page of your local consortium for similar activities.

This is a collaborative European Day of Languages taking place at University of Birmingham for schools involved in our Active Languages project.

Throughout the morning pupils will take part in sporting activities using foreign languages. In the afternoon students will work in groups to put together an Olympic bid for various cities around the world. with prizes for the winning team!

This event is in celebration of European Day of Languages on 26th September and aims to promote the importance of language skills for the 2012 Olympics.

Please note this activity is restricted to schools in the West Midlands consortium only. Please check the events page of your local consortium for similar activities.

A Language Taster Day for students of year 9 to year 12. This event is a chance to learn Portuguese, Italian and Russian and find out more about the countries where these languages are spoken.

This event is suitable for students from Year 9 to Year 12.

With Film Studies very much being an integral and popular part of our degree programmes and the new BA Modern Languages with Film Studies having run its first year, we have put this year’s Y12 event under the motto of “Languages and Film”.  The day will give your Y12 pupils a chance to attend a motivating session on film in the language they are currently studying, to try out a new, less widely taught language and to get a feel for studying at university by attending a First Year–level lecture on Film Studies. Your pupils will also meet undergraduate students who will be able to tell them about their experience of studying a language at university and who will give them a short tour of Birmingham University’s beautiful green campus.      

Students will attend the University of Warwick for a fun and interactive immersion in non-traditional languages. The aim is to show students that language learning is fun and interesting!

For more information please contact us at routes@aston.ac.uk or on 0121 204 3872

Students will attend themed language workshops.

More details to be uploaded soon! Please contact routes@aston.ac.uk for further information.

Need help promoting languages at your school? Then contact the West Midlands consortium!

We can help spread the word that languages are exciting, fun and important by supporting options days, language days and careers events. Members of the consortium can visit your school to attend your event, give presentations or simply give advice about language learning. We can also bring current undergraduate students to talk to your students about their reasons for studying languages and what it's really like.

Our calendar is filling up so please contact us soon if you would like us to visit your school.

Please note this activity is restricted to schools in the West Midlands consortium only. Please check the events page of your local consortium for similar activities.

These 3-day courses are held at the University of Birmingham for gifted and talented Year 9 pupils (6 to 8 April 2009) and Year 12 pupils (27 to 29 July 2009). They combine an introduction to each language with an insight into Chinese and Japanese culture.