Yorkshire and the Humber

Run in conjunction with Leeds Beckett University, the event aims to increase Year 12 language students’ awareness of the value of language study.

Along with a series of talks by languages academics and students, they will go to a conversation workshop in their A-Level language (French, Spanish or German) and a taster session in a new language such as Arabic, Chinese or Italian.

Due to the popularity of this event, we are taking provisional bookings until mid-December  and will confirm your school’s place allocation by 18th December.

Email: e.r.harper@leeds.ac.uk

These free language taster sessions delivered by our Language Ambassadors from the University of Sheffield take place at your school, working with your students to engage them in languages they have not learnt before (e.g. Russian/Portuguese/Chinese). Through carousel activities, these sessions aim to broaden their horizons and show that languages are useful as well as fun. We would be particularly interested in working with your Y9 groups after the Christmas break, prior to making their GCSE options. We can offer up to 3 visits per school during a time that suits you.

For further information please contact Edward Poole e.poole@sheffield.ac.uk

Student Ambassadors play a vital role in events and projects, aimed at increasing the uptake of languages from secondary school to Further and Higher Education. With many of the universities involved across Yorkshire & the Humber, we offer a huge pool of talent, just waiting to be tapped into!

Who are the ambassadors?

Ambassadors are recruited from language degree courses, or they are international students who have chosen to study in this country, as part of their year abroad. This mix of nationalities offers you and your pupils the opportunity to meet a variety of native and non-native speakers, who can encourage language uptake and develop language-learning skills. Many of the ambassadors we use have recently returned from studying abroad. They are keen to pass on their experiences and talk to pupils about the advantages a second (or even third!) language has given them.

What can we offer?

· Across the region, our partner institutes offer you a variety of ways in which student ambassadors can provide support. There is always a strong team of ambassadors present at university-based language events: helping to guide pupils around campus, answer any questions they may have, offer assistance during language taster/revision classes and passing on their enthusiasm for language-learning.

· Away from the university environment, ambassadors and staff from partner institutes regularly travel to schools in Yorkshire & the Humber. We can deliver talks on the importance of language-learning, Q&A sessions with our ambassadors and short language-based activities, such as quizzes, to get pupils thinking differently about languages.

· If you are after something more, how about speaking to a member of the Routes team about an ambassador working with your school on a regular basis? Ambassadors can visit schools to offer, for example, assistance with language classes or revision sessions in the run-up to exams.

What do you need to do?

If you would like further information, or you would like to arrange a visit to your school, contact Routes into Languages Yorkshire & the Humber on routes@hull.ac.uk

Please provide details of your school, a suitable contact person, what kind of support you would like and when you would like it. This information will be passed on to your nearest Routes into Languages representative and they will contact you in due course. We will try to cater to your needs as best we can, but we do ask that you send your requests as early as possible.

Adopt a Class is a free scheme which aims to buddy year 9 classes (current year 8s) with Leeds Beckett University language students about to go on their year abroad.

The student will then communicate with the class via email / a blog and can send back relevant resources as requested. Our Language Ambassador will visit your group in the summer term (when your students are still in Y8) before they go on their year abroad to introduce themselves to your class, and again when they return from their year abroad (so when your pupils are at the end of year 9 / start of year 10).

This contact with the country brings the language alive for the pupils and shows them the relevance of learning a language. You will also be able to ask our Language Ambassador to focus on certain topics that fit into the curriculum. We can match you with students going to French and Spanish speaking countries.

For more information or to register an interest, please contact Kathy Murdie: K.murdie@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Adopt a Class is a free project where one of our Language Ambassadors from the University of Sheffield going on their year abroad will adopt your Y10 class, and regularly communicate with them via email and a blog, you will also have the option to Skype. Our Language Ambassador will also visit your group in the summer term (when your students are still in Y9) before they go on their year abroad to introduce themselves to your class, and again in September when they return from their year abroad (When your students have progressed to Y11). This contact with the country brings the language alive for the pupils and shows them the relevance of learning a language. You will also be able to ask our Language Ambassador to focus on certain topics that fit into the curriculum.

For further information please contact Edward Poole e.poole@sheffield.ac.uk