News archive 2007
A languages teacher has been honoured by an organisation set up to encourage people to learn Italian. The Presidency of the Dante Alighieri Society, Italy's foremost association for the worldwide promotion of Italian language and literature, gave its bronze medal and Diploma of Merit to Leicester teacher Pina Mayes.
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The first official centre for Mandarin and Chinese culture attached to a school could be built in North Lincolnshire. North Lincolnshire Council is applying to the Chinese government to host the pilot, which has been heralded 'a global first'.
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Leicester education bosses have reacted positively to Government plans to invest £53 million in language learning at school. Ministers announced the scheme yesterday, which includes £35 million of investment in teacher training and plans to launch a new language website for secondary school pupils.
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Specialist language college status has been awarded to Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School. KGGS is already a specialist science college, and had its modern languages specialism confirmed this week.
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Teachers from across Europe paid a special visit to Hucknall's Holgate Comprehensive School as part of an innovative scheme to create global links. As part of the Comenius Project, Holgate have linked up with schools in Sweden, Spain, France and Romania - with the aim of sharing teaching styles and techniques to improve learning in IT and language skills.
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If you have a passion for France or the French and are between 16 and 25 then why not enter the Franco-British Council's short story competition? The story must be inspired by France or the French and be no more than 1000 words. The competition is aimed at encouraging more students to learn French. Amongst the prizes are £100, a return trip to France and having your story published in the FBC magazine and Prospect.
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IIf you have always wanted to learn Spanish but don't have much time to spare then here is your answer...
A crash course in Spanish starts on Thursday 15th November at Barton Catholic Church.
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Pupils at Colonel Frank Seely School in Calverton will be holding a Global Day on November 15. Workshops and talks from various organisations, including the RLN, will teach students about their links with other countries and their role as global citizens.
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Thanks to a generous donation from Lafarge's Hope Works, pupils at Castleton Primary School will have the world of French language and culture opened up to them this year through weekly lessons.
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Wirksworth's mayor has presented certificates of honour to two residents for their work in the community. Cllr Andy Pollock made the presentation to Alastair Clark and Pam Taylor, both key figures in the development of the town's twinning links with France and Germany.
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A top doctor is calling for language lessons for patients struggling with English. Dr Mayur Lakhani, a Sileby GP and chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said the move could save the NHS thousands of pounds a year and improve health.
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Grove School in Melton have been soaking up Spanish culture thanks to a week of special activities. They sampled and cooked Spanish food, learned some of the language, history, great artists and about the country's football clubs. They even get the chance to design a new team strip.
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Migrant workers in the county will soon be able to learn English. The English for Speakers of Other Languages for Work qualification will give immigrants basic language skills necessary for employment.
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Eleven pupils at a city school are about to jet off to Russia on a two-week language course. Students at Lincoln's Christ Hospital School will visit Yarolsavl, 300 miles north-east of Moscow. The trip, organised by the British Council, has been arranged to give the pupils a better understanding of the language.
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Staff at Burton College have been given the opportunity to learn some basic sign language. A series of fun and practical taster sessions were held at the Lichfield Street campus, during which tutor Sangita Page taught staff how to finger-spell, sign their name and ask basic questions.
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Forty four German students aged between 12-18 and four teachers have visited New Mills on the return leg of the Exchange visit between New Mills School and two Alsfeld schools, the Geschwister Scholl Schule and the Albert Schweizer Schule. The programme, which saw New Mills students staying in Germany last year, is designed to give both sets of pupils an insight into the other's language and culture.
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A Group of students are set for the experience of a lifetime on a two-week trip to China. Sixteen pupils from Landau Forte College left Derby yesterday morning. The visit will include living with Chinese families and walking along the Great Wall of China.
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Fresh from bruising encounters on the rugby pitch, two of Leicester Tigers' foreign stars entered the far less combative surroundings of one of the city's girls' schools, where they were grilled by the pupils in their native tongues. The visit gave the pupils of Leicester High School for Girls, in Stoneygate, many of whom are rugby fans, the chance to meet their heroes, Frenchman Christophe Laussucq and Argentine Alejandro Moreno, and talk to them in their own languages.
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Places are available on a training scheme that could start a career in interpreting. The course aims to provide an introduction to the work of a community interpreter and the role played within the community and public services.
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Fritchley Primary School pupils celebrated European Languages Day in style last week with a French themed day. The children were encouraged to wear red, white and blue for the day and were served a special French menu by fellow students.
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If you need short-term language help in your business, Nottingham University students will be delighted to help you. Whether you have a short-term ad hoc language project or could employ a student for 6 weeks over the summer holidays, you could complete a task cost-effectively as well as help make a positive difference to a student’s work experience.
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Welland Park Community College in Market Harbourough is offering a range of Saturday courses for those interested in learning a language. The programme includes survival in a day courses in Mandarin, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish as well as Business Languages for Beginners.
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Pupils at Brigstock Primary School had a virtual whistle-stop tour around the world in their own classrooms yesterday. Specialist foreign language teachers dropped in to teach them a few words in Japanese and four European languages.
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A public school has become one of the first in Leicestershire to gain status as an international school.
Market Bosworth's Dixie Grammar School achieved the International School Award from the Department for Education and Science.
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For anyone interested in learning Spanish, the Worker's Educational Association is running a Spanish course in Sherwood on Tuesday mornings and there are still places available!
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A New institute opening at the University of Nottingham will promote understanding of Chinese language and culture in the UK. The Confucius Institute will deepen existing links with schools, business, government, community groups and the Chinese cultural community.
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Songs in many languages rang out around Leicester as primary school children learnt music from around the world to celebrate the annual European Day of Languages on 26 September. Nine-year-old Natalia Starczewska who came to England from Poland a week ago, with barely a word of English, was welcomed by classmates at Herrick Primary School with a rendition of Panie Janie, a traditional Polish song.
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Teachers at Fritchley Primary School put a bit of va-va-voom into lessons when they organised a French day, to celebrate European Day of Languages on 26 September. Children donned red, white and blue for the occasion and took part in French games such as boules and were encouraged to speak in French.
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Northamptonshire Police has teamed up with Crimestoppers to produce leaflets in seven languages in a bid to help cut crime.
The generic leaflet has been produced in English and seven of the most commonly used languages that police come into contact with across the county - Latvian, Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, Somali, Rumanian and Punjabi.
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The East Midlands International Business Awards celebrate the achievements and contributions that companies engaged in international trade have made to the region's economy. The awards are open to to any East Midlands company involved with exporting and categories include a New Exporter Award and International Business Communication Award for both companies and language providers.
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CILT is making available thousands of free resource packs to schools, colleges and community groups looking to celebrate the European Day of Languages on 26 September. Packs include posters, phrases and stickers and ideas for activities can be found on the CILT website.
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This year's GCSE figures, released today, do little to comfort those of us seeking to promote young people's competence in languages. With 30,000 fewer entries in French and German this year it is clear we need to do more to improve our young people's ability to communicate with the rest of the world.
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Lincolnshire Chamber are offering Russian and Mandarin taster courses for Autumn 2007. The taster courses are FREE for qualifying businesses.
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A Northampton business has been given the Royal seal of approval after being honoured with a Queen's Award.
Cummins, which makes high horsepower diesel and gas engines won the International Trade Award thanks to a significant increase in export sales over the last three years.
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Young professionals are being offered the chance to visit Germany next year, courtesy of the Boston St Botolph Rotary Club. The club is giving 25 to 40 year olds, with at least two years' experience in their chosen profession, the chance to take a four-week trip to study the German way of life.
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President Putin has designated 2007 as 'Russian Language Year'. This is a great idea but it needs more publicity and that is where you come in...
The Scotland-Russia Forum, in association with various other organisations including SCILT (Scottish Centre for Language Teaching and Research), has organised a Russian Poster Competition where entrants of all ages can design a poster to promote the language.
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Modern foreign language lessons are to be compulsory for the first time in England's primary schools. A review by Lord Dearing, issued today, recommends that all children should learn a language from the age of seven. This should happen by 2010 as part of the next curriculum overhaul.
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