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Celebrate, Educate, Appreciate

Free Languages Work resources | Online resources | CILT EDL resources

 

Celebrate

The European Day of Languages is a day to celebrate all languages and to generally have lots of multilingual fun.  It's a great opportunity to take language learning out of the classroom and host activities from prize-giving ceremonies, language taster carousels and international festivals to events involving members of the local community.  Most of all -- enjoying languages presented in a fun way.

Educate

For older learners this is a wonderful chance to reinforce positive messages about the benefits of language learning.   Using the free Languages Work materials as a starting point of the day you could host a range of engaging activities.  Teenagers are particularly inspired by visits from people using languages at work and links with local businesses and universities can be particularly fruitful.  Many young people ignore the advantages language skills offer and are unaware of the wide range of careers where language skills can be used.  The Languages Work resources highlight possible alternatives to the teacher, translator, interpreter options, while providing up-to-date information on these more specialist routes.

 

Appreciate

Whatever language is being learnt at school/college it is important to emphasise the value of all languages.  The European Day of Languages is not just a celebration of European languages, so use the day to instil an appreciation of the value of all languages.  Young people who are brought up speaking another language often under appreciate their bilingual skills. Showcase these skills using the Languages Work Use it or lose it factsheets, hidden talent posters and Positively Plurilingual, a report highlighting the contribution of community languages in the UK.

While many specialist roles require high levels of fluency, even basic language skills can go a long way.  Use the day to remind learners you don't have to be fluent for your language skills to have an impact in a business or social context.

 

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