This project recruits foreign students studying at the University of Manchester to provide conversation classes with individuals or small groups from local schools and colleges. They provide conversation classes with individuals or small groups, giving them a real taste of European culture.

Learners discover aspects of foreign cultures and share details of their own, improving their confidence and language skills. The project gives the foreign students, often in the UK for one year as part of the Erasmus scheme, an opportunity to integrate more fully with the community in which they live while developing communication and some teaching skills.

Since its inception in 2002, ‘Sharing words’ has involved over 300 learners and 80 native speakers, with current demand higher than ever before. The principles are included in a new project aimed at encouraging more teenagers to opt to study at language at GCSE.