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Press Release
14 May 2008

Schools start to plan for languages celebration

With just four months to go until this year’s European Day of Languages, schools, colleges, businesses, universities and individuals around the country are beginning to plan how to celebrate the Day.

The European Day of Languages on 26 September is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of different languages and cultures from around the world. Absolute beginners and experienced learners alike can take part in activities to explore and celebrate language learning. While some people celebrate only on the Day itself, others have so much fun that they fit in a whole week of activities to fit around it.

For anybody looking for ideas, CILT has collected examples of the fantastic activities that have happened around the country over the last few years, from business breakfasts in French and multilingual treasure hunts, to international fashion shows, flamenco dancing lessons, and learning to say hello in 30 languages.

The CILT EDL web pages also provide ideas for quizzes and challenges which anyone at schools, universities or businesses can take to test their language knowledge. Younger learners can have a go at the Linguabat Challenge, by telling the story of a travelling linguabat in words or pictures. Many primary schools will be celebrating the EDL for the first time this year, and CILT provides a list of fun activities for this audience.

Many teachers and careers advisors will want to use the Day to promote the benefits of language learning to pupils. CILT’s Languages Work materials, including free posters, factsheets and postcards and the Languages Work Activity Guide, provide support for anybody looking to encourage teenagers to take up language learning at GCSE and beyond.

CILT also offers a range of resources especially for the European Day of Languages, including badges, t-shirts, pencils and posters. New resources for this year include pens with “hello” in four different languages, and packs of balloons, which can be used as prizes in quizzes and challenges in schools.

To find out about the European Day of Languages, visit www.cilt.org.uk/edl