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Press Release
30 October 2008

CILT seeks innovative language projects for Europe-wide award

The search in on for the UK’s most innovative language projects, as applications open for next year’s European Award for Languages. Schools, colleges, adult education and community projects are invited to apply for the prestigious Award ahead of the deadline on 30 January 2009: www.cilt.org.uk/eal

The European Award for Languages is a Europe-wide initiative which recognises creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students, and make the best of available resources. To qualify for an Award, language projects must provide an inspiration to others, be replicable, and involve any language other than English.

Shortlisted projects will be visited by a panel of expert judges, who will compile a list of the UK’s most innovative language projects. Winners will receive their Award from CILT’s patron, broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, at a prize-giving ceremony in the summer, where one winning project will be selected by the Mary Glasgow Trust to receive its annual award of £2,000.

Prizes include resources and materials from a range of sponsors, including £1,000 for the best project involving community languages and the best project involving languages in business. The TDA ITT Partnership Schools prize of £1,000 will be awarded to the most creative project involving an ITT partnerships school, with further special prizes going to the best projects involving French, German, Italian and Spanish.

2008 winners included primary schools who experimented with blogging and interactive resources; a secondary school which brought new life to conversation lessons; a football club whose mixture of languages and sport led to outstanding results; and an Irish community group which used languages to build ties with Polish immigrants: www.cilt.org.uk/eal/winners2008.htm

The Award has recognised over 1,000 language projects across Europe since it began in 1999, including 134 projects in the UK. CILT is looking for more examples of innovation, creativity and inspiration for next year’s awards. To apply for a 2009 Award, visit CILT’s website by 30 January 2009: www.cilt.org.uk/eal