The University’s popular World Languages Days took place on the Medway and Canterbury campuses on Friday 23 and Thursday 29 June. As in previous years, both events were highly successful and were attended by over 300 students from 17 different schools in the Kent and Medway area.
Our World Languages Days are designed to encourage young people to take an interest in learning about foreign language and culture and to demonstrate their value beyond a classroom setting. This is achieved through the delivery of a range of interactive workshops and activities.
This year, the events got off to an exciting start with an inter-disciplinary science experiment delivered by Spanish-speaking University academics. Whilst watching the engaging demonstration of changes of states of matter, students were able to familiarise themselves the Spanish language both spoken and written.
Following this, participants could choose from a range of language based workshops led by University of Kent staff and students. These were carefully organised so that each student had the opportunity to practice a language they are currently learning, try out a new language and attend a workshop which focused on a more cultural or practical aspect. Languages included French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Greek and Uzbek, and the activities involved Rueda dancing, African drumming, creating models of Heroes and Divas of the Ancient World and working with puppets.
Over lunch, students took part in the World Fayre where they could acquire free pens, rulers, books, maps, posters, bags and food items if they asked for them in a language other than English.
The days were supported by Student Ambassadors who were able to demonstrate their enthusiasm for languages, culture and learning and illustrate the diversity of the University’s student body.
Student and staff feedback was incredibly positive. One teacher commented:
“It gets students enthusiastic about learning languages and doing something different, cultural…bringing languages to life.”