NDLR Modern Languages’ Community of Practice

European Award for Languages 2008

The European Award for Languages – The Language Label recognises creative and inventive ways to improve the quality of language teaching and learning. Schools, colleges, universities, businesses and other institutions engaged in language initiatives are invited to apply. Applications should be innovative, effective and replicable.

The priorities for 2008 are:

• Intercultural Dialogue
• Languages and Business
• Language Learning and Technology

These priorities are not exclusive and applications from all kinds of language projects will be welcome.
Download poster here

Call for Applications for the Language Ambassador of the Year Award 2008
The individual award for the European Award for Languages 2008 is the Language Ambassador of the Year 2008.

2008 has been designated the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Language learning is a powerful tool for building an inclusive multicultural society. It develops an awareness of cultural diversity and an understanding of different values and beliefs. The purpose of this award is to recognise the achievements of those individuals involved in the teaching and promotion of languages from any sector, for example, someone running conversational classes in their free time, a person who encourages language learning within their community, or someone who creates awareness of other languages in society.  
Download poster here.

Closing date 31 March 2008.

For application forms and further information contact:
Ivanna D’Arcy, Léargas 189 Parnell Street Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 887 1258 Email: languages@leargas.ie
Web: www.leargas.ie/education 

Orla Howlin is a teacher at Scoil Carmel National School, Firhouse Road, Dublin 24, and is the coordinator an inspiring project introducing young students to French through a CLIL approach.  CLIL refers to a dual-focused educational context in which an additional language, thus not usually the first language of the learners involved, is used as a medium in the teaching and learning of non-language content.

The project is entitled A CLIL Experience in Primary School: Teaching French through the Games Strand of the PE Curriculum, and has recently been awarded the 2007 European Award for Languages.

 Orla can be contacted at orlahowlin@hotmail.com

Click here to listen to Orla discuss the project background, application and the benefits to the school, teachers and the students involved.

The Association of Teachers of Italian is holding its AGM on Saturday November 24th, 2007 at the Italian Cultural Institute, 11 Fitzwilliam Square, D2.

The AGM programme is as follows:

10.00 Coffee and registration.  Letteratura e apprendimento linguistico

10.30-13.00 Nella Maccarrone Lezione/laboratorio sul romanzo Io non ho paura di Niccolò Ammaniti (recentemente aggiunto alla lista di romanzi per il Leaving Certificate)

13.00-14.00 Refreshments

14.00-16.30 Barbara Cauzzo – Lezione/laboratorio sull’uso dei brani letterari in classe (tutti i livelli)

For further information please email info@atiireland.com or check out the ATI web site at http://atiireland.com/

From Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-General:

The year 2008 has been proclaimed International Year of Languages by the United Nations General Assembly. UNESCO, which has been entrusted with the task of coordinating activities for the Year, is determined to fulfil its role as lead agency…(more)

An interesting initiative that has come to our attention is the ‘Living Italian Project’.

This website was realised by the Department of Italian of the National University of Ireland, Galway and the students of Fourth Year Bachelor of Commerce International (Italian). The Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (NUIG) is providing project technical support and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura is sponsoring the initiative.

Check out the website at www.italianliving.org and contact info@italianliving.org for further details.

From Katharina.Walter@nuigalway.ie:

The German Department, NUI Galway and the Austrian Embassy, Dublin invites you to the reading of the award-winning writer Hamid Sadr, from his 2005 novel Der Gedächtnissekretär.  The reading takes place in Arts Millenium Building room 109, on Monday 12 November at 14.oo hrs.

All welcome!

A useful web link of interest is the Kings College Modern Language Open Learning Centre which features a diverse range of resources across a wide language range at various levels.