EUROPE DIRECT NORTH EAST – e-bulletin
September 2012
Welcome back! We hope you all enjoyed your Summer break and are ready to get started in the new school year!
You may already know that the 26th September is the European Day of Languages, which is celebrated all over Europe to encourage language learning for all and increase intercultural understanding. There are many ways to get involved and this month’s e-bulletin will give you plenty of ideas to get started!
Did you know…?
· More than 6,000 languages exist across the world?
· There are around 225 indigenous languages spoken in Europe?
· The most commonly spoken language in Europe is Russian, followed by German, English, French and Italian?
· Experts have estimated that at least half of the world’s languages, maybe more, will die out over the course of this century?
The European Day of Languages (EDL) is all about getting people excited about languages, including those which are less widely-spoken – It’s a celebration of all the world’s languages, not just European ones!
Below is a list of activity ideas for you to use in your school or youth group to help your young people discover a new language and find out fun facts about Europe along the way:
· Treasure hunt with a linguistic theme – why not try putting some of the clues into another language?
· International food markets – a great way to inspire young people and get them talking about their favourite food and drink in another language;
· Why not ask a group of pupils to perform a play in a foreign language or organise a fashion show with a commentary in French or German?
· International sports day – combining physical activity with languages!
· Songs from around the world – music helps make a foreign language more memorable!
· Languages quiz – see how much your young people know about Europe’s languages and in which countries they are spoken.
Where to go for more information and ideas:
· www.cilt.org.uk/EDL - CILT is the national relay for EDL in the UK and offers a wide range of free, pre-prepared activities, quizzes and resources. We love the downloadable “hello” stickers, available in 30 different languages: http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/valuing_languages/european_day_of_languages/10_downloads/hello_stickers.aspx
· This link will take you straight to a list of top 10 ways to celebrate EDL in your school, college, university, office or community: http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/valuing%20languages/european%20day%20of%20languages/suggested%20activities.aspx
· http://edl.ecml.at – This bright and easy-to-navigate site is fantastic for finding out all about the history of EDL, looking at past events held in schools and youth clubs and being inspired to create your own, multilingual day of fun! Free posters and stickers can be found here: http://edl.ecml.at/Participate/Materials/tabid/1769/language-en-GB/Default.aspx
· BBC languages (www.bbc.co.uk/languages/edl) is a great place to go for inspiration and links to other classroom resources. Their “quick fix” section offering essential phrases in 40 different languages is useful too: www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix.
· You can find a ready-made EDL quiz here: http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/valuing_languages/european_day_of_languages/10_games_and_challenges.aspx
· www.ukgermanconnection.org/kids-home-uk - This website has a range of captivating German language games and quizzes, aimed specifically at younger learners.
· www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/topics/languages - A variety of free resources for your language activities, including “hello” flags using the local language of 12 different countries!
· www.coe.int/EDL - Information about the origins of EDL and why it should be important to us all.
We hope you have been inspired to join in and celebrate the European Day of Languages on the 26th September this year, along with thousands of people from all 47 European member states and beyond!
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Brian Stobie
Europe Direct North East
International Relations
Durham County Council
County Hall
Durham DH1 5UF
Tel. 0044 (0)3000 268500/ 268503
Fax. 0044 (0) 191 383 4487
Email.
Europe Direct North East is part funded by the European Commission. Sole responsibility for any information produced by Europe Direct North East lies with the author - the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.