Routes into Languages buddy scheme wins two awards
15th October 2012
Siôn Hupfield receiving the award
Last week, Europe celebrated the European Day of Languages and to mark the occasion, language projects from across the UK were recognised at the European Language Label prize-giving ceremony. Amongst the winners were Routes into Languages Cymru for their Adopt a Class scheme which links school pupils in Wales with an undergraduate student on a year abroad. The pupils have the opportunity to meet their buddy student before they go abroad. The following year, they keep in touch. The student sends information about the country in which they are living. Adopt a Class aims to enthuse the pupils about learning languages and also introduce them to the possibility of spending time abroad with student mobility schemes such as Erasmus. The project started in Wales in 2010 with students from the School piloting the idea with schools in their local areas.
Llinos Evans, Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Barry Comprehensive School, Tom and Harry, pupils at the school and their buddy student from Cardiff University, Siôn Hupfield, travelled to London with the Routes Cymru team to present the project and receive the award on behalf of all of the schools and students taking part across Wales. The team received a very pleasant surprise when Adopt a Class was awarded an additional prize from the Italian Cultural Institute for its work supporting the Italian language. Claudia Toffolo from the Italian Cultural Institute presented this prize which included a selection of Italian resources.
