1. Providing opportunities for “internationalisation”
School of Languages, Cultures and Societies Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Cultures
Providing opportunities for “internationalisation”
on campus
Carolin Schneider,
Language Zone Manager
#IIH2019

2. Co-curricular activities
Support through strategy and policy (University & School)
For students:
bringing together language learners from all backgrounds
using available student-friendly spaces effectively
For staff:
providing leadership on internationalisation
Projects
“improving the experience of international students”
“making an international experience available to all students”
Now integrated as “business as usual”.

3. Supports independent language learning
The Language Zone
Supports independent language learning
Open six days a week during term time,
five days a week outside term time
Print and online resources,
including satellite TV
Open access
Large study area
Co-curricular activities, such as
Conversation Club
Language Exchange & Language Groups

4. LfA credit-bearing modules
Languages for All
LfA credit-bearing modules
UGs can use their ‘discovery’ credits to study a language
Expand their opportunities and horizons
Excellent preparation for studying/working abroad
Value of language skills and cultural awareness – for graduates and employers
Academic skills and personal/professional development employability
Enjoy language learning and change of teaching style in small classes!

5. Overview of co-curricular activities
Activity
Interaction
“Formality”
Skills/learning
Global Community events (UoL led)
Group
Drop in
Intercultural awareness
Language Exchange
1-to-1
No paperwork
Independent learning, language skills, intercultural awareness
Language group participants
Small group
Attend 6 sessions
Language skills, intercultural awareness
Language group leaders
Small group teaching
Attend training
Lead 6 sessions
Small group teaching, materials development
8 meetings
Submit reflective diary

6. Language Exchange

7. Language Exchange Academic year Number of active participants 2016-17
1,099 (paper-based system)
: first month
1,110
By Christmas 2017
1,687
By Christmas 2018
1,987
Mid-March 2019
2,023
Top 5 Languages offered
Top 5 Languages desired
Mandarin (900)
English (1,023)
English (765)
French (490)
Japanese (104)
Spanish (419)
Cantonese (77)
Japanese (333)
Arabic (69)
German (207)

8. Tandem@Leeds 2 students studying each other’s language 8 meetings
Tandem learner or Tandem partner
Certificate of successful completion
Reflective diary:
dates & focus of each meeting
2+ audio recordings
evidence of learning, consolidation & reflection - pass/fail

9.
Challenges
Opportunities
Meeting the demand
Refer to other offers e.g. Language Exchange, Language Groups
If a partnership fades …
Admin – matching process, s, briefings, handbook, certificates
Student ambassador (paid)
Marking (pass/fail)
Needs to be factored into workload

10. What the students say Tandem@Leeds
“Absolutely, I recommend this project! I want to thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity, I met an amazing girl and I have learned a lot! I have learned interesting aspects of the English culture and new idioms; I practised my fluency and some grammar structures as well. However, the best thing is that I found a friend and I hope we will keep in touch!”
- Chiara Grandin

11. What the students say Tandem@Leeds
“I would recommend Tandem because it helped me to gain more confidence in speaking Spanish. I was shy in class before it and scared of making mistakes but by speaking to my Language Partner one to one I learnt to build up basic sentences, and to become less hesitant in speaking. It was also helpful in that when I had assignments due in my target language I could ask for advice from my partner, particularly with regard to using the correct tenses.”
- Jonathan Turner

12. What the students say Tandem@Leeds
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience of Tandem at Leeds. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your target language’s culture and customs, whilst also picking up a few idiomatic expressions that the classroom simply won’t teach you! Tandem is a shared learning journey – so you’ll have ample opportunity to share your language and cultural traditions with your Tandem partner alongside learning about theirs.”
- Rosemary Maher

14. Language Groups - Leaders
[I enjoyed] meet[ing] students from other programmes and countries and exchange with them about their experiences.
Just having this opportunity was awesome. I never had any chance to "teach" anyone, and always wanted to try, and this gave me everything I needed to have a go!
The students were lovely and genuinely enjoyed learning about their own culture whilst educating them on my own.

15. Language Groups - Participants
I thought the group leaders were really good and really tried to adapt their lessons to what we wanted as a class. Because the group was small it was nice because we all got to know each other and chat more like friends, which is good in a language learning situation as it meant we were all comfortable.
The teachers and making friends!
[I enjoyed] meet[ing] students from other programmes and countries and exchange with them about their experiences.
The sessions were helpful for improving my language: 79%

16. Global Community
Wherever you're from in the UK and around the world, you're part of our Global Community. It connects you to intercultural and international activities that will bring you a world of different ideas and experiences.

17. Thank you for listening.
Any questions?
Contact:
Carolin Schneider:

18. Tandem@Leeds reflective diary: Assessment criteria 2018-19
Task completion
Use of language
Pronunciation & intonation
40+
Pass
Satisfactory evidence of at least 8 meetings
Satisfactory evidence of learning
Satisfactory evidence of reflection
Range of grammatical structures appropriate to the student’s linguistic ability (written and/or spoken)
Errors do not hinder understanding
Evidence of a range of vocabulary appropriate to the student’s linguistic ability
At least 2 audio recordings
Satisfactory evidence of speaking the language
Satisfactory evidence of particular sounds/intonation/pronunciation which the student wanted to improve
Fail
Unsatisfactory/no evidence of 8 meetings
Unsatisfactory/no evidence of learning
Unsatisfactory/no evidence of reflection
Frequent errors result in great difficulty understanding
Very poor range of vocabulary given the student’s linguistic ability
Does not meet the language level required for a pass
Less than 2 audio recordings of speaking skills submitted
Unsatisfactory/no evidence of what the student wanted to improve and/or evidence of improvement