ABSTRACT
Requirements: copies of the European Languages Portfolio for each student (see below for details); access to languages-related work experience placements. Event time: this project can be organised over as long or as short a period necessary for completing all stages. Languages targeted: any Impact: medium-high (can be used with small and large groups)
The Gold Award for Languages is a programme comprising three languages-related challenges which students must complete in order to be eligible for the award: work experience, community challenge and personal challenge. It originated in this form as part of the national Routes into Languages initiative (Routes South). It is a very flexible project which can be carried out within various timeframes. It is typically undertaken by students in Year 10 and above, as one of the challenges involves a work-experience placement, but it can be started by students in younger year groups and completed over a number of years. The award not only provides opportunities for students to develop and showcase their language skills but also aims to demonstrate how languages can be applied and valued in a range of different situations. It is a useful platform from which languages can be promoted at school, as it can be linked to a number of other curriculum areas, such as business studies (work experience challenge), citizenship (community challenge), geography (personal challenge), as well as students’ own personal develop - ment. It can be completed as part of an enrichment or extra-curricular programme or embedded within the foreign languages curriculum. Once introduced and set up, the programme should require little management time, as students are encouraged to fill in the European Languages Portfolio*4 to record their progress and achievements. To attain the award students must present a fully-completed portfolio to their teacher, who then signs it off. Upon successful completion of all stages of the award, students can be
which should be signed by the head teacher as well as the head of the languages department.
