Sharing the Lessons of Bilingualism

This week, English tutors from Germany will be given the opportunity to enrich their understanding of bilingualism and teaching a language on a visit to Aberystwyth University.

The tutors, from the Saxony-Anhalt region, will attend the week long School of Education and Lifelong Learning’s Continuing Professional Development Summer School, and will also visit the National Library of Wales, the Welsh National History Museum at St Fagans and the Senedd in Cardiff Bay as an introduction to Wales’ language and culture.

The sessions available to the tutors during the week will, amongst other things, look at how teachers use language in communicating with English learners, and will provide an introduction to how English is taught in schools in Wales. Summer School participants will also give an overview of the education system and bilingualism in Wales.

“We have brought together the expertise of lecturers from the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, the Aberystwyth University International English Centre and the Welsh for Adults Centre in one comprehensive pack,” explained Dr Andrew James Davies, Coordinator of the Summer School. “We hope that the tutors will identify examples of best practice we have here at Aberystwyth University and will be able to introduce them in their teaching on their return to Germany.”

Ines Klausch, course leader for the German tutors said: “We received a warm welcome from the staff at Aberystwyth University and we look forward to a week of learning and sharing information about how bilingualism works within our institutions. We have an itinerary packed with lectures, visits and social functions which provide us with a real understanding of how another bilingual community works.”

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