Annual Report 2023 Entire Book - Flipbook - Page 129
#ThinkLanguages
15,000 students
Action: 3.A.1
3.B.2
180 schools
11 HEIs
14 cinemas
Overview:
#ThinkLanguages is an annual festival of languages and cultures held in schools nationwide and facilitated by
PPLI. It includes a combination of interactive workshops, inspiring talks, fun quizzes, and activities, and
supports the Languages Connect awareness raising messaging around the many social, personal and career
benefits of languages. Since the inaugural event in 2018, it has evolved and grown each year. In 2023,
#ThinkLanguages became a week-long celebration, with new partners providing additional opportunities for
students to experience the joy of language learning in new settings.
Main Aims:
•
Bring languages to life in fun and engaging ways that TY students can relate to
•
Raise awareness of the many languages spoken by students and the wider school community
•
Increase uptake of one or more foreign language subjects at Leaving Certificate level
•
Spark interest and create awareness of the opportunities for studying languages at third level
•
Provide students with the opportunity to take ownership of organising an event, facilitate a workshop in
their language, or organise an activity showcasing languages and cultures
•
Celebrate languages used in the school, local community and wider world
Activity:
In its sixth year, #ThinkLanguages evolved further into a week-long festival of
languages and cultures, bringing more partners on board to widen the offering to
students and schools. #ThinkLanguages Week took place in schools nationwide
from Monday 27 November – Friday 1 December 2023. Over 180 schools
nationwide were involved in the flagship event, with over 15,000 TY students
celebrating languages and cultures in their school and locality.
Resources and Teacher Supports
2023 was the first year that school-life returned to pre-pandemic levels of ‘normality’,
following a couple of years of restrictions since the in-school approach to
#ThinkLanguages had been adopted. In this context, the Teacher Planning Handbook
needed to be fully updated in 2023. Based on feedback from participating teachers, the
Champion Team competition was brought more to the fore in 2023 to incentivise
students to become even more involved in the organisation of the #ThinkLanguages festival in their school.
The introduction of task cards and festival lineup sheets made the experience more interactive and provided
additional support for the teachers involved in the organisation and promotion.
- PPLI ANNUAL REPORT 2023 -
129
