Annual Report 2023 Entire Book - Flipbook - Page 94
Heritage and Lesser-Taught Language
Summer Camp Funding
6 Summer Camps
Action 2.C.2
Action 2.E.10
110 Students
Overview:
Summer Camps in lesser-taught and heritage languages are funded by the Languages Connect awareness
campaign for post-primary students. The camps are held over a two-week period during the summer. They
are organised and taught by professionals in a variety of languages at locations nationwide. They are an
opportunity for students to improve their language skills.
Main Aims:
•
Provide support for students to help maintain their heritage language
•
Introduce post-primary level students to heritage and lesser-taught languages in a fun, engaging way
Activity:
2023 is the fifth year of heritage and lesser-taught language summer camps. The summer camps offer a
combination of language, sport, and culture classes in the target language. PPLI fund and advise on the
summer camps, and they are run by individuals, or in some cases organisations such as universities.
The coordinators are responsible for advertising the camps, registration of students, and devising the camp
programme. PPLI assist the coordinators with getting feedback from parents and students, which the
coordinators can use to improve and promote any future summer camps.
In 2023, there were five camps, offering students the opportunity to have language lessons in Chinese, Italian,
Japanese, Lithuanian and Polish. Three universities managed a summer camp, bringing post-primary students
onto campus and giving them the opportunity to spend two weeks learning a lesser-taught language.
The summer camps provide the HEIs with an opportunity to raise awareness of their lesser-taught language
courses.
In addition to language classes, students cover a variety of cultural activities and sports as outlined below:
Chinese in South East Technological University (SETU), Waterford
In Waterford, students experienced Chinese calligraphy, Peking opera mask painting, Chinese paper cutting,
martial arts (Taichi), traditional Chinese board games, traditional Chinese painting, Chinese knot, Chinese
blow painting, a Chinese Tea ceremony, Chinese cloth-paste painting, and an outing which included a visit to
a local restaurant and food making.
Italian at University of Galway
In Galway, students experienced creating masks for Venice and the carnival; karaoke and music games with
Italian songs to celebrate Sanremo and the Italian music culture; how to speak with your hands through
Italian hand gestures; miming Italian art masterpieces in order to experience Florence and Italian art; making
and eating Italian pizza while covering Naples and Italian delicacies; the screening of an Italian movie having
covered Rome and Italian cinema; finding a new life for old clothes while covering Milan and the fashion
week; the Italian version of Trivial Pursuits; and the final show which included brainstorming, rehearsals, and
the event itself.
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- PPLI ANNUAL REPORT 2023 -
