Radio Lingua Schools workshops aim to use creative technologies to enhance learning in – or out of – your classroom. We can deliver workshops involving podcasting, film-making, animation, music production, digital imagery, social media, and many other areas. Our emphasis is on developing projects which work across the curriculum and use appropriate technologies to achieve the best results.

Our workshops combine creative technologies with language-learning activities, and we’d like to work with you to design a bespoke activity for you and your students. We can deliver the workshops in a foreign language, or use the foreign language along with English. We can also provide activities in English, either for native speakers or for learners of English.

Don’t worry about having the necessary equipment: we’ll bring all the technology to you and we’ll provide copies of the products created by your pupils after the workshop. We aim to upload the videos, animations and podcasts created immediately after a workshop, so your pupils will be able to see their work and share it with their family, friends and fellow pupils while it’s fresh in their minds. We will help you ensure that all appropriate permissions are arranged before the workshop takes place.

Designing activities to suit your pupils’ needs

Each activity can be designed exactly to your requirements, based on the age, stage, language level and experience of your learners. All our workshops can be built around existing language known by the students, or we can build in language learning materials to the workshop and provide a course in advance of the workshop.

Please contact us to discuss how Radio Lingua Schools can help to motivate your learners and we’ll do our best to design a workshop which addresses your needs.

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Some workshop ideas

“Ça tourne!” (Action!)

Pupils put their French skills to use in creating a short film or tv-show based on a theme, story or topic they’ve been working on. Using target language examples, pupils learn about different types of media, eg. news story, soap opera, horror film, etc. Pupils work collaboratively in small groups to write a script with the aid of native speakers or French teachers. Participants develop media literacy, learning to film the movie using different camera angles, close-ups, wide shots, etc. Once the movie has been captured, the participants learn to edit the movie, adding appropriate sound effects and titles. This stage allows for discussion of rights issues associated with the use of prerecorded music, and pupils are encouraged to create their own soundtrack. Finally, the activity concludes with a première of the movies created during the workshop.

Time involved: 2-3 days, either separate or consecutive. Also possible to run as a residential activity

Talk to the World

Pupils create a radio show on a particular topic. The activity will allow pupils to develop confidence in recording their voices, build presentation skills and acquire useful transferable skills such as using microphones and sound recording equipment. Having recorded their voices, pupils will learn to edit the radio show using professional sound editing software, adding sound effects and music, and then export the final piece to a format which can be easily shared. Pupils will listen to each other’s productions, and then upload the radio shows to a website which will provide an immediate worldwide audience for their work. This activity provides excellent opportunities to discuss internet safety issues with participants. Topics can be varied and can include foreign language elements. This activity lends itself particularly well to International Education issues, eg. a primary 7 class could research countries taking part in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and produce a radio show interviewing “athletes” from around the world who are preparing for the games. Pupils could learn a few phrases of the language involved through our One Minute Languages courses.

Time involved: 1 day or 2 half days

Animated language learning

Pupils learn a new language and create an animation (using modelling clay, building bricks, play people, etc.) in their new language. Using our One Minute Languages series, a class teacher works with the class for 3-4 weeks prior to the activity day. Pupils learn enough of the language to get by in a number of situations, and then design a story around the phrases they have learned. Day 1 of the activity will involve script writing and model-making. Pupils will work in small groups to plan their story and then include the phrases that they have learned. They will also prepare their models and backgrounds. Day 2 will involve making the animations using digital video cameras and animation software. On day 3, pupils will record their voices speaking the script they have planned, and synchronising this to their animation. By the end of day 3 pupils will view the premières of the animations they have created.

Time involved: 2-3 days
These are just ideas – please contact us to discuss your own needs and we’ll work with you to identify the best solutions for your situation.