LYIT's Lingo Club, which meets regularly to share cultural experiences in different languages, has won a prestigious national award.  The LYIT team received the European Language Label from Seán Ó Cuirreáin, Ireland’s first Coimisinéir Teanga, at an award ceremony in Marino Institute of Education in Dublin on 5 October.  Léargas awards the Language Label every year to projects which demonstrate innovative ways of teaching and learning languages.  The LYIT was one of four Irish projects which were awarded the European Language Label.

Set up by Úna Carthy, a lecturer in German at LYIT, the Lingo Club has been in existence since 2006 and has grown considerably in that time.  It now boasts 60 members representing several different nationalities, with Lingo-ers who speak Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Yoruba, Polish and Irish to name a few.

“The Lingo Club has a very flexible and informal ethos,” says Úna.  “It provides a forum for people to speak different languages outside the curriculum in a welcoming environment.  Not only does the club encourage language learning, it also provides a unique opportunity to discover and explore other cultures.  Members demonstrate recipes and give dancing lessons; the club revolves around intercultural exchange on many levels.”

As part of the cultural exchange, the Lingo Club has organised competitions, quizzes and visits to St Patrick’s Day Parades, the Giant’s Causeway and Arranmore Island.  “Our aim is to make learning and speaking a language enjoyable and fun, “adds Úna. “The club gives an added dimension to language learning that goes beyond the formal classroom experience.”

The club also has its own website and blog with interesting stories, pictures and video links – www.lingolyit.com.

Judges comments on the LYIT Lingo Club said that, “What makes this project innovative is that it not only increases learners’ exposure to foreign languages through a variety of activities but also allows students to take on roles of responsibility in organizing activities, and in doing so, enables them to develop invaluable skills for the workplace.”

Muireann Ní Mhóráin, Chair of the Irish National Jury, commented that the winning projects illustrate the importance of languages for employability.  Ms Ní Mhóráin also observed, “It is notable that the use of technology and social media has a central place in the winning projects, which shows how language teaching and learning is evolving in line with technological development”.

Photo caption:
Comhghairdeas! Gratulacje! Felicitationes!
LYIT Lingo Club members Úna Carthy, PJ Bryson and Eilis McGinley with their Léargas award.  The Club was one of four national projects which won a prestigious Language Label for innovative ways to make learning a language fun and enjoyable.