Working collaboratively with
non-language departments
Peter Howarth
March 2011
Author
Peter Howarth is deputy director of Learning Technology and Resources at the
University of Leeds and is currently Chair of the Association of University Language
Centres (UK and Ireland), a professional body representing about 80 centres in
higher education.
Published by
Published by UCML with funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for
England.
University Council of Modern Languages (UCML)
t: +44 (0)23 8059 4814
f: +44 (0)23 8059 4815
e: ucml@soton.ac.uk
www.ucml.ac.uk
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNon Commercial-No Derivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales
(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
7
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1
Contents
Introduction
2
Language centres’ collaborative work with non-languages departments
3
Case Study 1: Gateways project
8
Case Study 2: Foreign Language Skills in a medical context
11
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2
Introduction
One way in which university language centres are distinguished from academic
departments in the UK foreign languages landscape is in their involvement with nonhumanities schools and faculties and their students. This is most commonly seen in
their IWLPs (institution-wide language programmes), in which a wide range of
languages are offered, either as credit-bearing elective modules or as extra-curricular
evening classes, for students from any subject specialism.
Less well-known, because less advertised or promoted, are the collaborative learning
and teaching arrangements many language centres have established with specific
schools and faculties (most STEM subjects as well as business) to provide tailormade foreign language training for their students, mostly under- but also some postgraduate. These programmes may be at any level from beginners to advanced, and,
in addition to the main Western European languages, may also be offered in the
major languages of East Asia, as well as less widely-spoken languages such as
Punjabi, which is popular with medical students.
The following documents provide, firstly, an indication of the broad range of
collaboration typically found in HEIs, followed by two more detailed case studies of
languages for the aviation industry and medicine, respectively.
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3
Language centres’ collaborative work with non-languages departments
School, specific
subject area
Language(s)
What
kind of
students
Level
(academic
and/or
linguistic)
Form of training,
duration
Tailormade/
integrated
Benefits/comments
Kent
French
UG
2nd and finalyear
Factored into some degrees.
Within our
internationalisation
strategy, virtually all
students can look now to
doing a year abroad as part
of their degree programme.
French, German,
Spanish
UG
B1 - C1
Four years of Medical
French, German and
Spanish up to C1 (2 hours
per week). In their 5th year,
students undertake a
clinical placement in a
European teaching
hospital.
Tailor-made.
Medical School sees our
European Option programme as
a way of attracting good
students to their Medical
programme. Their students also
learn about European medicine.
Some go on to work for
international aid organisations.
French
UG
B1 – C1
French for one or two years
in the form of 20 credit
optional courses up to C1 (3
hours per week).
Specialised but
they admit
other students
from across
the University.
French, German,
Italian, Spanish,
Chinese, Japanese
UG and
PGT
Entry levels
Ab-initio. Post
GCSE, post A
level
69 hours
Business
Manchester
Medical School
Manchester
Business School
Bristol
Study in Continental
Europe
3 hours a week; An
academic year (23 weeks)
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4
School, specific
subject area
Language(s)
Bristol
French, German,
Italian, Spanish,
Chinese, Japanese
What
kind of
students
Level
(academic
and/or
linguistic)
Form of training,
duration
Tailormade/
integrated
42 hours
3 hours a week; An
academic year (23 weeks)
Language for
Medical Science
Bristol
French
UG
A range of learning
materials for online,
interactive private study
Tailor-made
18 hours of teaching over 2
weeks plus guided/
independent self-study
sessions leading to a role
play and presentation
which are assessed and a
portfolio which includes a
reflective log.
Tailor-made
Department of
Aerospace and
Avionic Engineering
& Airbus UK
Leeds
School of Medicine
French, Italian,
German, Spanish,
Punjabi
French (Int),
Italian (Beg),
German
(mixed),
Spanish (Beg,
Int), Punjabi
(Beg)
www.ucml.ac.uk
Benefits/comments
Allows students of Medical
Science to take 10 credit points
worth of language study in the
second year as a Special Study
Component (SSC). Students
take a unit either in preparation
for an Erasmus exchange in the
third year or for general interest.
Connecting students with
employers and professional
bodies while they are still at
university. Informs the next
generation of aerospace
engineers about the importance
of developing language and
intercultural skills for their
future careers and to equip them
with the relevant linguistic skills
set for the aerospace industry.
Benefits: allows students to take
advantage of other options
especially abroad; broaden their
horizons; spread the word about
their enjoyment of language
study and its benefits;
intercultural communication;
cultural awareness; preparation
for going abroad; employability
5
School, specific
subject area
Language(s)
What
kind of
students
Leeds
variety
UG
Leeds
French
PG
Earth &
Environment, Maths
&Physical Sciences
German
Sheffield
French, German,
Italian, Spanish
Dual UG
Masters
degrees
Level
(academic
and/or
linguistic)
Form of training,
duration
Tailormade/
integrated
Benefits/comments
Requirement for the degree
Integrated
Beginner
10-week courses
Tailor-made
Funded by Roberts money
Mostly post A
level but some
post AS and
GCSE
All except Chemistry (3
years including year
abroad) 4 years including
year abroad. Engineers 1x
3 hour language module.
Others extra tandem and
project modules
Generic
language
classes plus
tailor made
tandem
modules and
project
modules.
All do tailor
made
placement
preparation
module in
Spring
semester
before leaving
in Autumn for
year abroad
All the benefits of learning a
modern foreign language plus
intercultural awareness
Engineering
(Aviation)
Animal and Plant
Sciences,
Chemistry,
Engineering,
Maths, Physics
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School, specific
subject area
Language(s)
Bath
Chemistry (year 1),
Computer Science
(language is in degree
title), Natural
Sciences (all years),
Psychology (all years),
School for Health
(year 1), Politics (all
years)
French (1 – 6),
Bath
French (3
What
kind of
students
Level
(academic
and/or
linguistic)
Form of training,
duration
Tailormade/
integrated
Benefits/comments
Students are
taught together
and alongside
the 3-credit
students for
two out of three
hours contact
time.
German (1 – 6)
Italian (1 – 3)
Japanese (1 – 4)
Mandarin (1– 3)
Spanish (1 – 6)
UG
2nd year
PG double
MA
UK/FR
Ab initio
semester-long
units), German
School of
Management
and Spanish (2
semester-long
units)
London
Metropolitan
French
+ mixed
intermediate
3 hours x 11 weeks during
semester 1 in UK ; strong
integration of peer learning
(with French students
contributing to the course)
Tailor-made
element of
preparation to
live /study
abroad
Business
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International and UK non French
speaking students are able to better
prepare for their period of study
abroad although they will be taught
in English, they are better able to
capitalise on the gains of the
experience. Improved student
experience. Better collaborative
dimension as this helps integration
of French and UK/ International
student cohorts.
7
Nottingham
1. The compulsory language element of with language engineering programmes
(for example Civil , Electrical and Electronical, Mechanical, Manufacturing).
The numbers used to be large, they have now dwindled considerably, but we
still have a few for French, German and Spanish.
2. The compulsory language element of Physics With European Studies (also
for French, German and Spanish).
3. The compulsory language element of the International Communications
degree course, which started approximately 4 years ago. Students do a
language for 3 years and this can be in any language offered by the
Language Centre provided 3 stages are available to progress from the entry
point.
4. Biosciences students take a language in preparation for their year Abroad as
part of a European Studies certificate (usually they only take one semester of
the language).
5. Over the past couple of years we have provided the non compulsory
language element for a new International Maths degree course.
6. A language also used to be a compulsory part of some MBA courses. Now
languages for the MBA are optional and non assessed.
7. Languages are taken as an option (and assessed) for the International
Business degree course for the Business School.
8. 2 years ago we started providing optional language modules in Arabic,
French and Spanish to Medical School students.
9. Over the past 5/6 years we have also provided languages for PG students
from all university departments. This goes towards their training skills
allocation and there is a selection process: students who need a language for
their research have priority over students who are just doing the language for
personal interest.
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8
Case study 1
Title of case study:
Gateways Project
University (department/faculty if relevant):
University of Bristol, Language Centre
Abstract:
The University of Bristol’s Language Centre was one of four UK universities selected
by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), to deliver an
innovative language-learning programme, entitled ‘Gateways into the Professions’,
that connects students with employers and professional bodies while they are still at
university. Conducted entirely in French, the course includes a history of avionics,
specialist terminology, interviews with industry professionals, business French,
vocabulary and grammar exercises, plus information and links to careers in
aerospace and avionics.
Background and context:
Speaking about Airbus’s involvement in the project, Duncan Greenman, head of
people development for Airbus engineering in the UK and a visiting senior
research fellow in aerospace at the University, commented:
‘Airbus and its predecessor companies have had a long association with the
University of Bristol dating back over 80 years; these collaborations have added
much value to both organisations. As a recruiter of new graduates, we are particularly
pleased to be involved with the Language Centre and the Gateways Project. For
graduates to have an existing foreign-language capability on joining is of great benefit
to employers, especially when that capability covers both conversational and
technical subjects. The project focus on business, aerospace and avionics will make
Airbus involvement even more appropriate and mutually valuable.’
Bristol and the other universities involved in the project (Kingston, Loughborough,
and Salford) each have a team of professionals (a language tutor, a vocational tutor
and at least one employer) who work together to design the curriculum and
materials. As well as the input from individual employers, professional bodies such as
the Engineering Council UK (ECUK) and Construction Skills are closely involved in
the project to offer advice and to disseminate the work of the initiative.
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Description of activity or initiative:
The Language Centre is working with Airbus UK and colleagues in the Department of
Aerospace and Avionic Engineering at the University to develop a range of learning
materials (online, interactive, self-study and one-to-one tuition) in French for
undergraduate students in the department. The aim is to inform the next generation
of aerospace engineers about the importance of developing language and
intercultural skills for their future careers and to equip them with the relevant
linguistic skills set to get ahead in the aerospace industry. Conducted entirely in
French, the course includes a history of avionics, specialist terminology, interviews
with industry professionals, business French, vocabulary and grammar exercises,
plus information and links to careers in aerospace and avionics. The course is taught
by Hélène Duranton, recent winner of the Arts Faculty’s annual e-learning prize.
Outcomes:
Dr Steve Burrow, lecturer in aircraft systems in the Faculty of Engineering,
commented:
‘We know from experience that a significant proportion of our students will go on to
hold senior positions in international companies and hence we need to give them the
opportunity to learn diverse language and business culture skills. Initiatives like the
Gateways project are important because by contextualising language tuition it not
only appears more relevant to students, which improves uptake, but it also allows the
language tuition to be tailored to the needs of industry, improving graduate
employability.’
Describing her experience of the course, Mariam Niknejad, a second-year aerospaceengineering student, said:
‘The Language Gateway is an engaging way of learning and putting into context
French for aerospace engineering. It caters for reading, listening and writing in an
enjoyable manner. I found it easier to learn technical vocabulary using the Gateway
as it is interactive. I particularly like the section that provides you with links to
further information on the topics the exercises dealt with.’
Advice to others:
Explaining why Bristol was selected for the project, Teresa Birks, higher education
adviser at CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said,
‘Collaboration and innovation are key to the Language Gateways into the Professions
project. Equally important are the passion and commitment of both the language and
vocational teachers. The University of Bristol has brought all of this and more in
developing and piloting a pioneering course that will serve as a best practice model to
be disseminated at national level.’
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Further details:
University of Bristol Language Centre
University of Bristol Department of Aerospace and Avionic Engineering
Airbus UK
Engineering Council UK (ECUK)
Construction Skills
CILT, the National Centre for Languages
A recent CILT study showed that language skills can significantly improve export
success for European companies. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which
have a languages strategy and invest in staff with language skills are shown to be able
to achieve 44% more export sales than those which don't. (Source: ‘ELAN: The
Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Languages Skills in Enterprise’,
CILT, March 2007).
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Case study 2
Title of case study:
Foreign Language Skills (Student Selected Component for
School of Medicine students)
University (department/faculty if relevant):
University of Leeds, Language Centre, Foreign Language Teaching Unit (FLTU)
Abstract
At Leeds, 2nd and 3rd year medical students are given the opportunity to study topics
outside mainstream medicine and to develop a range of transferable skills (Student
Selected Components, SSCs). Developing their skills in a foreign language over a 2week period is one such option.
Background and context:
For several years now the FLTU has offered a 2-week intensive Pre-Christmas
Student SSC in a foreign language. Students can choose from intermediate French if
they already have a GCSE, German (students have a variety of levels), beginners
Italian, beginners Spanish and beginners Punjabi.
Description of activity or initiative:
Course content
The course consists of 18 hours of language classes and five self-study sessions. It
provides students with an insight into language learning and the culture of the
country/ies where the language is spoken as well as language in a medical context. It
is hoped that students will be able to build on what they learn and develop techniques
for independent language learning.
Week One focuses on general language while Week Two focuses on medicine-specific
vocabulary. Students work towards performing a role play and a mini presentation in
the language on the last day of the course. These are recorded on video and assessed.
The role play is a patient-doctor scenario, which involves the doctor asking the
patient what the mecial problem is, the patient describing the symptoms and the
doctor giving a diagnosis and recommending action/treatment. The presentation is
based on explaining a medical case.
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Skills





Acquisition of foreign language skills in a medical context
Independent language-learning techniques
Communication skills in the target language
Enterprise skills including transferable skills
Further development of critical reflection
Assessment
The marking criteria are set by the School of Medicine for all the SSCs and use four
categories: process, skills acquisition, information-gathering and interpretation, and
report. The students are assessed on evidence of the acquisition process, the level of
proficiency gained and their portfolio, which includes a reflective log of up to 200
words. The course must also include an opportunity for students to develop their
enterprise skills – organisation, communication skills and adaptability are identified
as the skills most readily developed on this SSC. Students must show awareness of
enterprise skills and demonstrate development of the specific skills identified by this
SSC and a clear understanding of the relevance of these skills to their future medical
career.
Workload
The timing of the SSC is not ideal in that the first week coincides with the last week of
Semester One teaching (Week 11), so this involves some rescheduling of classes. In
terms of energy levels it is also not the best time for the tutors or the students but the
tutors always enjoy teaching the Medics because they are quick learners and the
students are amazed at how much they acquire in that short time. Tutors produce
their own materials for the course. They also ensure that the students’ independent
study time is guided, by highlighting relevant material which is available online or in
the Language Centre’s Self-Access Area. The marking has to be done by mid-January.
Tutors have to mark the role play and presentation and the portfolio. The average
number of students in a group is 10.
Outcomes





For FLTU, this activity has helped to develop a close working relationship with an
important, forward-thinking school
It has provided an insight into development of the curriculum in Medicine which
often impacts on other schools
Within a very short, though intensive, programme of study students achieve
confidence in using the foreign language in real-life situations
Students have some preparation for volunteering, studying and/or working
abroad (e.g. with MSF)
Feedback suggests that many students value competence in a foreign language as
a way of enhancing their employability and their options when they graduate
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Advice to others

One of the tutors working on the SSCs has an allocation of 20 hours to prepare
individual language timetables, request room and equipment bookings, liaise
with the School, update the mini student handbook and so on. This is
recommended.

We have one opportunity to give a presentation to promte the option to
prospective students when they are choosing their SS (all the tutors prioritise
attendance at this) and another to brief the students before the SSC starts. These
are useful in clarifying what the SSC covers and what is expected of students.
Further details:
University of Leeds, Language Centre
Leeds Institute of Medical Education
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